Account Director

At Pixel & Plume, we believe sharp media strategy and elevated creative belong at the same table. When they're working in sync, brands show up stronger. We're a fast-growing, full-service media and creative agency built for brands that want more than a vendor: they want a partner. We're built for brands running loyalty programs, casinos, hospitality groups, and retailers sitting on first-party data they're not fully using. Most agencies treat that data as a mailing list. We treat it as the foundation of an entire media strategy, activating it across every paid channel with media and creative under one roof. Based in Minneapolis, we pair design-forward, human-centered thinking with performance-driven media, moving quickly and thinking strategically across creative, media, and strategy to help brands connect more intentionally across digital touchpoints. As a new, fast-growing agency, we're building our culture, our team, and our client roster at the same time, which means every person here has real influence over how we work and grow. We're looking for an Account Director who thrives in that kind of environment, someone equally comfortable running a project plan and helping shape a client's brand strategy. About the Role The Account Director is the primary steward of our client relationships, responsible for both the day-to-day health of each account and the long-term strategic direction of the partnership. Reporting to the VP of Client Services, this role sits at the center of client strategy, internal execution, and executive visibility, translating client goals into clear direction for our media, creative, and production teams while managing significant marketing investments with fiscal discipline. This role spans the full spectrum of agency work, from hands-on project management to high-level strategic consultation, and requires someone who can move fluidly between the two. You'll need to understand each client's business as well as they do, hold both sides of the table at once (championing the client's interests while representing what's realistic and sustainable for our team), and keep every project running on time, on budget, and on brand. You'll bring senior-level judgment to account planning, budget stewardship, and growth conversations, and be a trusted voice in front of clients. Because we're a startup agency, this is not a role with a narrow lane: you'll wear many hats, sometimes in the same day, and should be equally comfortable operating autonomously on complex, high-stakes accounts as getting into the day-to-day details alongside your team. What You’ll Do Serve as primary point of contact and strategic support for a portfolio of client accounts, building trusted long-term relationships through responsiveness and sound judgment Develop deep knowledge of each client's business, category, competitors, and goals, including specific industry expertise (e.g., casino/gaming), so strategy is grounded in their reality Support account strategy and planning, including quarterly business reviews and client presentations (virtual and in-person), partnering with creative, media, and production teams to shape campaigns that meet objectives Manage full project lifecycle and multi-million-dollar budgets: scoping, timelines, resourcing, fiscal accountability, and delivery Translate client goals into clear internal briefs, present and defend creative/media recommendations, and push back when client instinct conflicts with what the work needs Evaluate media plans and performance data with enough fluency to form an independent point of view, not just relay agency output Identify and pursue growth opportunities (upsell, renewal, new business), and educate clients on the agency's full-service offering (media, technology, data, creative) Balance client advocacy with internal capacity, providing executive-level updates to leadership and escalating issues as needed Travel to client meetings, shoots, and industry events; jump into whatever the agency needs as part of a small, fast-moving team What We’re Looking For Experience & Background: 6-8+ years of agency account management with experience working with media strategy or media planning/buying; proven ownership of complex, multi-million-dollar client relationships Casino, gaming, or other highly regulated industry experience strongly preferred Comfortable operating with limited process in a fast-moving or startup-like environment, building systems as needed Client & Business Leadership: Track record leading quarterly business reviews and executive-level presentations Exceptional client service instincts including being proactive, responsive, and trusted to tell clients the truth, not just what they want to hear Excellent judgment balancing client advocacy with internal capacity and realistic delivery timelines Genuine curiosity about how businesses work, digs past the brief to understand a client's category Track record identifying and closing upsell/renewal opportunities Strategic & Creative Acumen: Deep fluency in paid media across channels; working knowledge sufficient to engage credibly with media partners and internal teams Ability to zoom out from tactics to see the bigger brand and business picture Creative acumen that can critically evaluate creative work and give feedback that improves it Partners effectively across creative, production, and external vendors to deliver integrated work Strong budget management and fiscal accountability across large marketing investments Strong organizational skills; manages multiple accounts, timelines, and budgets without losing detail Communication & Mindset: Clear, confident communicator; comfortable presenting to and managing up with senior leadership Self-starter with an entrepreneurial mindset, collaborative and roll-up-your-sleeves Flexible, no-task-too-small attitude and equally willing to build a project plan or lead a strategy session Logistics: Minneapolis-based, in-office 3+ days per week Willingness to travel for client meetings and team gatherings as needed Why Pixel & Plume? This is a rare chance to shape an agency's client services function from the ground up. You'll have real ownership, direct access to leadership, and the opportunity to grow into a bigger role as we scale. If you want to be a name on an org chart at a big agency, this isn't it. If you want to build something and be recognized for the range of what you can do, let's talk. #J-18808-Ljbffr