Senior Account Director

Hogarth is the Global Content Production Company. Part of WPP, Hogarth partners with one in every two of the world’s top 100 brands including Coca-Cola, Ford, Rolex, Nestlé, Mondelez and Dyson. With a breadth of experience across an extensive range of sectors, Hogarth offers the unrivaled ability to deliver relevant, engaging, and measurable content across all channels and media - both established and emerging. The number of channels at our fingertips; the need for speed; and the drive for mass personalisation, all mean that brands need different solutions. Our global team of over 7,500 craft and technology experts brings together creative, production and innovation to help clients navigate this exciting and ever-changing world of today’s content experience. WPP is the creative transformation company. We use the power of creativity to build better futures for our people, planet, clients and communities. Working at WPP means being part of a global network of more than 100,000 talented people dedicated to doing extraordinary work for our clients. We operate in over 100 countries, with corporate headquarters in New York, London and Singapore. WPP is a world leader in marketing services, with deep AI, data and technology capabilities, global presence and unrivalled creative talent. Our clients include many of the biggest companies and advertisers in the world, including approximately 300 of the Fortune Global 500. Our people are the key to our success. We’re committed to fostering a culture of creativity, belonging and continuous learning, attracting and developing the brightest talent, and providing exciting career opportunities that help our people grow. We believe the best work happens when we’re together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That’s why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office around four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process. About Hogarth Hogarth is expanding its global production capability through the development of a Client Delivery Centre of Excellence (CoE) in South Africa. The CoE strengthens Hogarth’s position as WPP’s global production engine, providing best‑in‑class, client‑facing delivery across some of the world’s best‑known and most prestigious brands. Our South Africa Client Delivery team partners closely with our clients and UK and regional counterparts to deliver high‑quality, scalable production and world‑class client servicing. These Client Delivery roles operate as part of a unified global delivery organisation, upholding Hogarth’s gold‑standard operational excellence, commercial discipline and commitment to exceptional client experience. The role: Senior Account Directors (SAD) are trusted Client leads responsible for delivery excellence across complex accounts. They partner closely with Client Delivery Team, production counterparts and Clients to ensure operational discipline, commercial performance, resource optimisation and effective project execution. SADs lead teams, manage senior Client relationships and ensure all delivery meets Hogarth’s global standards. Key areas of responsibility Act as the senior Client Delivery contact across multiple clients and markets. Ensure client needs are understood, met and escalated appropriately to Business Director: Delivery or Client Delivery Managing Director. Oversee on‑time delivery and swift resolution of delivery issues. Lead status updates, scope definition, expectation‑setting and problem‑solving. Collaborate with Client Delivery Teams, Production and Finance to ensure smooth operations and delivery. Lead complex projects from initiation to completion. Ensure teams have clarity on timelines, deliverables and priorities. Drive process innovation and operational discipline across engagements. Maintain detailed project documentation including scope, timelines, trackers, risk registers and reports. Identify risks early, develop contingency plans and elevate when appropriate. Review team structure and resourcing needs to ensure optimal utilisation and profitability. Ensure all work meets Hogarth’s quality standards. Leadership: Create a culture of collaboration, respect, equality and inclusion. Lead by example – demonstrating ownership, professionalism and passion. Inspire the team and remove barriers to their success. Support team development, performance management and talent retention. Demonstrate strong commercial abilities and financial acumen. Oversee budgets, track costs and reconcile estimates to actuals. Manage billing, reporting and profitability across accounts ensuring all projects are profitable. Ensure understanding of commercial arrangements, contractual obligations and SLAs. Protect margins and proactively identify organic revenue‑growth opportunities. Requirements: Client or project management experience within integrated or digital agencies. Strong understanding of production processes across digital, social, content and video. Proven experience leading complex projects and multi‑disciplinary teams. Strong senior client relationship‑building skills. Commercially astute, able to build scopes, budgets and commercial models. Strong written and verbal communication skills. Experience working with global teams and stakeholders. Proficiency with Microsoft Office and project management tools such as JIRA, Smartsheet, Trello or Miro. A curiosity and foundational understanding of AI and its application. Selected candidates will be invited to a Recruitment Assessment Day in person at our Johannesburg campus in January. Stage 1: On the assessment day, you will meet the Hogarth Global Client Services team and participate in a group task and a 1‑on‑1 interview. Stage 2: Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a second interview via Teams, which will include an assessment/presentation. All applicants must be available for these interviews in January and available to start in March. Due to the high volume of roles and applications, we will not be able to provide detailed feedback to all applicants, but you will receive an outcome/decision in a timely manner. Retirement Annuity Discovery Medical Aid Discovery Risk Benefits Employee Assistance Programme 15 Days of leave in addition to public holidays Additional Full day for your birthday Parental Leave - 4 Months and 10 Days paid leave shared between both parents for a new baby Diversity and Inclusion Hogarth is committed to diversity and inclusion, through our ideas, our people, how we behave and conduct ourselves. Creating a truly inclusive culture at all levels of the organisation that encourages different points of view, making Hogarth not only a better company and place to work but an environment where everyone experiences connection, opportunity and a sense of belonging. Hogarth Values Heart and Soul: We love what we do. We bring energy and enthusiasm to all our work. We push boundaries, we are never satisfied and always want to find a better way. Hands on: We don’t wait for things to happen, we get on with it. We are pragmatic and don’t have an ego. We do what it takes to get the job done to the highest standards. Honest: We are straightforward; we speak openly and clearly. We operate with integrity and live up to our promises. Happy family: We enjoy working together. We look out for our colleagues. We are an eclectic bunch. We want to work with people from many cultures and demand great things of each other. Even when things get tough, we don’t lose perspective or our sense of humour. Hungry: We are an inquisitive community. We want to create an environment which inspires ourselves and others to be better. It is important to continuously challenge ourselves and our ways of working. We aim to provide staff with the opportunities to develop and learn. Hands on No egos here. Just a shared drive to roll up our sleeves and make great things happen. Every project—big or small, gets our full energy because we believe in doing things right. Every single time. It’s how we deliver real results without cutting corners. Honesty We are real and authentic – with each other and in our work. Honest, direct communication builds the trust we need to collaborate, grow, and make meaningful things together. It’s not always easy but it’s always worth it. Heart & Soul We bring heart to everything we make. Passion, pride and relentless drive push us beyond “good enough” ––because we care deeply about our craft, and we’re always chasing better. We love what we do, and it shows. Happy Family Creating a space where everyone feels valued— even when opinions differ, makes this a supportive and inclusive environment for our people. We embrace our differences, celebrate our wins together, and never lose our sense of humor. Hungry Curiosity keeps us hungry. We question, experiment, and always seek out what's next. We never settle, and we never stop learning. Inclusion and Impact WPP is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to particular characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers. We rely on legitimate interest as a legal basis for processing personal information under the GDPR for purposes of recruitment and applications for employment. #J-18808-Ljbffr