Industry sector: Brand Activation Agency

The position: Account Manager

The location: London

The Background

Due to the rapid organic growth of a crucial account, our client needed a new pair of hands to help carry the influx of work. Therefore, we were approached by the client to find a new Account Manager for the company.

The role was a hybrid position, between account management and project management - mainly focusing on below the line work, with a strong focus on shopper marketing and digital.

The Challenge

The position was discussed with the Business Director, who explained that the role needed to be a hybrid. They required a candidate who was not only a good account handler but also a great project manager and happy to deal with project management, as many account handlers just want to focus strategically.

The role was challenging to recruit for due to the fact that there was a strong project management side to it - along with account management. This meant that some candidates were not interested.

The Solution

The role was advertised in various places with no success. Eventually, Leila looked at DNA’s comprehensive database to search for available talent.  Through searching, Leila could easily identify those who would be interested - with the right experience with some shopper exposure.

When appointing this person, Leila used her industry experience to align on who would be interested and who we thought would be a good fit. She was able to position the role based on the nature of the account and the credibility of the agency.

The Outcome

In the end, five candidates made the shortlist from different channels including our database, LinkedIn and via Campaign. The interview process consisted of two rounds, the first was an interview with the Business Director and the Account Director. The second part of the process involved a presentation based on the brief to be delivered to the same people.

The candidate that was chosen had the right level of experience and the right skills set - including BTL experience with some shopper exposure. They had strong project management coupling their account management background. The candidate not only prepared a strong presentation, but seemed to be a perfect fit with the team from a culture perspective.

Since starting the role three weeks ago, Leila has regularly checked in and the candidate is doing extremely well and is really enjoying their new role at the agency!

Consultant Testimonial:

“When I met the candidate, it was clear in my mind that they had to move from their current role and get into a more creative agency as this was what they liked and the time was right (otherwise they would end up being pigeon holed in production if they stayed there any longer). I also knew that they might experience some barriers in terms of their background as the agency they worked for was fairly production focused and their role had therefore a big project management side to it. It was therefore particularly important to find the right role (i.e. a hybrid account management/project management role where they could easily fit in) but in an agency which would then allow them to grow and move on to more creative/strategy work further down the line. The role at ARC felt like the right fit in that it had a strong project management content along with account management but it also allowed the candidate to get access to the Publicis network which I think will be beneficial for their career development in the long run”.     

Candidate’s Testimonial:

“Leila has been helping me over the past year to find a new role in Account Management. I have always wanted to move to a creative agency, working across retail as this is an area which I haven't yet explored in my previous jobs. For every live role which she discussed with me was appropriate to what I was looking for, both from a creative and level fit. Leila has been extremely responsive throughout this process and has always provided me with excellent interview tips to make sure I was well prepared for the interviews. Whilst it did take a good 6 months to find the role which fit me both from a cultural and creative perspective, we finally got there and I am incredibly happy with where I am now at Arc Worldwide. I highly recommend Leila and no doubt I will be in touch with her again in the near future. I can easily say that I have not just found a great and credible recruiter, but also a friend”.