Account Manager

Principles of Operation: Partner to find and create solutions that meet the divinely appointed responsibilities of the Church. Foster an environment of trust and unity. Build upon each other's strengths and ideas to create effective products. Deliver effective and timely communication.

Purpose: A Publishing Services Department (PSD) Account Manager specifically serves the following purposes:

• The Account Manager (AM) manages internal clients, provides strategic counsel and assists in business development.
• The AM exhibits the ability to gain deep knowledge in specific channels as required by a specific client's business unit and the larger organization's industry.
• For Tier 1 and select Tier 2 assignments, the AM will also be expected to participate in the strategic/creative processes including brainstorming sessions and evaluation of deliverables.
• In addition, the AM will ensure project management follow-through and accurate delivery.
• Develops and maintains a positive working relationship between clients, internal project teams, and partnering service departments.
• Maintain relationships and favorable contacts and become a trusted advisor with partnering service departments (e.g., ICS, MMD, CRD, etc.). This includes resolving conflicts, improving communication, and ensuring customer satisfaction.
• Maintain relationships and favorable contacts with PSD production operations.
• Serve as initial point of contact for all aligned-client projects and recommend and advise clients on options and capabilities utilizing marketing best practices and channel knowledge.
• Forecast with clients to develop an account plan identifying creative services/marketing projects and goals across a calendar year that enables creative services to staff, prioritize and plan to meet those needs.
• Establish client project prioritization.
• Maintain the 'big picture' for projects and client requirements ensuring that related deliverables are treated appropriately.
• Manage product-level budgets in consultation with client team, project managers, and producers. This includes providing financial forecasting and ensuring project-level budgets and budget change orders align with available product resources.
• As a member of an Account Services Team, support the responsibilities of a PSD Account Services Director.
• Ensure the creative team understands client requirements and perspective and that the final output aligns as appropriate.
• Approve creative brief, project plans, and change orders for completeness and actionable content to ensure that the business case aligns with the product objectives
• For Tier 1 projects involving multiple components, assist in strategic development, work with resource teams to prepare cost/time estimates, monitor 'big picture' progress, and track major milestones and actual costs against estimates.
• Serve as the voice within the creative studio for the client and facilitate client interaction with the designers and writers as appropriate.
• Set expectations with clients, e.g., when and what they will see next as part of the creative process, budget expectations, solution response expectations, follow-up process and metrics expectations.
• Use project management and reporting tools to monitor and communicate product health to appropriate stakeholders.
• Counsel within the Account Management Division to effect the needed changes to improve current and future performance of our Department.

Non-Responsibilities:

• Acting as a resource manager for production resources
• Project management at the project deliverable level
• Administrative or clerical tasks for the client

Required:

• Education

• BA/BS degree required, preferably in business management, marketing, or related field

• Work Experience

• Minimum 8 years of relevant experience in project or program management, including 5 years of concurrent experience in client/customer relations

• Minimum 2 years working in an internal corporate account team.

• Demonstrated Skills & Abilities:

• Maintaining 360-degree relationships. Adept at crisis management, resourceful and solution-oriented.

• Making informed complex strategic decisions using data

• Understanding and managing of business operations, including product-level budgets

• Leading teams and projects using influence.

• Using approved process and policy to partner with clients and to write thorough and actionable creative briefs.

• Results in a complex organization

• Presenting and communicating with appropriate skills to senior level leaders.

Preferred:

• MBA or related advanced degree
• Product management or related certification
• Experience managing client/customer relations in delivering successful client products
• Experience in managing a brand's portfolios and pitching for new business

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