| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Media and Advertising |
| Level | Manager |
| Reports to | Business Head (Agency) |
| Direct reports | Account Executive (Advertising), Client Servicing Executive |
| Experience | 5 to 8 years in agency client servicing, with 2 years handling accounts independently |
Account Manager (Advertising) job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Account Manager (Advertising)
Department: Media and Advertising
Reports to: Business Head (Agency)
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
An Account Manager in an advertising agency owns the day-to-day relationship and business of two to four client brands. The role takes briefs from brand managers, turns them into clear internal briefs, manages timelines, estimates and approvals, presents work with the creative team and keeps each account profitable. A good account manager understands the client's business well enough to push back, suggest ideas and grow the scope of work.
Key responsibilities
- Take briefs from client brand teams, ask the right questions and write clear internal briefs for creative, media and digital teams.
- Plan job timelines with the studio and creative teams, and hold every team to the agreed dates.
- Prepare cost estimates for campaigns and production, get client approval before work begins and compare actual cost with them.
- Present creative work and plans to clients alongside the creative team, and gather structured feedback.
- Manage approvals, revisions and final delivery of materials across TV, print, digital, outdoor and activation.
- Monitor account profitability through timesheets and cost reports, and flag over-servicing to the business head.
- Raise invoices on time and follow up on client payments with finance.
- Study the client's category, competitors and sales numbers, and suggest ideas beyond the brief.
- Grow the account through new briefs, extra brands or new services such as digital or content.
- Guide account executives on client communication, documentation and timelines.
Requirements
- Graduate in any stream; many hold an MBA or PGDM in marketing or communication
- A post-graduate diploma in advertising or mass communication is an advantage
- Strong written and spoken English, plus Hindi or a regional language
- 5 to 8 years in agency client servicing, with 2 years handling accounts independently
KRAs and KPIs for a Account Manager (Advertising)
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Client satisfaction | Client rating of 4 or above out of 5 in the half-yearly feedback |
| Account revenue | Account revenue at or above the annual target, including new scope |
| Over-servicing control | Hours kept within the retainer scope, with any excess flagged every month |
| Timely delivery | At least 90 percent of jobs delivered on the agreed date |
| Estimates and billing | Every job billed within 30 days of completion, with an approved estimate on file |
| Brief quality | Average revision rounds per job reduced through clearer briefs |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: Agency job and timesheet system, MS Excel for estimates, PowerPoint or Google Slides, Email and WhatsApp for client updates, Asana, Trello or similar.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Business Head (Agency), Client Servicing Manager, Brand Manager
Interview questions for a Account Manager (Advertising)
- A client gives a one-line brief and wants a campaign in a week. What do you do?
- How do you tell a client that a revision falls outside the retainer scope?
- Walk me through how you prepare a production estimate.
- Tell me about an account you grew. What did you do differently?
- The creative team and the client disagree strongly on a script. How do you handle it?
- How do you know whether your account is profitable for the agency?
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What does an account manager do in an advertising agency?
An account manager is the agency's main day-to-day contact for a few client brands. They take and write briefs, plan timelines, prepare estimates, present work with the creative team, manage approvals and delivery, watch account profitability, raise invoices and look for ways to grow the business with each client.
What is the difference between an account manager and a client servicing manager?
In many agencies the titles overlap. Where both exist, the account manager usually owns a few brands commercially, including scope, estimates and growth. The client servicing manager runs the servicing team and workflow across many clients, focusing on turnaround, quality of delivery and client feedback.
What skills does an advertising account manager need?
They need sharp brief writing, understanding of brands and media, estimate and job costing skills, confident presentation and the ability to negotiate scope and timelines. Just as important is staying calm with demanding clients while protecting the creative team from unnecessary revisions.