The opportunity

Great branding starts with understanding a client’s business—and building the trust to help move it forward.

As Associate Account Director at Contrast & Co., you’ll lead a portfolio of client relationships across industries, connecting business goals to brand strategy and creative work. You’ll be a trusted advisor to clients, a clear voice within our team, and an active contributor to the growth of our firm.

You’ll work closely with leadership, our creative team, and project managers to guide engagements from the first conversation through an ongoing partnership. Project managers own timelines, budgets, and resourcing. You own the relationship, the strategic direction of the account, and the client’s confidence in our work.

That means bringing a clear point of view, presenting work with conviction, navigating difficult conversations, and recognizing opportunities to deepen existing partnerships and build new ones.

What success looks like

• Clients trust your guidance. They feel informed, understood, and confident that our work supports their business and brand objectives.
• Our team has clear direction. Briefs, feedback, and decisions give creative teams and project managers what they need to move forward.
• Our work connects to meaningful goals. You help clients understand the thinking behind our recommendations and assess results against agreed objectives.
• Partnerships grow stronger. You recognize opportunities for renewals, expanded engagements, and ongoing retainers.
• New relationships start well. You contribute to pitches and proposals, support closing engagements, and lead a thoughtful onboarding experience.

What you’ll do

Lead client relationships

• Serve as the primary point of contact and trusted advisor for a portfolio of clients.
• Develop a strong understanding of each client’s business, audiences, brand, and goals.
• Lead strategic conversations, communicate progress, and address concerns with clarity and confidence.
• Partner with project managers to keep clients informed and accountable for feedback, decisions, and approvals.

Connect strategy and creative

• Deliver branding and marketing recommendations grounded in each client’s business objectives.
• Translate goals and feedback into clear, actionable briefs and direction.
• Present and champion creative work alongside our creative team, explaining both the idea and the thinking behind it.
• Assess program performance against agreed goals, including relevant ROI measures and KPIs.

Strengthen and expand partnerships

• Identify opportunities to extend engagements and convert project-based relationships into ongoing retainers.
• Facilitate renewals and expanded agreements in partnership with the client and CFO.
• Explain the effort and implications of new requests, coordinating with project managers on scope, timing, and delivery.
• Bring forward recommendations that create value for clients and support the firm’s growth.

Help win and onboard new business

• Identify and qualify opportunities through your network, industry events, referrals, and existing relationships.
• Contribute strategic thinking to pitches and present alongside leadership and the creative team.
• Help develop proposals, scope, approach, and pricing with leadership and project managers.
• Support closing engagements, lead client onboarding, and help the COO track pipeline activity.

How we work

Our five values guide every hire, review, and promotion at Contrast & Co. Here’s what they look like in this role.

We continue to push past what we know.
Stay curious about your clients and their businesses. Recognize when their needs have evolved, and bring forward ideas for where the partnership can go next.

We lead from every seat.
Take initiative. Spot opportunities within your accounts and network, bring them to the team, and help turn them into action.

We sweat the craft.
Care about the details behind the work. Your briefs, meeting notes, and account plans should be clear and thorough enough for others to act on confidently.

We show up as partners.
Make working with us a valuable part of our clients’ experience. Bring a point of view, advocate for the work, and communicate its value with confidence.

We remain steady and positive.
When challenges arise, bring perspective and solutions. Work with project managers to reset expectations and keep clients and colleagues moving forward together.

What we offer

We invest in the long-term growth of our people, with benefits that support your well-being, financial security, and professional goals.

• Health coverage: 100% of employee health benefits covered.
• Retirement savings: SIMPLE IRA with employer matching.
• Time to recharge: 19 PTO days, paid holidays, and your birthday off.
• Flexibility: Flexible remote work options.
• Professional growth: Opportunities to develop your skills, sharpen your creativity, and grow as a leader.

What you bring

• 5-7 years account management experience, ideally within an agency or creative environment.
• A demonstrated ability to develop strategic branding and marketing solutions for clients across industries.
• Strong communication, presentation, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.
• Experience collaborating with creative teams and project managers from brief through delivery.
• A record of building strong client relationships and navigating challenging conversations.
• Experience supporting business development, including pitches, proposals, and new engagements.
• A strong understanding of brand and marketing principles, including how digital products, services, social platforms, and marketing tools connect brands with audiences.
• The ability to coordinate effectively across creative, project management, marketing, sales, and administrative teams.
• A bachelor’s degree.

‍Equal opportunity

Contrast & Co. is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer that values diversity. We are building a space where standing out from a sea of similarity is celebrated — a space where employees are encouraged to bring their whole selves to their work as they join and grow with us. Contrast & Co. does not discriminate on any unlawful basis, including race, religion, color, national origin, disability, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by law.

Ready to join us?

Complete the application form below and include your résumé and a link to your online portfolio. We look forward to learning more about you.

Apply now

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