Industry Director

Aquent is a privately-held services organization with 30 years of experience in the Creative, Marketing and Digital solutions space. From staffing solutions, studio creative solutions and innovations in online platforms, Aquent is dedicated to exceptional customer service and the delivery of quality flexible workforce solutions to companies around the world.

The Industry Director oversees the general management and execution of enterprise sales for our largest accounts and has overall P&L and staff management responsibility for their assigned Industry. S/he implements the account strategies for the clients within the industry and has a deep understanding for the business objectives of customers. Additionally, s/he will have a robust knowledge of workforce solutions and the industry s/he leads.  

They will also be able to present Aquent services and illustrate how Aquent can contribute to these organizations through a variety of solutions. S/he will have a prior proven track record of growing large, enterprise-level sales accounts both as an individual contributor (historically) as well as leading account directors to do the same leveraging a consultative sales approach.

Ways you’ll continuously add value:

• Set individual account strategies with the Strategic Account Directors

• The establishment and refinement of the strategic vision for the industry sector

• Oversee a team of Account Directors responsible for growing business with fortune 500 clients

• Collaborate with other Industry Leaders to ensure best practices consistency, teamwork, and holism

• P & L oversight and management

• Understands and can demonstrate strong salesforce knowledge to help drive results

• Thought leadership for the industry

• Drive strong year-over-year growth across all assigned verticals

• Support the management and key negotiations of contractual obligations

• Build and leverage global relationships

• Determine and champion needed resources

• Set the strategic direction of sales for industries

• Support the development and maintenance of C-level relationships within key accounts when necessary.

• Oversee the hiring, management and development exceptional  strategic Account Directors

• Develop and enhance the skills of all on the team to foster personal growth while servicing clients

• Client acquisition and expansion across all sub-teams

• The establishment and refinement of the strategic vision for the industry sector

• Successful hiring, development, and retention of exceptional staff

• The consistent development of new business and high-quality delivery on existing business relationship

• Ensuring fulfillment of client expectations and requirements

• Evidence of the consistent execution of best in class customer service across the industry vertical

• Ability to build and problem solve while leveraging data to make fearless decisions

Signs of Success:

• Achievement of GP and OP Targets

• Year over year account growth for vertical 

• Success in selling all Aquent solutions across clients in vertical 

• Successful hiring, development, and retention of exceptional staff

• High staff utilization 

Requirements:

• 5 - 10+ years of experience in sales, preferably in solution sales and general management within the Industry vertical,  Marketing, Consulting or Creative  industry

• Proven success in scaling a sales force and revenue streams to $10M - $25M and beyond

• Strong analytical and data driven decision making skills

• Strategic thinker that has the ability to build strategies, combined with the tactical ability to execute

• Must be builder of teams, processes, and culture

• Highly collaborative and hands-on, excellent relationship building skills, with an ability to prioritize, negotiate, and work with a variety of stakeholders

• Entrepreneurial, results oriented executive who is energetic, resilient, and personally committed to achieving success

• Bachelor’s degree required

Leadership: The successful candidate is internally driven, goal-oriented, strategic and confident in setting individual and team goals and has proven results establishing, growing and leading a business unit focused on a singular or multiple industry vertical(s). A motivator and a driver, knowing when and how to raise the bar and can effectively communicate goals and strategic vision. Staff will feel empowered to grow business as well as understand they are responsible and accountable for their own actions.  S/he is constantly seeking improvement and demonstrates a genuine concern for Aquent’s business through a holistic approach to our learning and growth. Seeking success for his/her staff and peers and regularly participates in cross-functional teams that impact Aquent’s future.

Communication skills: It is critical to be able to express ideas effectively to senior-level internal and external stakeholders and in front of both individuals and large groups. S/he excels in a fast-paced, high-volume environment and can easily guide a large team with his/her exceptional change management skills. The ideal candidate is a persuasive team builder who leads through consensus with staying focused on the achievement of aggressive business goals. S/he has a proven ability to effectively handle conflict and to quickly synthesize and effectively share information. This person is an active listener and consistently checks with his/her audience to ensure that what is shared is also understood. S/he is effective at communicating by phone, written word and in face-to-face meetings and is well-versed in current technologies.  A natural relationship builder and networker with a track record of outstanding customer service as evidenced by long-term relationships in a variety of roles. S/he has developed and successfully implemented processes that positively impact business results and can lead a team to quickly adopt new business practices.

Fanatical customer service: A role model to set the standard for customer service. S/he takes responsibility for finding solutions or redirecting others to appropriate channels and responds to all service issues with an incredible sense of urgency, whether from client, Talent or staff. 

What We Offer:

• Work/life balance: we say it, we mean it!

• Generous benefits package: medical, vision and dental benefits, generous 401(k), FSA, tuition reimbursement, paid sick/vacation time, and more

• An unusually generous and flexible vacation offered - AKA vacation when you need it

• Free use of our Hawaii and Florida beach houses

• Individualistic approach: we encourage a personal touch to your work - we don't believe in a "one-size-fits-all" approach

• Industry reputation: we are the world's largest creative staffing firm