Managing Director Full Time

Our client is one of the oldest independent advertising agencies in the UK, established in 1968, and has predominantly assisted with traditional recruitment advertising since then. The client base consists of over 150 educational establishments and a handful of charities and public utilities. This is a unique opportunity to transform a well-established and respected traditional agency, with a solid client base, into a innovative agency with the capabilities to offer extra services and assist additional industry sectors.

The company seeks to scale and grow aggressively over the coming years, as a result the company is currently looking for a Managing Director with proven agency experience and a highly effective management style to drive the company forward. The Managing Director oversees all the activities of the agency. They will be responsible for managing the agency’s resources, establishing the strategic goals, working towards growth, profitability and increasing shareholder return.

Working with:

Internal: CEO, Director of Operations, Department Heads, and providing leadership to the whole company.

External: Agency clients, prospective clients; Press and PR contacts, relevant trade and regulatory bodies, academics and thought leaders.

You will be responsible for:

• Setting the overall culture, tone and style of the agency. Providing inspiring and stimulating leadership to allow the work and commercial creativity to flourish. Creating pride in the agency and its work.
• Keeping abreast of developments within the technical field and with all related communications methods e.g., sales promotion, digital, CRM and their relevance to the agency’s clients.
• Keeping abreast of industry sectors and developments to assess how the agency’s products and services may be of relevance to clients, and what new products and services to develop.
• Collaborating with other board members to establish overall operational and financial performance measures for the agency. Monitoring and analysing and reporting on company performance against those measures.
• Managing any communication between the CEO and Shareholders, as appropriate.
• Co-ordinating the activities of board members and senior managers to make sure that they are in alignment with the overall strategy.
• Representing the agency in public, at events or in the media. Usually acts as the company spokesperson.
• Generating thought leadership pieces to promote and support the work of the agency.
• Although usually without a specific client portfolio, they are generally the highest level of contact between the agency and major clients helping to maintain strong relationships.
• Developing potential client relationships, new business and revenue streams.
• Presenting and leading high value pitches.
• Negotiating client contracts and fees with the Finance Director, client lead and Procurement. Must be able to explain and justify the value of agency charges.
• Leading, coaching and mentoring staff, and supporting their professional development.
• Supporting CPD and learning activity for all agency staff and ensures that there are adequate resources, time and budgets in place.
• The legal compliance of all aspects of the agency.
• Involved in recruitment and selection decisions.
• Focused on the personal and professional development of their team.

The ideal candidate:

• Experienced in directing the operations and processes in sympathetic partnership with the work of the agency.
• Strategic thinker who can see the greater potential for the agency whilst learning from the past and able to take realistic and strategic decisions about the future.
• Several years of senior management in advertising, with a proven track record of success.
• Previous experience of scaling up a small business.
• Able to lead, motivate and inspire others to do great work.
• Inspire the agency board and senior leadership team.
• Able to sensitively manage multi-disciplinary teams.
• Strong communicators, able to get complex ideas across to others in straightforward language.
• Able to solve problems and make effective and timely decisions based on the knowledge available.
• Proficient at building strong and cordial relationships with both senior colleagues and junior staff.
• Proficient at building supportive and collaborative relationships with the Finance and HR/Talent teams as they partner on hiring, benefits, salary reviews, transfers, CPD and other people investments.
• Financially adept, and able to keep control of agency expenditure and build a sound financial base for future activity.
• Able to make tough decisions.
• Strong communicators, confident at presenting and selling the agency and its work, explaining what makes great work and how it meets the brand’s needs.
• Able to solve complex problems and make effective and timely decisions based on the knowledge available.
• Willing to involve themselves as expert advisers and colleagues to clients at the most senior level to build strong relationships.
• Able to appreciate the combination and balance of the people, the task and the numbers.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Salary: £70,000.00-£100,000.00 per year

Additional pay:

• Bonus scheme

Benefits:

• Company pension
• On-site parking
• Work from home

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday
• No weekends

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Wallingford: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

Education:

• Bachelor’s (preferred)

Experience:

• Advertising: 5 years (required)

Reference ID: NJR/RC388

Tagged as: Flexible Working, Work from Home