Senior Account Manager

Position Title:
Senior Account Manager - Packaging

ROLE SUMMARY

Are you interested in joining an innovative team who's transforming the retail landscape? Are you passionate about retail and making a difference for your clients? If so, let's talk.

At the Fish Agency, we've been at the cutting edge of retail design for over 23 years, helping brands connect with consumers in meaningful ways. We're driven by a passion for creating bold, sales-driving brands and experiences that make an impact. We specialize in brand design, packaging, communications, and store experiences, offering a comprehensive range of services spanning traditional and digital channels.

Our approach is rooted in creativity and strategy. From branding to store design, we create experiences that enhance how consumers interact with products and brands. Our work is thoughtful, strategic, and focused on creating intuitive, compelling touchpoints that drive conversion and engagement at every level.

We're looking for a Senior Account Manager - Packaging to join our growing team. The Senior Account Manager - Packaging is responsible for managing the day-to-day activities of the client's accounts and projects. Acting as a liaison between the client, the company, and the various team members, he/she ensures the deliverables to the client are consistent with contractual obligations and creative and quality standards of the Fish Agency.

The ideal candidate has strong project and account coordination skills with a background in packaging design and rollout. Experience in similar environments (retail, merchandising, production studio, etc.) is also considered very relevant.

This role will be a flex-role, meaning you will work primarily from home but you have the option to work in the office (if based in Toronto) with some of your peers should that be your preference on some or all business days.

If you're passionate about impactful design, innovation, and creating experiences that make a difference, the Fish Agency is where you'll thrive. Join us and help redefine the future of retail.

ROLE DESCRIPTION

• Drives packaging projects through all stages of execution and delivery to ensure the work is on time, accurate, and on budget. Work includes writing briefs and managing all workflow and processes - including printing and pre-press.
• Manages all aspects of the relationship with one or more clients and client engagements, overseeing project execution at all stages of execution to ensure the work meets client expectations; is on time, on budget with work that meets our exceptionally high standards.
• Nurtures day-to-day client relationships with the day-to-day client team and upper management.
• Understand business requirements, write briefs and coordinate internal workflows while working with all internal design and production teams and client stakeholders in the context of a well-defined process.
• Participates in creative conceptual reviews, providing constructive feedback and insight into potential client requirements and preferences in addition to package design best practices.
• Reviews production artwork/copy/layout with a keen eye for accuracy, brand compliance and potential printing/regulatory issues.
• Manages external communications with third-party suppliers as required, associated with tactical development and coordination of a project, including relationships with copywriters, illustrators, proofreaders, printers, film houses, etc.
• Maintains two-way dialogue with team members on expectations and results while driving the Fish Agency's commitment to world-class creative solutions.
• Creates project schedules, manages docket systems, manages the project workflow using our internal tools.
• Provides regular status updates to internal and client teams.
• Manages financials of all account projects – including opening jobs in the internal project management system, creating estimates, billing spreadsheets, reconciliations, invoices, and budget tracking; anticipates budget overages and proactively addresses them with internal and client teams.
• Prepares, attends and leads client presentations (alongside Fish creative leaders), setting client expectations beforehand and managing meeting follow-ups.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• You have completed post-secondary education with a minimum of 4-7 or more years' related experience in or working with client or advertising agency studio, with exposure to the CPG and/or retail industries.
• You are experienced managing multiple, simultaneous packaging design projects in a busy studio environment – adept at building and managing complex, accurate budgets, and good instincts in estimating costs.
• You have been the lead client contact, especially in interaction with design managers.
• You possess superior project management and organizational skills with acute attention to detail and the ability to meet deadlines without sacrificing quality. Formal project management training is an asset.
• You have a creative eye with a full understanding of the design process; you can articulate clients' creative briefs/objectives to internal creative teams.
• You have a strong grasp of financial concepts needed to develop accurate budgets and estimate project costs.
• You adapt to an environment that is subject to constant change with a positive attitude and team-orientated manner.
• You are clear and persuasive in your professional verbal and writing (briefs, letters, presentations, proposals, etc.) skills; you confidently communicate with your colleagues and clients at all levels of seniority.
• You are knowledgeable of print production processes and terms.
• You enjoy working in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.
• You work well within a team environment, have lots of fun and roll with the punches.
• You are respectful and considerate of other points of view and collaborate well with colleagues and clients.
• You have excellent time management skills with the ability to meet tight/ad hoc deadlines and multi-task effectively and efficiently.
• You are proficient in MS Word, PowerPoint, Excel and project management software.