Associate Account Director

Overview

FWD People is a full-service strategic marketing agency delivering meaningful and measurable results in the health and non-profit sectors. We take pride in being our clients' trusted strategic partner—staying ahead of the curve, and leveraging our expertise and foresight to help them navigate change and seize opportunities. We approach every challenge with a commitment to innovation, excellence, and empathy, and we seek the same qualities in our leaders. As a fast-growing, senior team, we're excited to welcome more forward-thinking individuals who will help us drive growth, foster positive change within our client's industries, and have fun along the way.

We’re looking for an Associate Account Director who brings confidence, strategic instinct, and operational excellence to some of our most important accounts. You’ll lead day-to-day client relationships, guide multi-workstream programs from insight through execution, and help shape the work with both strategic perspective and operational rigor. You’ll also play a meaningful role in strengthening our processes, mentoring teammates, and contributing to organic and new-business growth.

This role is ideal for someone who is equal parts relationship leader, strategic thinker, and operational anchor. Someone who anticipates needs, speaks the client’s language, brings calm to complexity, and helps teams deliver high-quality work that moves the needle. If you love being the connective tissue between client vision and team execution — and you thrive in fast-paced, senior, collaborative environments — you’ll feel right at home here.

At FWD, we care deeply about our work and the people we work with. We take our no-jerk policy seriously. You’ll thrive here if you bring ownership without ego, curiosity, a sense of humor, and a genuine commitment to building brands — and relationships — that matter.

What You'll Do

• Lead client relationships with confidence and clarity. Act as a trusted partner to client teams, building strong relationships through strategic guidance, proactive communication, and clear, timely decision-making.

• Own and orchestrate complex, multi-stream projects. Drive the overall momentum of engagements — from initial strategic framing to day-to-day delivery — ensuring teams are aligned, risks are surfaced early, and work moves forward smoothly and predictably.

• Provide strategic POV and elevate the work. Bring sharp thinking, industry context, and a problem-solving mindset to help shape briefs, refine deliverables, and connect creative and strategic output to client goals.

• Manage financial performance. Monitor scope, staffing, burn, and forecasts with precision. Build smart estimates and partner with Operations to optimize utilization and keep projects financially healthy.

• Guide cross-functional teams. Motivate and coordinate multidisciplinary partners — strategy, creative, medical, digital, and operations — to deliver work that meets the highest standards of clarity, craft, and accuracy.

• Ensure operational excellence. Maintain rigorous project tracking, create timelines that work, manage regulatory workflows, and ensure all submissions and deliverables meet quality, compliance, and brand standards.

• Identify opportunities for organic growth. Spot patterns, anticipate future needs, and surface strategic opportunities that deepen relationships and fuel long-term account growth.

• Contribute to agency growth and new business. Support pitch development, proposal writing, scoping, and positioning — bringing a thoughtful, solutions-oriented lens to new opportunities.

• Mentor and support teammates. Share best practices, model strong account leadership behaviors, and help cultivate a culture of clarity, ownership, and excellence across the Account team.

What You'll Bring

• 7+ years of account management experience within a creative or strategic marketing agency — including experience supporting animal health, pet care, or adjacent clients.

• A proven ability to lead client relationships.
You build trust quickly, speak with strategic authority, and guide clients through decisions with clarity, honesty, and calm.

• Strong strategic and business instincts.
You understand the “why” behind the work, connect dots across business, market, and audience context, and help teams focus on what matters most.

• Expert project leadership.
You know how to run complex programs, balance competing priorities, and keep teams on track in fast-moving environments without losing sight of quality.

• Financial acumen.
You’re fluent in scope, burn, utilization, staffing plans, forecasting, and the levers that keep projects healthy.

• Clear and persuasive communication.
You articulate ideas succinctly, navigate sensitive conversations thoughtfully, and collaborate easily with senior leaders and cross-disciplinary partners.

• Adaptability and judgment.
You make sound decisions in ambiguity, stay steady when things get messy, and model the kind of leadership that helps teams feel grounded.

• A collaborative, positive, solutions-first approach.
You solve problems with curiosity, bring calm to pressure, and elevate the people around you.

Interviewing at FWD People

We believe in transparency and respect for your time. Our hiring process is designed to be open, fair, and as straightforward as possible, giving you a clear picture of what to expect while also giving us a chance to get to know you. Here’s how it works:

• Initial Conversation: A friendly chat to learn about your background, goals, and what excites you about this opportunity (and in general).

• In-Depth Interview: A deeper discussion about your skills, experiences, and how you envision contributing to our team.

• Scenario Conversation: A collaborative discussion where we’ll walk through a few real-world scenarios together. This is an opportunity to show us how you think through challenges, make decisions, and approach problem-solving.

• Final Interview: An onsite conversation with some additional folks on our team and leadership to explore how your unique talents align with our mission and values.

We know that interviewing can sometimes feel overwhelming, which is why we’re committed to keeping the process clear and communicative every step of the way. We’re excited to learn more about you and appreciate you taking the time to get to know us!

Working at FWD People

We are a senior team that champions integrity, adaptability, excellence, and growth. Here, you’ll collaborate with solution-focused colleagues to advance both our clients and our teams.Our office is located in Brooklyn Heights, and we offer a flexible hybrid work schedule.

We value in-person collaboration and connection but also understand the importance of offering the flexibility to work from home.

We are dedicated to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and respected. As an equal-opportunity employer, we welcome differences in race, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, and more. We believe that diversity drives innovation and success, and we are committed to ensuring equal opportunities and fostering a culture of respect and collaboration.

Benefits & Comp

At FWD, we believe in supporting our team both personally and professionally. We offer excellent benefits, including 25 days off per year +16 paid holidays, matching 401(k), medical, dental & vision, paid maternity & paternity leave, home office setup, yearly team retreats, and a comprehensive professional development program including executive coaching and a yearly professional development stipend. As we continue to grow, we enhance our benefits package to meet the needs of our team.

The salary range for this role is $115,000-$135,000. This role is ideally based in NYC (Brooklyn) with a flexible hybrid work schedule.