Senior account director

At SimpsonScarborough, we spend our days building brands that endure, inspire, and elevate the all-important work of colleges and universities in shaping our future. Recognized as a leader in the higher education marketing industry, we are a fully remote team of approximately 70 employees working coast to coast.

We're looking for a Senior Account Director to lead integrated marketing and branding engagements for a portfolio of higher education clients. This role sits at the intersection of client relationship management, strategic leadership, and cross-functional orchestration — you're the connective tissue between what clients need and what our internal teams deliver.

The Senior Account Director is a trusted partner to clients and a strategic voice internally, driving account growth, ensuring delivery excellence, and helping shape the agency's broader business development efforts. If you lead with both strategic rigor and genuine client empathy, we'd love to connect.

What You'll Do

• Serve as the primary strategic partner for a portfolio of clients — building strong relationships, anticipating future needs, and actively growing engagements through regular account planning conversations.
• Develop client briefs that capture each institution's nuanced challenges, priorities, and goals, and lead project kickoffs in partnership with project management to set the right tone from day one.
• Review all project deliverables before client delivery to ensure strategic alignment and provide internal teams with the context and direction needed to get it right.
• Act as the client advocate internally and the agency champion externally — communicating feedback clearly in both directions and ensuring mutual understanding throughout every engagement.
• Monitor scope, budget, and timeline impacts in partnership with project management, initiating addendums to service agreements when needed.
• Achieve quarterly and annual growth targets across assigned accounts, maintaining accurate pipeline data in HubSpot and participating in internal account planning with Strategy and PMO.
• Contribute to new business efforts through sales calls, proposal input, pitches, and thought leadership content.

What We're Looking For

• 5–8 years of experience in client-facing roles at a marketing or communications agency, with higher education experience preferred.
• Strong understanding of integrated marketing communications, brand and content strategy, market research, marketing planning, and digital marketing principles.
• Proven ability to build and sustain client relationships and navigate engagement challenges with diplomacy and confidence.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills — a strong listener, clear writer, and compelling presenter.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to prioritize, work autonomously, and escalate when needed.
• Analytical and results-oriented, with the adaptability to manage change and competing priorities effectively.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite or related software; HubSpot experience a plus.
• Bachelor's degree and/or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.

Salary, Benefits & Perks

Salary starts at $130,000.00 and will be commensurate with experience. Comprehensive benefits package including nationwide health, dental, and vision coverage, 401(k) with employer contribution, employer-paid life insurance and short-term disability. Flexible time off (FTO) with additional time-off options, including sick, volunteer & bereavement leave, paid parental leave, a day off on your birthday PLUS two agency-wide closures in the summer and winter. Monthly lifestyle stipend to supplement your routine wellness costs like streaming subscriptions, gym, or phone/internet costs.

Our Commitment to Inclusion

At SimpsonScarborough, we believe diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are central to our core values and critical to our long-term success. This work requires consistency, intentionality, vulnerability, and accountability. Through our efforts, we strive to make meaningful impact in our work, our workplace, and our industry.

SimpsonScarborough is an equal opportunity employer. We have a strict anti-harassment policy and a zero-tolerance non-discrimination policy. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds regardless of nationality, race, religion, gender identity, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Questions?

For all recruitment-related inquiries, please email PeopleAndCulture@simpsonscarborough.com.