Account Director

Account Director

Manchester - Hybrid - No recruiters, please

A bit about us

We are ZEAL - the UK's Most Effective Brand Activation Agency.

Founded in 2014 by friends and colleagues Stewart Hilton and Robert White, ZEAL has pursued its ambition to be the World's Most Recommended Agency by recognising that our amazing people are the key to our success.

We're proud partners to Nestlé, Carlsberg, Arla, Weetabix, Suntory, Bacardi, PZ Cussons, and more, delivering award-winning work across brand strategy, shopper marketing, experiential, partnerships, social and integrated campaign development.

Thrice named IPM 'Agency of the Year' and winner of the Campaign Experience Awards' 'Most Outstanding Creative Idea' (2024), our principles around our people are simple - you bring your passion, creativity and drive and we invest in your training, long-term personal development and give you the resources you need to thrive and create your best work.

We're passionate about creating an inclusive place to work that celebrates and values diversity and inclusion and ultimately, enriches our culture.

So, if working with leading global brands on award-winning campaigns sounds like your ideal day, look no further!

Role in summary

Strategically leading a portfolio of brands under a household name in the confectionery space, you'll lead and develop day-to-day client relationships, bringing your innovative thinking to solve problems across the consumer's path to purchase.

While our core campaigns are rooted in shopper and promotional, we'd look to your integrated experience to take ownership and drive growth across our capabilities beyond this space. Beyond this, you'll lead and mentor established team members, sharing knowledge and guidance to develop their careers.

What you'll be doing:

• Delivering strategic direction to your client and team across your portfolio of brands.
• Leading the delivery of projects with accountability for the fiscal targets, accurately forecasting contribution across your accounts, ensuring it is delivered as planned.
• Working alongside the Group Account Director to identify and drive opportunities to grow your portfolio, including contribution, new services, and new categories.
• Effectively coaching and supporting your team, providing constructive and strength-based feedback to build confidence and skills whilst identifying opportunities for development.
• Reviewing and analysing the delivery of projects with a view to achieving future efficiencies whilst ensuring all work is delivered with the highest of standards and surpasses client's expectations.
• Actively developing your knowledge of the landscape in which your clients' brands operate, keeping abreast of the latest developments in the marketplace, business performance and wider environmental influences and proactively sharing this with the wider team.
• Travelling to client site (York) monthly.

What you'll bring to the role:

• Proven experience working as an Account Director or similar level within an agency environment
• Experience delivering integrated campaigns ideally within the FMCG space
• A background in people management with clear directive on how to best support and grow a team within client services
• Experience managing a brand portfolio in excess of £1m with proven abilities in growing client revenue
• The ability to effectively project manage briefs through an agency, working with multiple teams and touchpoints to deliver exceptional work

How we reward you:

• Contributory pension scheme
• Annual company bonus scheme
• Private Medical Insurance
• Life Assurance
• Continuous learning and development
• Enhanced parental benefits

Additional benefits:

• The last Friday of every quarter is a ZEAL Day off
• Christmas closure
• Work from home budget to help you achieve your dream set up
• Dog friendly offices
• A wealth of social events from our seasonal gatherings to our quarter review get-togethers

Interested? Send your application to or click 'apply'!