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The Shipyard

Data-driven marketing agency for brand growth

Account Manager

Full-TimePosted on 10/23/2026
$72k - $85k+ 401(k) employer match + Employee bonus referrals
Junior, Mid
San Diego, CA, USA
HybridHybrid; in-office attendance required Tuesdays and Thursdays. Candidate must live near San Diego, California; travel as needed.
Project & Program ManagementProject Management
No H1B Sponsorship

About the job

Requirements
  • The candidate must have 2–5 years of equivalent work experience in an Account Manager or similar role.
  • The candidate should have a track record of nurturing client and internal agency relationships.
  • The candidate should have training in creating client documents and project briefs that drive strong outputs and performance.
  • The candidate should have a track record of successfully driving projects forward.
  • The candidate must be able to take initiative, collaborate, work independently, and prioritize workload.
  • The candidate must have organizational and time-management skills, attention to detail, and the ability to function in a fast-paced environment under tight deadlines.
  • The candidate must be able to multitask and transition between clients and projects.
  • The candidate must have active listening skills to build mutual understanding and be able to work collaboratively within a cross-functional team.
  • The candidate must communicate concisely in writing and verbally, and identify problems and proactively find solutions.
  • The candidate must be willing to travel as needed.
  • The candidate must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship.
Responsibilities
  • Manage the daily workflow of assigned clients under the direction of an Account Supervisor or Account Director.
  • Understand, grow, and manage workflow across agency business functions, including client and internal relationship management; paid media campaign planning and management across digital and traditional channels; paid media performance data, analytics, and optimization; industry research and competitive analysis; creative concepting and execution; and television, digital, radio, and web production.
  • Understand client business objectives and results, and use that understanding to provide direction or make decisions.
  • Support efforts to advance client business, including competitive reviews; support annual account planning; and support development of client business reviews.
  • Coordinate project estimates with agency producers, obtain client signatures, track approved estimates and monthly billing in the client Budget Tracker, and report updates to the Account Supervisor or Account Director.
  • Review monthly billing packets for accuracy and alignment with the total budget, manage work efficiently to enhance agency profitability, recognize scope changes and escalate them, and track talent usage.
  • Serve as the primary client point of contact and foster consistent, trusted client interactions; build trusted agency relationships across disciplines and departments; and contribute to collaboration and accountability so work moves efficiently through the agency.
  • Partner with Program Managers to service clients from project identification through final delivery.
  • Coordinate client meeting materials and resources; take detailed, concise notes for key meetings and prepare conference reports recapping decisions and action items for internal and external communication.
  • Maintain account-management documents, including client trackers, contacts, birthdays, and anniversaries, and coordinate distribution of client gifts.
  • Support the preparation of client presentations, tracking documents, and accounting tracking systems, and provide secondary proofreading of critical documentation before client presentations.
  • Schedule collaborative internal meetings under the direction of an Account Supervisor or Account Director, and coordinate meetings and presentations with clients and agency staff.
  • Write executional briefs for campaign assets, conduct executional creative kickoff meetings, and contribute to or draft media briefs for review with the Account Supervisor or Account Director.
  • Manage client feedback, revisions, and approvals through appropriate channels.
  • Review project deliverables against business objectives, brand standards, and media specifications to confirm deployment.
  • Work with Media planners, channel teams, and Program Managers to complete campaign workbooks for paid media campaigns in alignment with established processes.
  • Work with Media and Analytics to deliver campaign reporting dashboards and accompanying client documents according to the reporting schedule.
  • Assist with other project coordination tasks as needed.

About the company

T

The Shipyard

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The Shipyard provides marketing and advertising services focused on performance-driven brand building and relationship engineering for a wide range of clients. It designs and runs strategic campaigns by combining data analytics, creative storytelling, and innovative technology to drive brand loyalty and market results, with ongoing execution and optimization. The company stands out through a people-first culture that prioritizes personal development, mental health, and diversity, which it links to higher-quality service and client satisfaction. Its goal is to deliver measurable results by strengthening brands and boosting market performance through data-informed marketing and strong client relationships.

Company Size

201-500

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

$161M

Headquarters

Columbus, Ohio

Founded

2002

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • February 2026 FancyAI deployment already informs integrated scopes for select clients.
  • The Shipyard reported 2025 billings near $350 million and about 400 professionals.
  • September 2026 posts show continued thought leadership on conversational AI and measurement.

What critics are saying

  • Integration across The Shipyard, Fahlgren Mortine, TURNER, and TinyWins can dilute culture by 2026.
  • Alaris Equity's follow-on capital in 2024 creates pressure for faster growth and liquidity.
  • AI search platforms and holding-company agencies can commoditize services, crushing margins within 18 months.

What makes The Shipyard unique

  • The Shipyard's 2025 Collective unifies paid, earned, and owned media under one roof.
  • FancyAI investment in February 2026 gives clients proprietary AI discovery tooling first among agencies.
  • Fahlgren Mortine and TinyWins acquisitions expand PR, media buying, and AI creative depth.

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Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • Dental Insurance
  • Vision Insurance
  • Life Insurance
  • Disability Insurance
  • 401(k) Retirement Plan
  • 401(k) Company Match
  • Flexible Work Hours
  • Remote Work Options
  • Paid Holidays
  • Parental Leave

Growth & Insights and Company News

6 month growth

16%

1 year growth

17%

2 year growth

17%
Associated Press
Oct 27th, 2026
The Shipyard appoints Sara Garibaldi as chief communications and client officer

The Shipyard, an independent agency based in Columbus, Ohio, has appointed Sara Garibaldi as chief communications and client officer. She will lead client engagement across its units, including Fahlgren Mortine, TURNER, and TinyWins, and expand its communications and influence offering. Garibaldi has more than 25 years of experience at global PR agencies. She most recently served as president of BODEN Agency, and previously held senior roles at Ketchum, Edelman, and Weber Shandwick. "Agencies built in silos can't keep up," said Rick Milenthal, chairman and chief executive officer of The Shipyard. He said her appointment strengthens the agency's integrated model. The agency recently added chief creative officer William Gelner and chief media officer Stephani Estes. It also invested in FancyAI, a platform that helps brands earn visibility in AI-powered discovery.

Little Black Book (LBB)
Oct 20th, 2026
The Shipyard says all aboard the holiday nostalgia Express for Ohio Lottery's Scratch-Off campaign.

The Shipyard says all aboard the holiday nostalgia Express for Ohio Lottery's Scratch-Off campaign. The spot follows a train carrying Scratch-Offs through a snowy landscape before revealing two adults playing the games beside the elaborate trainset Editorial Series Campaigns and creative work from across the globe, all in one place. The Shipyard brings holiday nostalgia to life for the Ohio Lottery. 'Spreading Fun' introduces six new holiday Scratch-Off games through a campaign that combines the familiar magic of a model trainset with a playful, distinctly Ohio story. The campaign will be running through December 27, 2026 in the state of OH. Handcrafted production gives the campaign its distinctive character. The Shipyard partnered with Loud Cloud, a production company known for stop-motion work, and a team of artists and fabricators to transform a common model train into the 'Ohio Lottery Express.' Miniature Ohio landscapes, detailed cityscapes, varied lenses, driving music, and practical snow effects create an immersive holiday world that keeps the magic in-camera. A nostalgic holiday world delivers a fresh creative reveal. The spot follows a train carrying Scratch-Offs through a snowy landscape before revealing two adults playing the games beside the elaborate trainset. The final twist: the "snow" blanketing Ohio represents Scratch-Off shavings, bringing the idea of 'Spreading Fun' to life. The creative reflects a deliberate choice to pursue classic, enduring storytelling. Drawing inspiration from holiday specials and Christmas mornings around a trainset, The Shipyard embraced tactile craftsmanship at a time when AI and digital effects are increasingly part of creative production. The ambition was to create something memorable, iconic, and rooted in the Ohio Lottery's longstanding association with fun. An integrated rollout carries the idea across the holiday season. The campaign spans broadcast and online video, radio, digital out-of-home, digital, social, in-store signage, and a landing page. Two versions support its extended run: an October-November spot that transitions from fall to winter and a December version set entirely in winter. A collectible extension turns the campaign into a holiday keepsake. A limited-edition series of 100 ornaments modeled on the campaign's locomotive brings the Ohio Lottery Express into the real world. Giveaways through online contests in the MyLotto Rewards app extend the creative idea and give audiences another way to participate. The campaign connects year-round players with seasonal gift-givers. The Ohio Lottery's audience broadens during the holidays, reaching people who may only purchase Scratch-Offs as an annual tradition or gift. The Shipyard built 'Spreading Fun' around familiar holiday imagery and shared excitement to resonate with both loyal players and occasional buyers. "We wanted to capture the excitement of holiday Scratch-Offs in a way that felt both familiar and surprising," said Mark Hillman, executive creative director at The Shipyard. "Building this miniature Ohio world and keeping the magic in-camera gave us something tangible and full of personality, a holiday story that connects everyday players and once-a-year gift-givers."

PR Newswire
Feb 12th, 2026
The Shipyard invests in FancyAI to lead brand discovery in generative search era

The Shipyard, a Columbus-based independent agency, has made a strategic investment in FancyAI, a Generative Engine Optimisation platform, becoming the first agency to offer patent-pending GEO technology directly to clients. The investment values FancyAI at an undisclosed amount. FancyAI helps brands improve visibility and credibility across AI-powered discovery environments as consumer behaviour shifts from traditional search engines to AI-generated recommendations. The platform provides actionable insights to influence how brands are interpreted and prioritised by AI systems. The Shipyard has begun deploying FancyAI's technology internally and with select clients across paid, earned and owned channels. The investment forms part of The Shipyard's long-term strategy to integrate best-in-class capabilities with proprietary technology, following recent acquisitions of TinyWins, Fahlgren Mortine and Turner PR.

GlobeNewswire
Jun 2nd, 2025
Alaris Equity Partners Announces Closing of $80 Million Bought Deal Offering of 6.50% Convertible Unsecured Senior Debentures, and a US$21.5 Million Follow-On Investment in the Shipyard

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES. FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS RESTRICTION MAY CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF UNITED STATES SECURITIES LAW CALGARY,...

Adweek
May 29th, 2025
The Shipyard Acquires TinyWins to Cement Cross-Channel Offering

The Shipyard has acquired digital agency TinyWins in a cash-and-stock deal, expanding its integrated offering and pushing projected revenue past $100 million.