Director of Strategic Accounts

Director of Strategic Accounts

The Director of Strategic Accounts is responsible for leading the growth, execution, profitability, and overall performance of The MRL Group's strategic accounts, including Display, Packaging, and Custom branded merch. This role serves as the operational and strategic leader for the department, overseeing a team of Strategic Account Managers, and cross-functional resources to ensure exceptional client experiences and flawless project execution.

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This position requires a seasoned industry professional with deep expertise in displays, packaging, point-of-sale materials, promotional programs, sourcing, production, and client relationship management. The Director must be equally comfortable developing client growth strategies, leading internal teams, managing complex opportunities, and driving accountability across all phases of the project lifecycle.

The Director is ultimately responsible for ensuring project timelines are realistic, achievable, and properly managed, while maintaining budget expectations and target margins, developing team members, strengthening operational processes, and reducing executive involvement in day-to-day project management and decision-making.

This is a leadership position requiring strong business acumen, operational discipline, technical credibility, and the ability to lead through influence and accountability.

This position reports directly to Executive Leadership.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop Strategic Account Managers and supporting team members.
• Establish clear performance expectations, accountability standards, and development plans.
• Conduct regular coaching, performance reviews, and career development discussions.
• Foster a culture of ownership, urgency, continuous improvement, and collaboration.
• Build team capability through training, process development, and knowledge sharing.

Strategic Account Leadership

• Oversee all active opportunities and projects within the Strategic Account division.
• Support and guide account teams in developing growth strategies for assigned clients.
• Participate in strategic client meetings and executive-level discussions.
• Identify opportunities to expand existing client relationships and increase revenue.
• Ensure account teams are positioning MRL as a strategic partner rather than a transactional vendor.

Operational Execution & Project Oversight

• Maintain visibility into all active projects, ensuring deadlines, deliverables, and budgets remain on track.
• Remove obstacles, resolve escalated issues, and proactively address project risks.
• Ensure proper project ownership and accountability across all departments.
• Review project pipelines and resource allocation to maximize efficiency and throughput.
• Drive execution discipline and ensure projects progress without requiring executive intervention.

Opportunity Development & Revenue Growth

• Open and develop strategic opportunities within target accounts and prospective clients.
• Assist with complex proposals, pricing strategies, presentations, and client negotiations.
• Partner with Sales and Executive Leadership to support key growth initiatives.
• Ensure a healthy pipeline of opportunities capable of supporting revenue and profitability goals.
• Participate in quarterly business reviews and strategic planning initiatives.

Margin & Pricing Management

• Review and approve pricing strategies, quotes, and margin structures.
• Ensure projects are appropriately priced and aligned with profitability targets.
• Coach team members on pricing strategy, value-based selling, and margin management.
• Monitor project profitability and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Escalate significant commercial risks when appropriate.

Process Improvement & Operational Excellence

• Continuously evaluate team performance and operational effectiveness.
• Identify inefficiencies, bottlenecks, and communication gaps.
• Implement scalable processes that improve quality, speed, and consistency.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives across the department.

Client Leadership

• Serve as an executive-level resource for strategic accounts and complex situations.
• Build strong relationships with key client stakeholders.
• Lead difficult conversations regarding scope, budgets, timelines, and project changes when necessary.
• Provide strategic recommendations that support long-term client success.
• Maintain a high standard of professionalism, responsiveness, and industry expertise.

Key Skills & Attributes

• Strong operator who thrives on ownership, execution, and accountability.
• Proven leader capable of developing high-performing teams.
• Deep industry knowledge across displays, packaging, retail environments, sourcing, and production.
• Excellent decision-making skills and business judgment.
• Strong financial acumen with the ability to manage margins and profitability.
• Highly organized with exceptional project management skills.
• Direct, confident communicator who drives clarity and action.
• Comfortable leading experts and holding teams accountable to high standards.
• Strategic thinker capable of balancing long-term growth with day-to-day execution.

Success in This Role Means

• Revenue and profitability consistently meet or exceed targets.
• Strategic Account Managers operate with clear ownership and accountability.
• Projects are delivered accurately, on time, and at target margins.
• Client satisfaction, retention, and account growth improve year over year.
• Operational processes are scalable, efficient, and consistently followed.
• Executive involvement in daily project management and issue resolution is significantly reduced.
• Team members are developed, engaged, and continuously improving.
• The Director is viewed as the leader of the Strategic Accounts business unit and a trusted partner to both clients and executive leadership.

Overview of MRL: The MRL Group is proud to be a self-started, independently owned and operated full-service Promotional Advertising Agency. We were granted PPAI Best Places to Work in 2024 and 2025 as well as ASI Best Places to work for four consecutive years. We are an industry-awarded, boutique distributor of corporate-identity promotional merchandise, advertising specialty products, promotional items, custom apparel, point of purchase displays, and point of sale items located in Fort Lauderdale, FL. The MRL Group is a fun and dynamic work environment which is passionate about delivering well-designed, high-quality products that consistently exceed our customer's expectations. We are looking for exceptional talent to join our team! xhyhwjd

The MRL Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer:

We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where all employees thrive.