Fenton is the social change agency taking on the world’s toughest challenges in human rights, social and economic justice, environment, education, and public health. Primed with deep issue expertise and powered by the creativity and passion of 100 professionals working across the country, we create strategies for clients to help build a more just, equitable and sustainable world. A fast growing and award-winning agency, we lead the industry in diverse representation as 55% of our entire staff and 62% of our leadership team are people of color. We are women-led as 74% of our staff are women.
We are a culture steeped in social change and activism, with a collaborative work environment, excellent benefits and a strong sense of purpose and community across the agency. Fenton is a remote-forward agency where staff work primarily from home but also gather in person as needed in co-working spaces. Our staff are strategically located within a 35-mile radius of our strategic hubs of New York City, Washington DC, Los Angeles, and the San Francisco Bay Area regions.
We are currently seeking an Account Director within our advertising practice with a passion for making social change, with an emphasis on developing laser-sharp paid media strategies.
They will play a pivotal role in the strategic direction of our account work and business development activities. This role requires a strategic thinker who can gain a deep understanding of the agency capabilities and has a strong background in online and offline media planning, ad-operations, as well as creative trafficking and storytelling.
The Account Director is responsible for the day-to-day management of assigned accounts and the cultivation of new business. This includes overseeing the development and implementation of integrated media plans, with a strong focus on traditional advertising, client budgets and serving as a relationship manager to clients.
They may supervise team members servicing each account in addition to other core staff members. This position also comes with the expectation to provide recommendations that enhance the performance, culture, and future of the firm. The AD is also a leader that models to the staff our values of stewarding outstanding client work and collaboration within the firm.
Essential responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Client Relations
- As a key client manager, oversee client relationships encompassing managing expectations, determining need to pivot and bringing in senior counsel for problem-solving
- Manage and develop integrated, data-driven advertising campaigns, including TV, radio, outdoor, programmatic display, social media, CTV
- Develop and oversee integrated media strategies for individual organizations as well as unique work streams within larger cross-communications efforts
- Create a wide range of high-level communications products including strategic plans, proposals, creation of specific platforms, digital and social media messaging documents, etc.
- Provide strategic guidance to project teams to ensure quality of produced work
Media Strategy
- Develop & manage media recommendations by understanding client objectives and translating into media strategies & tactics.
- Possess and communicate an understanding of the market dynamics, target audiences, competitive landscape, and messaging strategy for each brand.
- Maintain strong relationships with media vendors to increase knowledge and identify new media opportunities and relevant testing initiatives.
- Make use of available syndicated media research data, and other resources to build the optimal reach, frequency, and media mix.
- Work closely and coordinate with the biddable media team to ensure best practices are maintained throughout the implementation process and that optimizations and insights are reported back to the client.
- Ensure efficient and clear lines of communication are maintained with all internal and external teams working on each account.
Qualifications:
- Bachelors’ degree or equivalent experience. Non-traditional educational paths welcomed!
- 5 – 7 years’ experience in strategic media planning. While not required, experience in advocacy/political communications is a plus!
- Experience in a public relations or advertising agency highly desirable; firm understanding of client billing process, client contracts and customer service
- Experience planning and managing cross-channel integrated (digital and traditional) paid media campaigns across tv, radio, outdoor, social media, programmatic, and search
- Understanding how advertising can work in partnership with organic tactics like press-outreach, field, email, SMS, and guerilla marketing , etc)
- An expert in managing effective donor or lead acquisition programs
- Knowledge of small-donor fundraising and retention strategies for c(3), c(4) and PAC clients is a plus
- Working understanding of direct messaging campaigns via email as well as SMS
- Strong project management skills
- Familiarity with advocacy CRMs such as EveryAction, and ActionNetwork a plus.
- Demonstrated business development, including proposal development, pitching and landing new business skills
- 2-4 years’ staff management and mentoring experience, including direct management of a staff at varying careers levels
- Ability to juggle multiple tasks under tight deadlines, and interact and perform in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment
- Ability to communicate clearly and effectively – both verbal and nonverbal, with various levels of staff, clients, contractors, and media
- Demonstrated resourcefulness, optimism, and flexibility in approach to project assignment
Fenton Offers
- A competitive salary against industry standards – commitment to pay equity practices – published salary bands across all levels
- Starting salary = $100,000
- Salary band for Account Director = $100,000 – $125,000
- Year-end discretionary bonus
- Comprehensive healthcare plans
- Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
- 401K with employer match
- Profit sharing plan
- Unlimited PTO for exempt staff and generous accrual policy for non-exempt staff
- 11 paid company holidays
- Discretionary company closing between the Christmas and New Year’s holidays
- Pre-tax commuter benefits via WageWorks
- Mobile Phone Reimbursement
Fenton is an anti-racist and intersectional organization that prioritizes the needs of those who have been historically marginalized or oppressed. We do the work of creating positive social change as an act of repairing the harm done to those who have been and are currently disenfranchised across racial, gender, sexual orientation and preference, religious and other marginalized backgrounds. We are committed to doing work that is rooted in justice and equity and continuing to learn how to do this work better.
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer with a strong commitment to the affirmative hiring of people of color, members of the LGBTQI+ community, people with disabilities and women. We strive to represent the diverse community reflected in our client work and believe that our firm’s continued success is driven by hiring and retaining high caliber staff from all backgrounds, experiences, identities, and orientations. We are committed to supporting our staff in growing their careers.
