Managing Supervisor
February 27, 2023
The Managing Supervisor is a highly motivated, energetic individual who is responsible for leading a $3M+ portfolio of clients by building relationships between the client and the agency while exhibiting core values of curiosity, warmth and perseverance. This role includes successful management of direct reports and health of client businesses within their portfolio. They contribute to the agency purpose of helping people make decisions that are in accordance with their values by providing strategic counsel on our client’s business challenges.
Note: This is a full-time position. Our team works collectively in our Columbia, MD office each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Each employee has the option to work remotely on Mondays and Fridays.
This role will actively support the Client Services team in positioning Marriner as a leading marketing communications company in the food, beverage and hospitality space. Reports to VP, Client Services. Responsibilities include:
Client Relationships
- Develop and maintain excellent relationships with client marketing leads (finding opportunities to establish a presence within Client organization cross-functionally) – maintaining contact, building trust and rapport
- Work with VP of Client Services to ensure each client is effectively resourced
- Work with VP of Client Services to develop ongoing client mapping process to deepen client trust and drive retention/growth and broaden the agency’s purview/stature within the client organization
- Obtain regular feedback from client marketing leads on agency relationship
- Seek out regular business updates from client marketing leads and share with senior management team
- Utilize your experience to respond to situations where possible, but understand when to involve the VP of Client Services
Strategy
- Train direct reports on how to analyze research, mine for compelling insights and translate that information into inspiring briefs
- Provide strategic consultation on integrated marketing plans, coaching the account supervisor throughout the process to ensure the creative and tactics are in alignment with the target values and client’s objectives
- Should there not be an account supervisor on an account, you will be responsible for leading the process and being the key conduit between the client and agency
- Be a student of the client’s business and industry to ensure that you are the respected expert on the brand within the agency
- Remain apprised of emerging marketing channels and tactics and challenge integrated team and client thinking, when appropriate
Portfolio Management
- Work with cross functional senior leaders to grow year over year contribution margin of portfolio by 5% or more
- Work with VP of Client Services to drive year over year retainer/supervision margin growth on account portfolio
- Perform regular portfolio reviews with VP of Client Service using a provided framework
- Oversee account leads to ensure they are accurately forecasting revenue and margin for each client within portfolio based on plans and initiatives
- Coach and correct as needed in order to provide a clear financial outlook for the agency
- Step in and complete forecasts directly on those accounts where identified
- Take ownership of all accounts within your portfolio, pulling in senior team members when appropriate/needed
- Keep senior management team apprised of any updates related to your portfolio
Business Development
- Hunt for opportunities for organic business growth and map plan to sell these opportunities into clients with VP of Client Service
- Actively sell the agency’s services
- Work closely with senior members of the Client Services team during pitch work
- When needed, play a key role presenting at pitch presentations
- Present new ideas that will increase agency efficiencies and profitability to VP of Client Services
Creative Support
- Oversee development of creative briefs to ensure they are rooted in research and client and marketing knowledge while also concise and compelling
- Be willing to provide difficult feedback in a compassionate and respectful way to both internal cross-functional team members and clients
- Oversee creative output to ensure it is on strategy and delivering on the client’s objective(s), as well as our target’s values and business goals
- Lead and/or support the presentation of creative ideas and integrated plans, supporting the cross-functional team in selling in our work
Cross-functional Relationships
- Manage, mentor and develop direct reports on all aspects of marketing through performance management and consistent feedback, encouraging and rewarding efforts and accomplishments
- Keep VP of Client Services apprised of team development in order to ensure we are maximizing individual strengths to continuously improve the Client Services team for the betterment of the agency
- Work with the VP of Client Services to develop measurable performance goals for direct reports
- Actively participate in the hiring, managing, developing, and promoting direct reports
- Fosters productive, positive working relationships within internal teams, providing constructive feedback as necessary
- Refer to senior team members for advice and support
Required Knowledge/Skills/Experience
- Bachelor’s degree or higher is required
- Minimum 10 years of professional experience that ideally includes marketing initiatives, to B2B or B2C audiences
- Experience with integrated marketing campaigns is preferred
- Agency experience or a client service facing role is preferred
- Food, beverage or hospitality industry experience is preferred
- Proven ability to lead a client relationship and provide strategic counsel
- Proven ability to drive organic growth and manage budgets
- Ability to effectively manage direct reports and cross-functional teams
- Solid presentation skills with a knack for compelling storytelling
- Take great pride in your work by being committed to delivering on all activities with excellence
- May require overnight travel up to 15-20%
