London, UK
Account manager
at Universal Design Studio
Universal Design Studio is seeking an account manager to join its team in London.
We are looking for a highly motivated and focused account/senior account manager to join our newly formed design operations team across Universal Design Studio and Map Project Office. Working across two specialist studios and reporting to our head of design operations, you will play a pivotal part in helping to shape the way we integrate client services across the board. This role is perfect for someone looking for the opportunity to not only work on some fantastic accounts but also have the opportunity to implement new ways of working and be there at the start of the journey as we build the team.
Working alongside our creative teams you will be jointly responsible for building and nurturing client relationships, as well as ensuring the commercial success of each project delivered. The ability to balance the need for creative excellence with commercial sensitivity is key to this role.
Key responsibilities:
- managing of multiple projects from brief through to completion
- client liason on specified accounts building and maintaining strong relationships
- managing resource requirements ensuring accounts are covered as required but maintain a healthy profit margin
- working alongside your creative counterpart to create a commercially viable approach to the client brief
- reporting to head of design operations on revenue, pipeline and general project health
- general administration duties associated with running accounts – setting agendas, meeting notes, project planning, chasing PO’s
- financial oversight – ultimately responsible for the financial health of your accounts, tracking spend, flagging scope creep, ensuring change orders are submitted and approved before additional work is carried out
- working alongside the financial team to review and update forecast as required, ensure all invoices are captured and raised correctly
- working alongside our head of contracts to ensure the proper paperwork is in order ahead of project kick off
- ability to spot and act on opportunities to grow current accounts
- working alongside your creative counterpart ensure all work delivered to the client meets – if not exceeds – expectations
- mentoring and development of more junior members of the design operations team
- helping to ensure successful integration of the role with the creative team
Skills, behaviours and attributes:
- a positive and proactive attitude
- the ability to work self-led as well as part of a team
- excellent attention to detail
- a solution orientated mindset
- a great degree of financial acumen
- a willingness to question yourself and take control of situations
- experience of working with creative teams and an understanding of what it takes to manage those relationships successfully
Essential experience:
- at least four years working in a creative studio environment
- experience handling multiple projects simultaneously
- proficient in Excel, Word, Keynote
Desirable, but not essential experience:
- knowledge of architectural process
- Use of Workbook management system
Benefits and other information
Our benefits include: generous holiday allowance, flexible start/finish times, regular learning events and socials, enhanced pension contribution, access to Bupa dental plan, Babylon Dr app, Lifeworks well-being platform, retail discounts, inhouse fitness studio, CycleScheme, train season ticket loan.
During Covid-19
As we begin our safe and gradual return to our Farringdon studio over the next few months, working from the studio remains voluntary. While the focus for now is the reopening of our studio, we are in parallel looking at the lessons we can learn from the ways in which we have worked over the past year and ensuring that we will provide more flexible ways of working in the future.
Diversity and inclusion
With the integrated support of our D&I employee resource group, Universal and Map are committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, nationality, disability or age.
About Universal and Map
Universal Design Studio and Map Project Office are award-winning design studios based in Farringdon, London. Architecture and interior designers, Universal Design Studio, create boutique hotels, restaurants, retail spaces, workspaces, galleries and renowned cultural institutions. Map Project Office are industrial designers, developing physical products for tech giants to start-ups. We are co-located with partner agency AKQA – creating a multi-disciplinary group of creative studios that redefine the interplay between the disciplines of interior design, architecture, industrial design and digital.
How to apply
Please click this link to submit your application rather than via Dezeen. Applicants must have right to work in the UK.