Account Executive Job Description
This role is sometimes known as ‘Account Handler’ and involves acting as a crucial link between an ad agency and its clients. Your role includes understanding the goals of your clients.
Then you must organise the creative and administration staff within the agency; finally, you need to assist them in the creation of campaigns that effectively sell the clients’ products and services.
Still interested in Sales Account Executive job role, read on for detailed Sales Account Executive job description.
View and apply for Sales Account Executive Jobs | View more Sales Job Descriptions
What Will I Be Doing?
You are expected to develop and contribute to advertising campaigns. This involves managing admin and campaign work while making sure all advertising projects are completed on time and within budget.
Day-to-day tasks include:
- Attending meetings with clients where you discuss their advertising needs.
- Presenting campaign ideas and their costs to clients.
- Working with colleagues in order to create advertising campaigns that fit within the specifications and budget of your clients.
- Maintaining regular contact with clients and the agency in order to act as the link between them.
- Managing campaign costs, handling budgets and providing clients with invoices.
- Monitoring the progress of campaigns.
- Trying to win business for the agency by making ‘pitches’ to prospective clients.
You need multitasking skills as you are likely to be handling the campaigns of several non-competing clients simultaneously.
Is There Anything Else?
It is normal for sales account executives to work long hours when there are deadlines that need to be met even though it is technically a 9am-6pm weekday kind of job. Although the role is generally office-based, you will be required to travel in order to attend meetings. This may involve you staying away from home overnight.
As you would expect, most of the top agencies in Ireland are based in Dublin but they often have branches in other Irish cities. Since the largest agencies regularly take on international business, you may get the opportunity to work abroad.
Even though the working environment could be classified as ‘informal’, you are still expected to dress smartly as you need to make a good impression on clients. There are freelance opportunities within the industry but this option shouldn’t be considered until you have gained plenty of experience.
Sales Account Executive Career Path
Although you don’t necessarily need specific qualifications in order to become a sales account executive, you should have a degree or higher national diploma (HND) in one of the following areas if you wish to have an edge on other candidates:
- Marketing
- Advertising
- Business/Management
- Psychology
- Communication & Media Studies
- Statistics/Operational Research
If you don’t have a degree or HND, it may be possible to find work in smaller agencies if you are prepared to accept an entry-level role such as administrator. You can then climb the ladder as your experience and knowledge increases.
You should also try to gain work experience in an agency before looking for your first job. Get in touch with agencies directly and ask about work placement opportunities.
In terms of career, you will probably begin as a junior account executive and learn as you go. To boost your employability, consider joining a professional association such as the Institute of Advertising Practitioners Ireland (IAPI).
Career progression is linked to the level of experience you gain along with the success of your campaigns. If you work on an award-winning campaign, you may even find yourself getting headhunted by top agencies.
You can go on to become an account manager and aim to achieve the role of director once you have 3-4 years’ experience as a manager.
Salary
The amount you earn depends on the sector you are involved in:
- Information Communications Technology (ICT): Inside sales executives can earn €30,000-€35,000 a year, technical sales executives can earn €40,000-€50,000 per annum while a key account manager could earn €55,000-€60,000 a year. Overtime earnings (OTE) could add another €10,000-€15,000 to your salary annually.
- Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG): A territory account manager could earn €35,000-€45,000 a year while a key account manager could earn €45,000-€55,000 per annum. Again, OTE could add another €10,000 a year to these figures.
- B2B: An inside sales executive could earn €24,000-€35,000 a year, a field sales executive can earn €30,000-€40,000 per annum while a key account manager could earn €45,000-€55,000 a year. As is the case in the other areas, OTE can add another €10,000+ a year to these earnings.
What Are The Good Points?
It is an extremely exciting industry as you could be involved in large scale ad campaigns and may even have the chance to meet famous celebrities. The industry is known for its ‘work hard, play hard’ attitude so if you enjoy partying; you will love being a sales account executive, especially after a successful campaign.
What Are The Bad Points?
You will be working in a very fast-paced industry and asked to meet tight deadlines as a matter of course. If a campaign is a complete failure, you will have to take a large chunk of the responsibility. The working hours can be extremely long and, depending on your agency, you may also have to travel a lot.
It is also an extremely competitive field as advertising is a popular career choice amongst new graduates. Please note that while you can find jobs on the www.irishjobs.ie website, you should also consider approaching agencies directly as not every opening in the field is advertised.
Is The Role The Right One For Me?
If you wish to become a sales account executive, you must show evidence of the following:
- Excellent interpersonal & communication skills.
- High quality presentation & negotiation skills.
- Top notch organisation & time management skills.
- The capacity to lead & motivate a team.
- The ability to work under pressure.
- The ability to absorb large quantities of information quickly while still maintaining attention to detail.
- Commercial awareness.
- Knowledge of how the industry is developing.
If you liked the information provided in this Sales Account Executive job description from the duties to salary to progression opportunities, then a career as Sales Account Executive might be right for you.
IrishJobs.ie has been helping people find the job they want for over 20 years. Our team is delighted to share our job hunting tips and advice with you.