Posted 13 June, 2026
Senior Account Director
VML
Wellington, Wellington Region, New Zealand
Full Time
Reference: 102_701271_8538902002
Your Role in a Nutshell
As a Senior Account Director, you'll lead key client relationships in our Wellington team, acting as a trusted partner to senior stakeholders and driving commercially impactful, creatively outstanding work.
You'll be accountable for the overall health of your accounts - balancing client satisfaction, financial performance, and team development - while unlocking growth opportunities and elevating the standard of strategic and creative output.
This is a leadership role where you'll shape both client outcomes and internal culture, ensuring your team is empowered to do their best work.
Key Responsibilities
Client Leadership & Partnership
- Build and maintain strong, trusted relationships with senior client stakeholders
- Act as a strategic partner, contributing to business and communications objectives
- Lead conversations that position VML as a growth partner across creative, consultancy, and technology
Strategic & Creative Excellence
- Champion high-quality, insight-driven strategic thinking
- Partner with Planning and Creative leadership to shape and deliver outstanding work
- Identify and unlock new opportunities for innovation and growth
Commercial & Financial Management
- Own account profitability, forecasting, and financial performance
- Develop and deliver account plans aligned to business objectives
- Drive organic growth across your client portfolio
Team Leadership & Culture
- Lead, develop, and inspire high-performing account teams
- Create an environment where creativity, collaboration, and accountability thrive
- Coach and mentor team members, supporting growth and progression
Operational Excellence
- Establish clear processes that enable efficient delivery of work
- Oversee campaign development and execution, removing blockers where needed
- Ensure seamless collaboration across internal and external stakeholders
Required Experience / Skills / Capabilities
- 6+ years' experience in an agency or client-facing environment
- Strong understanding of end-to-end marketing and communications
- Proven leadership experience, with the ability to motivate and develop teams
- Excellent stakeholder management and relationship-building skills
- Commercial acumen, including financial oversight and forecasting
- Strong strategic thinking with the ability to translate business objectives into actionable plans
- Confident communicator with experience influencing at a senior level
- Highly organised with strong project management and delivery capability
VML AUNZ Highlights
There are many things that make VML an awesome place to work, but we think there are a few worth mentioning:
- Energise Leave - 5 paid half days off each year to recharge
- Birthday Leave - a paid day off to celebrate your birthday
- Loyalty Leave - a paid day off each year to celebrate your work anniversary
- Employee Assistance Programme - 24/7 support
- Mental health support
- LinkedIn Learning access
- Foundation Day - giving back to the community
- PerkSPACE - employee benefits platform
- Parental Leave support
