Group Director - Motorsports (Maternity Cover)

We're thrilled to be looking for an exceptional Group Director based in our London office! This role will oversee a premier motorsport client account's global brand activations with particular focus on guest hospitality programmes. We are all yours if you have remarkable client service skills and a consistent track record of delivering live events. You will be an inspiring, motivating team leader and line manager, keen to develop and upskill their team whilst driving excellent results and aiming to be a significant contributor at an industry leading agency. A love of sports is not prerequisite, a passionate marketer with experience of Formula 1 sponsorships and events is our priority. This could also be a great opportunity for you to apply your personal interests and passions to your work. You will be responsible for: Account & Agency Leadership

• Confidently establish relationships with and advising senior stakeholders across clients, rightsholders, within the agency and wider IPG Network.
• Seen as a leader within the business, with ownership culture and inspirational problem-solving abilities
• Display an entrepreneurial spirit to growth, regularly suggesting potential opportunities (new targets and existing client growth) and ways of acting upon them
• Act as a beacon for excellence within client services, ensuring your team is constantly evolving and growing in terms of perception, skillset and ability
• You'll be as experienced at new business pitches and speaking publicly to the company (as you are taking briefs, presenting creative and dealing with prospects)
• Drive collaboration across the agency and shared services, proactively identifying opportunities to improve existing or implement new processes where required
Client Management
• Consistently drive client activity, suggest strategic and tactical solutions to their marketing objectives
• Act as point of escalation for day-to-day client stakeholders, developing solutions to client challenges and presenting your approach in a clear, engaging and persuasive manner - always balancing clients´ interests with protecting the agency and team
• Forward planning to ensure any pinch points are effectively managed and the best resource is available and allocated based on skill sets and project requirements
• Be absolutely solid in negotiating MSAs, scopes of work, estimate fees and financial reporting
• Manage vendor and supplier negotiations, MSA's and SOWs.
Team Management
• Lead and manage a large team to provide the very highest levels of client services
• Develop a highly effective, collaborative team who continually surpass client expectations
• Act as a coach/mentor/motivator, adapting to individual personalities and developing the team so each member grows and works effectively including managing goal-setting and performance reviews
• Be the team's port of call for any complex matters, in particular with regards to Legal, Finance and Health & Safety
• Line manage, develop and guide 3-4 direct reports.
• Confidently deal with any people challenges or issues
  
  You will be highly driven with remarkable client service skills and a consistent track record of providing counsel to and influencing senior stakeholders.
• You will bring a collaborative and inclusive approach with a commitment to developing talent
• You will be a strategic thinker with robust problem-solving skills that enable you to challenge the status quo
• You will be a champion of best practice, ensuring that all policies and processes are implemented and adhered to correctly by all team members.
• You will be highly organized, with strong attention to detail and confident with managing complex budgets and financial processes.
• You will be commercially minded and experienced in driving both organic growth and new business wins.
• Experience in F1 sponsorship activation and managing guest hospitality programmes within the F1 environment is essential.
• Whilst the account team will manage the majority of events on-site, there will be an occasional requirement to travel to events.
  
  Octagon is a global creative agency in sports, entertainment and culture.
We're part of a wider family of agencies - the Octagon Sports & Entertainment Network (OSEN) - a group of specialist agencies working with brands, athletes, and celebrities. These sister agencies include R&CPMK, Futures Sport & Entertainment, FRUKT and No2ndPlace. We're all part of the Interpublic Group of Companies (IPG), one of the world's most respected advertising networks. Founded in 1982 with over 800 employees around the globe. Our Headquarters is in Stamford, Connecticut with further offices around the world including: New York, LA, Miami, McLean, Sao Paulo, Johannesburg, Sydney, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Singapore, Seoul, Tokyo, Paris, Frankfurt, Munich, Barcelona, Madrid, London and Manchester. We believe that great brands own an idea in the minds of their audience. For Apple, it's creativity. For Nike, it's performance. For BMW it's Joy. For Coca-Cola, it's happiness. For Mastercard, it's priceless experiences. At Octagon, it's all in Play.