Account Manager - Tobacco / FMCG (VML)

About VML

VML is a leading creative company that combines brand experience, customer experience, and commerce, creating connected brands to drive growth. VML is celebrated for its innovative and human first, award-winning work for blue chip client partners including AstraZeneca, Colgate-Palmolive, Dell, Ford, Microsoft, Nestlé, The Coca-Cola Company, and Wendy's. The agency is recognized by the Forrester Wave™ Reports, as a Leader among Marketing Creative and Content Service Providers, Commerce Services, Global Digital Experience Services, Global Marketing Services and, most recently, Marketing Measurement & Optimization. In addition, VML’s specialist health network, VML Health, is one of the world’s largest and most awarded health agencies. VML’s global network is powered by 26,000 talented people across 55+ markets, with principal offices in Kansas City, New York, Detroit, London, São Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, and Sydney.

VML is a WPP agency (NYSE: WPP). For more information, please visit  www.vml.com, and follow along on Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.

The Account Manager (AM) supports the Account Director (AD) by managing the account on a day-to-day basis, dealing with all agency departments efficiently, ensuring general account administration including WIPs and estimates are in order as well as handling all Client requests.

They will manage creative development from Client brief through to production, job cost reports and Client invoices and be able to manage any issues unsupervised and inspire confidence in the creative team and the Client/s.

The role of the AM on British American Tobacco (BAT) involves working in an integrated team across the agency business, developing brand and trade campaigns, working with and managing internal and external stakeholders and the professional execution and delivery of client projects on time and in full.

What you’ll do

• Leadership – you model behaviour that inspires others towards excellence and to upholding the shared vision of the team and organisation

• Commitment to excellence – professionalism and quality underpins all that you do. You demonstrate enthusiasm and pride in ensuring that all outputs reflect or exceed best practice (internal and external) and you strive to improve yourself and the organisation. You promote the exchange of information about successes and lessons and encourage your colleagues to do the same. You have the ability to see the ‘bigger picture’ and understand and contribute to longer term objectives, while still delivering day-to-day excellence

• Creative thinking – you are entrepreneurial, you regularly demonstrate initiative and innovation in your thoughts and actions and you recognise and maximise opportunities for the Client/s, the organisation and your team

• Inspiring relationships – the quality of your work and your interpersonal skills inspire confidence in all key stakeholders, internal and external. You actively foster respectful, productive and supportive working relationships within the organisation and with the Client/s

• Quality in communication – you speak and write English and Cantonese clearly and to a high professional standard (in addition, proficiency in spoken Mandarin strongly preferred). You are confident, articulate and respectful and interested in the views of others. You make appropriate contributions to team discussions and contribute to a positive team spirit

• Resilience – you can tolerate a pressured environment and you have the ability to give and receive constructive feedback.

Who you are

• 4 years+ experience in advertising and communications in an agency environment, in-house marketing or equivalent

• Experience working on global or regional accounts preferred, esp. in tobacco or FMCG

• Experience working on brand identity and guidelines a big plus

• Effective in end-to-end project management for 360 campaigns, incl. writing creative briefs, planning project timelines, and managing all internal and external stakeholders involved, incl. managing 3rd party suppliers through to production and execution

• Knowledge & experience in managing artwork development, print and video pre to post production, incl. managing vendors to ensure OTIF delivery and updating clients periodically

• Experience and knowledge in physical production (esp. 2D print materials, POSM, retail furniture, packaging) strongly preferred

• Highly proficient in PowerPoint/ Keynote and experience delivering presentations in a proficient and confident manner.

• Experience and success establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders including the creative team, the Client/s and third-party suppliers

Interested candidates should send their CV, current, expected salary and contact number details to us.

All information will be treated in the strictest confidence and used for recruitment purposes. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for an interview.

We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office an average of four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.

WPP (VML) is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.

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