Account Director

Location

About the Role

Roles & Responsibilities

• Client Services (40–50% of role)
• Build and maintain strong client relationships, serving as the primary senior point of contact.
• Understand client business goals, objectives and challenges to provide tailored strategic solutions.
• Develop trusted relationships with brands, rights holders and key stakeholders across the UAE region.
• Support the continued growth of WePlay in the Middle East through networking, relationship building and identifying commercial opportunities.
• Inspire clients with new ideas, innovative solutions and growth opportunities that help expand accounts and increase revenue.
• Focus on client retention, contract renewals, repeat business and upsell opportunities.
• Communicate campaign and project progress, performance and insights clearly and confidently.
• Handle client issues and challenges effectively, maintaining confidence and trust throughout.
• Use data and campaign insights to optimise performance and demonstrate ROI.
• Negotiate and manage contracts, service agreements and SOWs with clients.
• Prepare and deliver compelling presentations, proposals and pitches.
• Attend industry, client and sporting events to strengthen relationships and maintain awareness of market trends and opportunities.
• Build strong rapport with global internal teams and collaborate effectively across international markets and time zones.
• Act as a senior escalation point during production shoots and live campaign activity where required.
• Team Management (10% of role)
• Lead, mentor and inspire Account Managers and Account Executives to deliver exceptional client service and project delivery.
• Create a collaborative and positive team culture aligned with WePlay’s vision and values.
• Hold regular team and 1-2-1 meetings to support communication, development and performance management.
• Set SMART objectives and support team members with coaching, mentoring and development opportunities.
• Encourage cross-functional collaboration and knowledge sharing across departments and international teams.
• Ensure the team remains solutions-focused, commercially aware and client-centric in approach.
• Help teams prioritise workloads and manage resources effectively to meet deadlines and client expectations.
• Support recruitment of new team members, both for contract and permanent roles.
• Project Delivery (20% of role)
• Oversee the successful planning, execution and optimisation of integrated marketing campaigns and creative projects.
• Ensure all work is delivered on time, within scope, within budget and to a high standard.
• Collaborate with strategists, creatives, media specialists, analysts and production teams to deliver integrated campaigns.
• Oversee production-led projects and content shoots, understanding the operational demands, timelines and stakeholder management required.
• Support teams in managing shoot logistics, schedules, production partners and on-set client management where relevant.
• Ensure creative output aligns with client brand guidelines, campaign objectives and quality expectations.
• Monitor campaign performance and provide data-driven recommendations for improvement.
• Build strong relationships with internal specialists and external partners to ensure seamless delivery.
• Understand wider market, cultural and sporting trends that may impact campaign performance or client opportunities.
• Identify and resolve challenges proactively to keep projects on track and maintain client confidence.
• Planning (20–30% of role)
• Develop and execute strategic campaign, content and partnership plans aligned with client objectives.
• Identify opportunities for new business growth and contribute to pitches and proposals for prospective clients.
• Stay up to date with industry trends, emerging technologies, sports culture and platform developments.
• Explore new opportunities across media, production, content and digital innovation to enhance campaign effectiveness.
• Support regional business development initiatives and contribute to WePlay’s growth strategy in MENA.
• Develop contingency and crisis management plans where required to support clients and protect delivery.
• Resource planning and scenario planning.
• Ensure clear project timelines, and delivery schedules are maintained across accounts.

About You

• You are passionate about sport, culture and the evolving sports marketing landscape.
• You have significant experience in client services or account management within a marketing, creative, media or sports agency environment.
• You are commercially minded and confident building relationships with brands, rights holders and senior stakeholders.
• You are highly organised, solutions-focused and calm under pressure.
• You are comfortable managing multiple projects, stakeholders and deadlines simultaneously.
• You have experience overseeing campaigns involving content production or production shoots and understand the unique cadence and challenges involved.
• You are confident collaborating with global teams and working effectively across different time zones and cultures.
• You are a strong communicator who can build rapport quickly, both in-person and digitally.
• You enjoy mentoring and developing others and helping teams succeed.
• Based in Dubai or Abu Dhabi.
• About the Benefits
• Competitive salary and performance-based bonuses.
• Flexible working environment.
• 30 days of holiday per year, plus standard Bank Holidays.
• Access to WePlay Academy Training and external knowledge shares.
• Enhanced parental leave policies.
• Mental wellness support, including access to the Calm App.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion