The Shipyard

Data-driven marketing agency for brand growth

Group Account Director

Account ManagementPosted on Nov 13

Full-timeSan Diego, CA, USA$160k - $180k

About the Job

Requirements

At least 10 years of senior account leadership at full-service mid-sized to large agencies.
Proven success in hiring, developing, and retaining top account talent.
Experience directing multi-person teams across account, strategy, creative, media, data/analytics, and other agency disciplines.
Proven success leading client portfolios with at least $5 million in annual revenue.
Proven success nurturing and growing client relationships to drive organic growth.
A proven record of writing statements of work, proposals, and briefs that drive strong work and healthy margin.
Fluency across paid, earned, and owned channels.
Command of marketing technology and artificial intelligence tools, including Claude and Copilot.
Ability to communicate, present, and influence credibly at all levels, including executive and C-level.
Listening and negotiation skills.
Ability to inspire people and work collaboratively within cross-functional teams.
Capacity to multitask and transition effectively between clients and programs.
Ability to take initiative, make independent decisions, and proactively prioritize.
Ability to proactively provide clients solutions to challenges they have not yet properly identified.
Interest in developing people and building teams.
Interest in data analytics and strategic insights to drive marketing decisions.
Interest in contributing to process evolution and internal foundation-building.
Willingness to travel as needed.
Must be authorized to work in the United States without visa sponsorship.

Responsibilities

Serve as the principal client expert and possibility creator, aligning ambitions, anticipating needs, and providing vision that propels the client's business forward.
Serve as a thought leader on the client's business and category, partnering with strategy, creative, media, and data/analytics teams to apply ongoing diagnostics and deliver agency points of view, fresh ideas, and material for groundbreaking work.
Lead the annual planning process end-to-end for assigned accounts and develop comprehensive annual plans.
Conduct quarterly client business reviews to align core teams, preempt issues, and advance new thinking.
Develop multiformat client case studies for agency promotion and growth efforts.
Help shape client service, grow the CE practice, and build a team of business leaders.
Serve as a trusted advisor to senior decision-makers and the client's first call.
Act as an extension of the client's team, earning the right to counsel by knowing the business deeply and communicating clearly in high-stakes situations.
Champion, sell, defend, and raise the bar on the work.
Guide conversations with confidence and care, modeling courageous client leadership for the team.
Identify and present leadership with the investment needs required to elevate current account relationships.
Own the group's profit and loss, including monthly revenue forecasting, margin, and profitability.
Develop client scopes of work, compensation proposals, contracts, and contract addendums.
Oversee client budgets and fiscal management.
Review monthly hours reports for accuracy and make team adjustments as needed.
Identify and pursue organic growth opportunities.
Lead the full account team and cross-functional partners for designated clients.
Model positive, proactive, and productive leadership.
Mentor and guide direct reports, developing their client savvy, leadership skills, and strategic thinking.
Coach the team to be brand custodians while challenging clients when needed.
Foster a culture of ownership and recognition.
Run the team's performance review process, including giving direct, regular feedback.
Onboard new team members to client business for assigned accounts.
Ensure cross-functional alignment and accountability on client scopes of work.
Develop strategic briefs in partnership with strategy, creative, and media leadership.
Push teams and clients toward braver ideas.
Support high-profile projects by contributing to internal deliverable inputs and approvals, ensuring work aligns with client goals and exceeds expectations.
Foster collaboration and positive conflict resolution among team members.

Desired Qualifications

Travel and tourism experience.

Group Account Director

The Shipyard · San Diego, United States (Hybrid) · — · Posted 2026-11-13

Workplace: hybrid

Department: The Shipyard

Description

The Shipyard is a leading, independent marketing and communication agency headquartered in Columbus, OH and San Diego, CA that brings together talented individuals across the creative, communications, media and digital landscape. Uniquely designed to Engineer Brand Love through a unifying approach of paid, owned and earned channels, we work together to grow brands that audiences can't help but love.

Our family of brands, Fahlgren Mortine, TURNER and TinyWins, span integrated communications, travel and lifestyle, and digital innovation, giving us the range and depth to deliver for clients locally, regionally and nationally.

Momentum is nothing without the people driving it. See who we are at https://theshipyard.com/culture before you hit apply!

SUMMARY

We are looking for a smart, experienced, and motivated Group Account Director to join our San Diego team.

The Group Account Director is the principal client lead across a group of clients — a trusted advisor to senior decisionmakers who earns the right to counsel by knowing the business deeply and speaking with clarity when the stakes are high. This role architects and manages client engagements, provides cohesive strategic approaches to achieving business objectives, and mobilizes the collective agency team to deliver exceptional work.

The Group Account Director models what courageous client leadership looks like for the entire team.

This is a hybrid work from home/office position (in-office attendance is required on Tuesdays & Thursdays) and the candidate must live near San Diego, CA.

At The Shipyard, we know that it's your unique talents, backgrounds, and perspectives that make you who you are, just like our team, who come from various career paths and experiences. We believe we can't be truly diverse without you bringing your most authentic self to the agency.

Studies show that people from marginalized communities may not always apply for positions if they don't meet every single requirement in a job posting. At The Shipyard, we encourage you to apply even if you don't meet all the requirements. We believe that your passion for what we stand for — our values and purpose — is just as important as meeting every checkbox.

OUR MISSION

We define what is mission critical by deeply understanding our clients’ businesses, surfacing unmet needs, and orchestrating the full strength of the agency around outcomes that matter most. We motivate and unite teams, create clarity in complexity, and establish the conditions for brave work to thrive.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

Strategic Thinking & Business Leadership

Be the undisputed client expert, a possibility creator aligning ambitions, anticipating needs, and providing vision that propels the client’s business forward
Serve as a thought leader on the client’s business and category, working in partnership with strategy, creative, media and data/analytics to apply ongoing diagnostics and deliver agency points of view, fresh ideas, and fodder for groundbreaking work
Lead the annual planning process end-to-end for assigned accounts and develop comprehensive annual plans
Conduct quarterly client business reviews to align core teams, preempt issues, and advance new thinking
Develop multiformat client case studies for agency promotion and growth efforts
Help shape how we serve clients, grow the CE practice and build a team of business leaders

Client Relationship & Influence

Serve as trusted advisor to senior decision-makers – the client’s first call
Serve as an indispensable extension of the client’s team earning the right to counsel by knowing the business deeply and speaking with clarity when stakes are high
Champion the work – sell it, defend it and raise the bar on it
Guide conversations with confidence and care; model courageous client leadership for the team
Identify and present leadership with investment needs required to elevate current account relationships

Financial Stewardship

Own the P&L for your group: monthly revenue forecasting, margin and profitability
Develop client scopes of work, compensation proposals, contracts and contract addendums
Oversee client budgets and fiscal management
Review monthly hours reports for accuracy and make team adjustments as needed
Actively identify and pursue organic growth opportunities

Team Leadership & Development

Lead the full account team and cross-functional partners for designated clients
Be a role model on what it means to be a positive, proactive and productive leader
Provide mentorship and guidance to direct reports, developing their client savvy, leadership skills and strategic thinking
Coach the team to be brand custodians while also challenging clients when needed
Foster a culture of ownership and recognition
Run the performance review process for your team, including giving direct, regular feedback
Onboard new team members to client business for assigned accounts

Cross-Functional Orchestration

Be the dot connector, ensuring cross-functional alignment and accountability on client scopes of work
Develop strategic briefs in partnership with strategy, creative and media leadership
Push teams and clients toward braver ideas
Support high-profile projects through contribution to internal deliverable inputs and approvals to ensure work aligns with client goals and exceeds expectations
Foster collaboration and positive conflict resolution among team members

WHAT YOU’LL BRING

Experience

10+ years of senior account leadership at full service mid-sized to large agencies
Proven success in hiring, developing and retaining top account talent
Directed multi-person teams across account, strategy, creative, media, data/analytics and other agency crafts
Proven success in leading client portfolios with $5M+ in annual revenue
Proven success in nurturing/growing client relationships to drive organic growth
Proven record of writing SOWs, proposals, and briefs that drive strong work and healthy margin
Travel and tourism experience preferred

Skills

Strategic thinker with fluency across paid, earned and owned channels
Command of marketing technology and AI tools including Claude and Co-Pilot
Ability to communicate, present, and influence credibly at all levels including executive and C-level
Excellent listening and negotiation skills
Ability to inspire people and work collaboratively within cross-functional teams
Capacity to multitask and transition effectively between clients and programs

Characteristics

Demonstrated ability to take initiative, make independent decisions, and proactively prioritize
Proactive mindset — providing clients with solutions to challenges they haven’t properly identified yet
Passion for developing people and building teams
Passion for data analytics and strategic insights to drive marketing decisions
Interest in contributing to process evolutions and internal foundation-building
Willingness to travel as needed

WHAT YOU’LL GET

The overall target range of base compensation for this role is $160,000 - $180,000. Compensation offered will be determined by additional factors such as location and experience.
Open PTO
40 hours of paid sick time (annually)
Flexible work hours and remote work
Paid holidays + holiday closure between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day
Company-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance
Life insurance and disability benefits
401k program with employer matching
6 weeks paid parental leave
Employee bonus referrals
Dog-friendly offices
Company-provided snacks and beverages (yes, beer/wine included)
… and lots more!

Requirements

Must be authorized to work in the U.S. without the need for visa sponsorship.

Apply

Apply at The Shipyard

About the Company

The Shipyard

Data-driven marketing agency for brand growth

The Shipyard operates as a marketing and advertising agency that builds brands and drives performance for a diverse range of clients. It combines data analytics, creative storytelling, and innovative technology to plan, execute, and optimize strategic campaigns that boost brand loyalty and market results. The Shipyard differentiates itself through a people-first culture focused on personal development, mental health, and diversity, which the team says leads to higher-quality service and client satisfaction. Its goal is to deliver measurable results for clients by using data-informed marketing and strong, long-term client relationships.

Company size: 201-500
Company stage: Growth Equity (Non-Venture Capital)
Total funding: $161M
Headquarters: Columbus, OH
Founded: 2002

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