Account Executive

Interact’s Account Executive positions (AE) are key to maintaining the relationship between the agency and the client. Our AEs are the liaison between the client and the agency to ensure the client’s (and agency’s) needs and goals are being met on every project. They also manage and identify areas for upselling, developing pitches to the client, managing the client’s budget, and generally handle the entire relationship with the client. They work directly with the Traffic/Client Manager to ensure the back-and-forth implementation details of managing the account are being handled. Items such as approvals, setting up groups, meals, scheduling, and project management are handled by Traffic/Client Relations…but done to support the relationship developed and maintained by the AE.

Other Tasks Include:

• Plan, organize, direct, implement, and monitor effective, proactive, and comprehensive marketing and communications for Interact Communications clients.
• Manage and participate in the development and implementation of goals, objectives, policies, and priorities for assigned client projects.
• Travel to and participate in client workgroups and committees as needed.
• Create and deliver presentations, and other support materials when requested.
• Create, edit, and manage communications with the client on behalf of Interact Communications.
• Participate in professional conferences and be knowledgeable about issues affecting community colleges.
• Assist Interact with its own public relations and marketing strategies by identifying and producing press releases, articles, newsletters, brochures, and social media posts.
• Write bids and proposals for clients as needed. Review information with Traffic and Finance.

A Typical Day:

• Check the status of each client’s job(s) with Traffic and work with departments if there are client refinements of needs and wants
• Create and send weekly client update form
• Contact each client at least once every two to three days to discuss current and upcoming projects
• Initiate new jobs for the client, working with Traffic on the timing of deliverables
• Gather client needs and facilitate their actionable delivery to the creative and strategy team
• Review and present concepts/layouts/copy to the client for approval
• Work with Traffic to do client follow-up on implementation touchpoints (not relationship elements)
• Communicate the client’s feedback to the creative department and discuss the next steps

A Typical Interaction with an Account Executive:

• AEs verify, confirm and report on the status of tasks and jobs that they are accountable for AEs keep notes of emails and discussions with the client
• AEs keep track of client names, the approval chain, and client phone numbers, addresses, and emails
• AEs write new proposals for upselling the client, with signoff by their supervisor AEs initiate new briefs and estimates, and work with Traffic to enter new jobs
• AEs present concepts/layouts/copy/research/strategy/plans to the client for approval
• AEs hand off implementation details (setting up focus groups, approval of materials, etc. that take multiple phone calls and follow-ups to obtain a response) to a Marketing Coordinator or Traffic (to ensure follow-up)

A Perfect Day:

• Clients are happy and asking for additional services, and all tasks and jobs for every client are on or ahead of schedule and on budget.
• Top-of-Mind Issues
• Making clients happy
• Creative department is happy and focused on work that will meet and exceed the client’s expectations
• Workflow is efficient and the right stuff is getting done 

• Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing or Communications or a similar field
• Higher education experience, especially community college experience
• Expertise in planning and implementing marketing initiatives
• Proactive and adept at documenting ideas and project plans
• Self-motivated and deadline oriented
• Comfortable using varied media and tools to share information and ideas to internal and external audiences
• Professional, adaptable, self-assured, and self-motivated
• Comfortable with project management software, spreadsheets, and timelines, and have the ability to respond to changes with optimism
• Results-oriented and eager to find new ways to deliver content and campaigns that drive results
• Willingness to travel to client locations, sometimes up to several times per month
• Excellent communicator – must be able to write well, stay organized, and give clear instructions