Creative/Design Account Manager

At Grit & Pearl, we “roll up our sleeves.” We are a new breed of design partner built on deep production expertise, strategic thinking, and a commitment to making brands work in the real world — not just in presentations.

We are looking for a Creative/Design Account Manager who is passionate about branding and package design and wants to work collaboratively in a client-focused environment. This role will manage the needs, expectations and daily communication with external customers while guiding projects through our internal creative process.

This is a role based in Japan with requirement to work onsite in Tokyo.

What You’ll Do

• Service clients by receiving and aligning to creative briefs, attending kickoff meetings, understanding the scope of the work and effectively communicate to the team and managing customer expectations
• Review projects on an ongoing basis, ensuring deliverables are in line with approved brief, budget and scope
• Lead all projects from beginning to end including design briefing, scheduling, and appropriately using our project management/workflow tools
• Support in identifying opportunities to expand our services with our current clients
• Lead and document status meetings, including ensuring everyone is clear on what their role is and hold them accountable
• Provide quality checks on all design work to ensure customer brief/expectations are met and ensure we maintain a high standard in error free artwork
• Co-manage project kick-offs, brainstorming sessions, and client meetings, ensuring a clear understanding of the project and the objectives between involved team members
• Oversee capacity needs to help identify resources required and escalate when needed
• Develop and maintain a positive relationship with your creative and production colleagues
• Responsible for reporting productivity and profitability on the business
• Provide relevant and appropriate administrative needs required for the work

What You Bring

• Minimum 3-5 years of experience in Creative Design, Account Management, Client Servicing, or a similar role
• Has an understanding of account specific financials: Creating estimates, receiving and managing PO processes, applying costs and invoicing
• Able to brief designers, manage scheduling, and appropriately using our project management/workflow tools
• Review projects on an ongoing basis, ensuring deliverables are in line with approved brief, budget and scope
• A strong understanding of consumer brands and branding
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability and confidence to share your thoughtful design perspective
• Able to work in a flexible and dynamic work environment, working towards fast moving deadlines
• Strong overall project management skills, including experience working within a workflow and KPI management
• Commercially astute and able to identify growth opportunities
• Able to lead projects end to end with positive results and outcomes
• Has the desire to upskill and takes a proactive role in their development
• A cursory understanding of the post design/production process

Tools & Requirements

• Competent user of: Outlook, Word, Excel, Adobe Acrobat, bespoke Trident systems and where necessary client specific systems
• General knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite and other applicable creative programs 
• Business-level Japanese and English proficiency, both written and spoken
• Ability to communicate effectively with local and international stakeholders