Account Director

BRAND: Starcom
Job Function: Client Management
Location: London, United Kingdom
Experience Level: Specialist
Workplace Type: Hybrid

Company description

With a history that dates back over 80 years, Starcom is a global communications planning and media leader. We are an agency still grounded in our founding principle that people are at the centre of all we do. Each day, we apply this belief to harness the transformative power of data and technology to inspire and move people and business forward. With more than 7,000 employees in over 100 offices around the world, we are the flagship Publicis Media agency that uses our 'Power of One' business model, with teams that span multiple disciplines across clients such as Aldi, P&G, Primark, Samsung, Stellantis, and Visa.

We place a huge focus on our People, and have driven flagship D&I and L&D programmes within Publicis Media; our goal is to help every individual reach their fullest potential, and we encourage everyone to make "Brave Plays" in how they approach their work and their own career development. As a result, we have an exceptionally energised and committed talent base, all of us proud of our welcoming and supportive culture, as evidenced by our recognition as one of Campaign's Best Places to Work for five years in a row, Media Week's Agency of the Year 2025 and one of the Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2025.

Overview

We are hiring a Planning Account Director to help shape the future of media for one of the world's most iconic brands, Samsung. This is a pivotal role where strategy, leadership, and collaboration come together to deliver work that genuinely moves people and drives business impact. You'll sit at the heart of the client relationship, leading thinking, guiding teams, and bringing together insight, creativity, and innovation. If you enjoy influencing direction and making work better every day, this is an opportunity to do exactly that.

Responsibilities

What you'll be doing:

• Own and grow senior client relationships, acting as a trusted partner and primary point of contact
• Lead strategic media planning that is insight-driven, relevant, and aligned to client growth ambitions
• Oversee day-to-day delivery, ensuring work is high quality, consistent, and runs smoothly across teams
• Collaborate with specialist teams to deliver integrated, cross-channel campaigns that meet business objectives
• Guide and support your team, creating clarity, structure, and opportunities for development
• Drive continuous improvement by refining ways of working and identifying smarter, more effective approaches
• Contribute to broader account growth, supporting senior leadership in delivering new opportunities and innovation

Qualifications

Skills we're looking for:

• Experience in communications planning and account management within an agency environment
• Proven ability to build strong, trusted relationships with clients and stakeholders
• Strong planning expertise, with the ability to translate insight into clear strategic direction
• Confident leadership skills, with experience managing and developing teams
• Good organisational and project management skills, with attention to detail across delivery
• Understanding of digital and performance media, with awareness of cross-channel strategy
• Curiosity and a proactive mindset, with a focus on learning, improving, and delivering impact

Additional information

Starcom offers a wide range of benefits to support our employees. Full details are shared when you join, but highlights include core benefits such as Pension, Life Assurance, and Private Medical cover, alongside enhanced policies like Reflection Days and Shared Parental Leave. You'll also have access to a range of additional initiatives, including:

Please check out the Publicis Career Page which showcases our Inclusive Benefits and our EAG's (Employee Action Groups).

Publicis Groupe works primarily from the office or our clients' office four days per week.

At Starcom , we are proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, and do not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, nationality, religion or belief, disability, age, citizenship, relationship status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected characteristic.

We are committed to providing a fair, accessible, and inclusive recruitment process. If you have any access needs - for example, related to disability, neurodivergence, or a health condition - please let us know. We'll work with you to ensure the process works for you. Sharing this information will never impact your application.

Guided by our values, we listen with empathy, uplift each other, take responsibility, and embrace change - building a culture where everyone feels seen, respected, and genuinely included.

#LI-PH1