[Remote] Strategic Account Director, Media Buying

Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. 829 Studios is a Boston-based integrated digital marketing agency focused on helping organizations achieve their goals. They are seeking a Strategic Account Director to manage high-value enterprise clients, ensuring retention and growth through strategic media buying and relationship management.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the senior strategic lead and executive point of contact for one to two high-value enterprise clients
• Build and sustain trusted partnerships with C-suite, VP-level, and senior marketing leadership at the client organization
• Lead executive-level conversations including QBRs, annual planning, business reviews, strategic planning sessions, and renewal discussions
• Act as the primary escalation point for complex client, operational, or strategic concerns
• Connect media performance — across CTV, OLV, display, native, audio, and emerging channels — to client business objectives, marketing organization priorities, and broader commercial outcomes
• Maintain a high standard of executive communication, professionalism, and relationship management across all client interactions
• Develop and lead long-term account strategy across the full programmatic stack, in close partnership with the assigned media strategist, media buyers, operating leadership, and analyst(s)
• Translate performance insights and analytics into actionable, executive-ready recommendations
• Anticipate organizational shifts, market changes, and competitive pressures that may impact client priorities or partnership health
• Guide clients through annual and quarterly planning cycles, budget reallocations, and channel expansion conversations (e.g., CTV scale-up, retail media, audio, DOOH)
• Ensure agency recommendations align with enterprise client realities — approval structures, brand safety standards, measurement frameworks, and procurement timelines
• Stay fluent in the broader programmatic landscape — DSP changes, supply-path optimization, privacy regulation, attention metrics, AI-driven optimization — and translate the implications into client strategy
• Own retention, NRR, and account satisfaction across the assigned portfolio
• Identify and convert strategic growth opportunities tied to client business needs, performance trends, and evolving media priorities
• Lead scope expansion conversations — additional channels, increased budgets, adjacent service lines — in partnership with practice leadership
• Own renewal strategy and forecasting; partner with agency leadership on commercial planning, pricing, and structural agreement evolution
• Co-own the client’s staffing and resource budget — making intentional, accountable decisions about how dedicated and shared resources are deployed in service of client outcomes and engagement profitability
• Maintain visibility into engagement profitability, resource allocation, and delivery quality across the account
• Operate as a player/coach on the account — leading the relationship and the strategy while remaining directly involved in the work
• Hold accountability for delivery quality, on-time execution, and integrated work product across media strategy, buying, creative, and analytics
• Own day-to-day meetings and client communication, in conjunction with project management and media strategists
• Set the cadence, the standards, and the priorities for the integrated team supporting the account; create the conditions for a focused, distraction-free team
• Scale the engagement model thoughtfully as the book of business grows — bringing on additional dedicated resources as account complexity warrants, never ahead of need
• Escalate and resolve operational risks, delivery challenges, and stakeholder concerns proactively
• Help establish scalable best practices for senior-led, performance-accountable account leadership as the practice grows
• 1 - 2 enterprise client relationships
• Co-ownership of the client staffing and resource budget with Media Buying President and Leadership
• Full accountability for retention, NRR, account health, and expansion contribution
• Direct executive reporting line into client C-suite and senior marketing leadership
• Retention & Net Revenue Retention (Primary)
• 100% gross logo retention across the assigned portfolio at the 12-month mark
• 115%+ Net Revenue Retention across the book of business in the first full year
• All assigned accounts have completed renewal or extension at or above original contract value
• No material churn risk indicators on any active engagement at the 12-month mark, validated through documented account health reviews
• Documented expansion roadmap for each account with quantified opportunity sizing and a clear path to year-two NRR targets
• Active, codified relationship with at least two senior stakeholders per account (CMO/VP plus a secondary executive sponsor)
• QBR cadence established and consistently delivered at or ahead of client expectation
• Strategic plan presented and adopted by client leadership within the first 90 days of account ownership
• Engagement profitability and resource budget managed within target ranges; staffing decisions demonstrably tied to client outcomes

Skills

• 10+ years of experience in agency client services, account leadership, or strategic account management with a focus on performance media or programmatic buying
• Demonstrated history of owning enterprise client relationships at significant scale, with clear ownership of retention, expansion, and revenue outcomes
• Direct experience leading clients through programmatic media strategy — CTV, OLV, display, native, audio — at the executive level
• Working fluency (not necessarily hands-on execution) in major DSPs (The Trade Desk, DV360, Amazon DSP, Xandr, or similar), supply-path optimization, attribution and incrementality frameworks, and brand safety standards
• Proven track record of driving NRR and expansion within named enterprise accounts
• Comfort operating as a player/coach — willing to lead the relationship and stay close to the work, with the maturity to scale that posture as a team grows around them
• Experience navigating complex client organizations — multi-stakeholder structures, procurement cycles, brand and category gates, longer planning horizons
• Exceptional executive communication, presentation, and storytelling skills; comfort presenting to C-suite
• Experience leading integrated teams without direct authority — strategists, creative, analytics, project management
• Comfort in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment; agency or consulting background strongly preferred

Benefits

• Remote Workplace. You have the option to work at our office in Boston or remotely in one of these states: AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, ID, IL, KY, ME, MD, MA, MI, MO, NV, NH, NJ, NY, NC, SC, OH, OK, PA, RI, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA.
• Paid Time Off. Receive generous paid vacation benefits that increase each year you’re with us, 14 Company Holidays, and Summer Fridays from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
• 401K + Match. 401K plan with 4% Safe Harbor employer match after one year of employment and financial literacy services provided through our retirement provider.
• Life Insurance Benefit. No-cost coverage to ensure peace of mind for your family.
• Short Term Disability Benefit. We've got you covered if you need to be OOO with an illness or injury that keeps you out of work.
• Healthcare. Choose from several competitive healthcare plans for you and your family with 80% employer coverage for all medical and dental premiums, 100% employer coverage for vision, and the option to participate in the FSA program.
• Commuter Benefits. Allocate pre-tax funds towards your commute to save up to 40% per year in transportation expenses.
• Continuing Education. Access to monthly team-led webinars, exclusive 829-cohort based learning, digital course platforms, and funding opportunities to attend national conferences and events.

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