Overall description
An account manager is a communications consultant who delivers projects and campaigns for a portfolio of clients with strategic direction from an account director. He or she should be a capable and confident operator who can deliver work without extensive supervision. With a thorough understanding and knowledge of communications, consultation and engagement management, channels and tools, he or she is fully in control of delivering timely programmes to achieve client objectives and project and campaign outcomes in budget.
Key responsibilities
- Client relationships, account and budget management at delivery level
- Project/campaign delivery
- Contributor to delivery of income and profitability against targets with Account Director
- Contributor to business development and growth via existing/new clients and projects
- Management and ownership of tasks carried out by junior team members for specific clients and projects
- Quality assurance of work methods and products
- Industry participation at networking events, etc. and contributor to Copper’s external profile.
Cultural requirements
- Guardian of consultancy culture, values and reputation (The Copper Way)
- Integrity: acts openly, honestly and ethically; treats people with respect; respectfully challenges inappropriate behaviours; proactively offers help to colleagues
- Contributor of ideas and best practice in infrastructure and development communications.
Knowledge requirements
- Consultancy environment and practices: day to day working knowledge
- Communications, consultation and engagement: practical knowledge of how to apply them to achieve specific outputs and outcomes
- Infrastructure and development sector (an advantage)
- Planning: knowledge planning legislation and procedures – TCPA 1990 and Planning Act 2008 and /or construction industry and/or economic development sector (useful)
- Media and social media: day to day knowledge of media management
- Public affairs: politically aware: some knowledge of UK political structures (national, devolved and local)
- Business to business PR techniques (useful).
Skills requirements
- Strong interpersonal skills; articulate; motivated; enthusiastic; enquiring mind; problem solver; attention to detail
- Consultancy skills: able to develop strong client relationships; day to day account management of clients, projects and campaigns; budget management including understanding of contribution to Copper income and profitability
- New business development: ability to identify and contribute to generating consultancy income from existing and new clients; drafting proposals, budgets and presentations (with supervision from account director); pitching
- Communications planning: ability to develop plans from communications strategies; execute individual communications workstreams using OASIS principles
- Stakeholder engagement and consultation: development and delivery of plans using appropriate channels, tools and reporting to deliver specific outputs and outcomes; direct contact with key stakeholders
- Writing skills: ability to draft copy in a range of styles; apply tone of voice and Plain English
- Media relations (including social media): prepare plans using OASIS principles; drafting media materials; manage journalist relationships; issues management; message development; interview facilitation
- Self-starter and team player: effective at working on their own and as part of account teams to manage deliverables, workloads, deadlines, etc.