Associate Account Director

Dotted Line is an award-winning, strategically inspired creative agency focused on brand, creative, and content. Our clients are ambitious, and they trust us to help drive growth through clarity, craft, and execution. We are a team that values collaboration, continuous improvement, and pride in the work. From national brands to regional leaders, we build ideas that connect, perform, and endure. Learn more at Role Overview As Associate Account Director, you will lead several of our largest and fastest-growing accounts across industries like tech and healthcare, with a significant focus on our automotive portfolio. You will own senior-level client relationships, lead strategy, protect margins, and oversee the hybrid team in Richmond, VA. Automotive experience is strongly preferred. Candidates with experience in multi-rooftop dealer groups with the tier structure, co-op economics, OEM compliance requirements, and monthly offer cadence are preferred. About You You know automotive. You have experience leading dealer group or OEM relationships, including a deep understanding of tier structures, co-op economics, and the monthly offer cadence of multi-rooftop groups. You are a seasoned agency leader with 5+ years of account leadership experience. You earn trust through consistency and have a track record of organically growing accounts through delivery excellence. You think like an owner. You see the opportunity inside an existing relationship before the client does, and you know how to build the case for it. You are equally comfortable leading a strategy conversation with a CMO or dealer principal and rolling up your sleeves to make sure a timeline holds. You know when each is required. You bring calm to complexity. When priorities shift, budgets tighten, inventory moves, or an escalation lands, you are the steady one in the room. You likely have: Automotive agency or dealer group experience (strongly preferred) 5+ years of account leadership experience in an agency environment A track record of organically growing accounts through relationship building and delivery excellence Experience leading integrated campaigns across multiple channels and touchpoints Command of scope, budget, and resourcing - you can protect margin without sacrificing the work Exceptional presentation, verbal, and written communication skills Comfort working across all levels of a client organization, from coordinator to C-suite Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience Role Description & Responsibilities Serve as the day-to-day leader on several growing accounts, establishing and deepening senior-level client relationships Build trusted relationships across client organizations Initiate timely, strategic, proactive dialogue with clients Bring recommendations, industry insight, and points of view to your clients on a consistent cadence Develop and lead client presentations in partnership with our strategy, creative, and media teams Manage escalations and difficult conversations with transparency and professionalism Develop marketing strategies and lead annual and campaign-level planning on behalf of your clients Identify new opportunities that align to client goals and build the business case to pursue them Partner with agency leadership on scoping, proposals, and contract renewals Nurture and expand account relationships to drive sustainable, organic growth Delivery & Execution Lead delivery strategy to ensure work ships on scope, on time, and on budget while meeting our quality standards Own budget management across your engagements, flagging risk early and course-correcting before it becomes a client conversation Lead internal teams and facilitate cross-functional collaboration between account, project management, strategy, creative, and media Oversee the day-to-day execution of campaigns, tactics, budgets, and schedules Ensure timely follow-up, reporting, and communication on every account Create and maintain strong relationships with partners and vendors to ensure we deliver what we promise Model Dotted Line's values and leadership behaviors across every team you touch Tools Google Workspace Productive, Asana, or similar project management and resourcing platforms Constant Contact or similar email platforms Familiarity with dealer-side platforms, OEM co-op portals, and digital reporting tools is a plus What Success Looks Like In this role, success means: Clients consistently rate their satisfaction at 85% or better, and they call you first when something important is happening in their business Your accounts grow organically year over year through relationship strength and delivery excellence Work is delivered on time, on scope, and within budget variance targets Zero compliance strikes, and co-op dollars are captured in full across automotive accounts Cross-functional teams across the agency point to your accounts as well-run and well-communicated Risk surfaces early and gets solved internally before it reaches the client Competencies for Success In addition to organizational fit as described by Dotted Line's core values: Strategic and creative thinking Proactiveness and strong initiative Calm under pressure Flexibility and adaptability Detail orientation and high standards Listening and communication skills Personal presence Hybrid work environment Monthly culture-building activities Performance-based, profit-sharing opportunities Health, Dental, and Vision benefits Simple IRA Retirement Plan Unlimited paid time off with 4 weeks minimum 14 paid company holidays including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Company Values We Live Every Day Treat team members, clients, and partners like you want to be treated Always be improving, learning, and growing Collaborate and be a team player Go the extra mile Do work we are proud of Focus on client results Why Should You Apply? This is an opportunity to lead meaningful work for ambitious clients alongside a team of experienced marketing leaders. You'll have the freedom to push client strategy in pursuit of exponential growth, direct access to agency leadership, and real influence over the work we do for our clients. #J-18808-Ljbffr