Job Specifications
About The Role
We're looking for an experienced Business Director to join our planning and strategy team on a fixed-term contract to cover maternity leave. This is a senior client leadership role where you'll take commercial and strategic ownership of two high-profile accounts, working as an embedded partner to drive their growth and deliver exceptional results.
You'll lead all aspects of the client relationship – from strategic counsel and commercial management to team leadership and agency coordination. Reporting to the Head of Planning and working closely with our CIO and MD, you'll be responsible for the client performance, strategic direction, and day-to-day excellence of these accounts.
This is an opportunity to step into a genuine client leadership role within a fast-growing independent agency, where your impact will be visible and your expertise valued.
Key Responsibilities
Client Leadership & Strategic Partnership
Act as the primary senior client lead and strategic partner, working as an extension of the client's leadership team
Spend regular time embedded in the client's office, building deep, trusted relationships at senior levels
Lead regular one-to-one meetings with C-suite and senior stakeholders to manage priorities, performance, and partnership health
Provide proactive strategic counsel, translating business challenges into media solutions
Challenge briefs constructively and educate clients on market trends, innovations, and opportunities
Own all senior client communications, ensuring clarity, confidence, and strategic thinking at all times
Champion Walk-In's point of view and represent the agency as a thought leader in the market (as and when applicable)
Commercial Ownership
Own the commercial performance and P&L for your accounts, including revenue growth
Lead client forecasting, ensuring accuracy and financial governance
Drive commercial conversations with clients
Identify and convert upsell opportunities, expanding scope and deepening client investment
Maintain commercial alignment between client expectations and agency delivery capabilities
Report on financial performance and business health to senior leadership
Strategy & Planning Excellence
Design and deliver impactful, effective communications strategies that align to client business objectives
Lead strategic planning across the full media ecosystem – paid, earned, and owned – ensuring integration and coherence
Ensure all strategies are insight-led, data-driven, measurable, and translated clearly into activation plans
Own monthly, quarterly and annual strategic reviews, providing clear senior-level narrative on performance, learnings, and forward priorities
Lead econometric reviews and effectiveness analyses, translating insights into actionable recommendations that drive performance
Champion test-and-learn programmes and innovation, bringing proactive thinking and future-focused solutions to clients
Integrated Agency Leadership
Lead communications and coordination across all agency partners, acting as the senior point of contact
Establish aligned ways of working, clear roles and responsibilities, and strong cross-agency collaboration
Act as the escalation point for issues, proactively resolving challenges to maintain momentum and trust
Oversee end-to-end delivery across communications planning, activation, and ongoing optimisation
Lead responses to briefs and RFPs, coordinating input from investment, specialist, and partner teams
Own audit processes and responses, ensuring robust preparation, clear storytelling, and strong outcomes
New Business & Growth
Lead pitch processes and contribute to credentials presentations, representing Walk-In's strategic capabilities
Identify and develop new business opportunities within existing accounts and the broader market
Support the agency's new business strategy and act as an ambassador for Walk-In in industry forums and events
Share case studies, learnings, and best practices to strengthen Walk-In's market position
Team Leadership & Development
Line manage two Senior Account Managers and provide oversight of Account Executives across both clients
Manage workflow, resource allocation, and team performance to deliver collective goals
Mentor and develop direct reports, providing regular feedback, coaching, and career development support
Create learning opportunities and share knowledge openly across the team
Support recruitment and onboarding of new team members
Lead by example, demonstrating excellence in client service, strategic thinking, and commercial acumen
Champion Walk-In's values and foster a collaborative, solution-focused team culture
The Head of Planning will support your development through regular 1:1s, providing guidance on client work, team management, and your personal career progression.
About You & Your Experience
Essential:
Proven track record as a trusted senior partner and strategic advisor to clients, with demonstrable impact on business outcomes
Expert i
About the Company
Walk-In Media's mission is to deliver long-term, sustainable growth for brands by bringing together all marketing activity into one connected ecosystem, and applying a laser focus on generating outcomes.
We're a full-service media agency offering brands the service, transparency, agility and breakthrough thinking of an independent agency, yet with the full specialist capabilities and global scale of a network agency (we're part of MSQ Group).
The way that we operate caters to advertisers of all sizes, with no barriers to e...
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