We're looking for a Senior Account Manager for a maternity cover from early/mid December. Could you help?
Location: Clapham Common, London (On-site at least 3 days a week) Salary: £45 - £55k depending on experience Contract: Fixed-term maternity cover, 12 months, full-time Reporting to: Creative Director Application deadline: 23:59 on 13 October 2026
In a nutshell: You'll be the main link between our clients and our creative team, managing relationships, projects, budgets and deadlines across a range of branding and design work for a fantastic array of not-for-profit, cultural, philanthropic and & higher-education clients. You'll be stepping into an established role, so we're looking for someone experienced, organised and confident enough to take ownership quickly and keep things running smoothly.
About the role
We’re looking for an experienced Senior Account Manager to join our small, but well-known award-winning branding agency on a fixed-term maternity cover.
This is a hands-on role at the heart of the studio. Working closely with our Creative Director and design team, you’ll be responsible for managing our day-to-day client relationships and making sure projects are well briefed, well organised and delivered to a high standard.
You’ll be stepping into an established role, taking over existing client relationships and live projects. We’ll provide a thorough handover, but you’ll need to be comfortable taking ownership quickly, managing your own workload and using your judgement to keep things moving.
You’ll be the key link between our clients and the creative team — understanding what clients need, keeping them informed, managing expectations and making sure the studio has everything it needs to deliver great work.
This is an ideal role for someone who enjoys the variety and responsibility of working in a small agency, but with large, well-known clients and who can combine excellent client management with strong project organisation and commercial awareness.
What you'll be doing
Managing client relationships
Act as the main day-to-day contact for a portfolio of existing clients including the Imperial War Museum, University of Cambridge, University of Manchester, the National Trust and many more
Get quickly up to speed with each client’s organisation, priorities, ways of working and current projects.
Lead regular client communications, meetings and project updates.
Make sure clients understand what’s happening, what’s needed from them and what happens next.
Manage client feedback and expectations clearly and constructively.
Deal confidently with changes, questions and challenges as they arise.
Maintain continuity and a consistently high level of client service throughout the cover period.
Managing projects
Take ownership of existing branding and design projects from brief through to delivery.
Get up to speed quickly with live projects, timelines, budgets and outstanding actions.
Develop and maintain project plans, schedules and milestones.
Coordinate work across the Creative Director and design team.
Keep projects moving and flag risks, delays or changes early.
Manage the flow of feedback and approvals between clients and the creative team.
Ensure briefs and requests are clear, complete and actionable.
Coordinate external suppliers and production partners where required
Make sure final deliverables are accurate and delivered as agreed.
Commercial management
Manage project budgets, estimates and scopes of work.
Monitor costs and scope throughout delivery.
Identify potential changes to scope or additional costs and discuss these with clients and the Creative Director.
Prepare estimates and proposals, and support the preparation of invoices.
Help ensure projects remain commercially viable and appropriately resourced.
Working with the creative team
Work closely with the Creative Director and designers to manage studio priorities.
Make sure the team has clear briefs, deadlines and client feedback.
Cross-check client feedback against the team’s work to ensure all feedback has been actioned or responded to
Help protect creative time by taking ownership of day-to-day client and project administration.
Act as a constructive bridge between client requirements and creative ambition.
Use your judgement about what you can resolve yourself and what needs to be discussed with the Creative Director.
Contribute to a collaborative and positive studio environment.
Supporting new business and client development
Maintain awareness of opportunities within existing client relationships.
Support the Creative Director with tenders, proposals, presentations and pitches where required.
Help develop new opportunities that arise during the cover period.
Ensure any new business activity is followed up and managed appropriately.
About you
We’re looking for someone who can hit the ground running and quickly become a trusted member of the team.
You’ll ideally have experience in an account management, client services or project management role within a branding or design agency.
You’ll be:
Organised and self-sufficient — able to take ownership without needing constant direction.
Client-focused — confident building relationships and managing expectations.
Commercially aware — comfortable with budgets, estimates, scope and fees.
A clear communicator — able to keep clients and creatives aligned.
Proactive — you’ll spot potential problems and deal with them before they escalate.
Calm and pragmatic — able to manage changing priorities and the occasional tight deadline.
Detail-oriented — particularly when it comes to project information, deliverables and deadlines.
Creative-minded — genuinely interested in branding and design and comfortable discussing creative work with both clients and our design team.
Collaborative — happy working closely with a small team and contributing wherever needed.
Confident in your judgement — able to make decisions independently while knowing when to involve the Creative Director.
Please note that we are unable to provide visa sponsorship for this role. To be considered, candidates must have the independent legal right to work in the UK at the time of application.
Experience and skills
Essential
At least 6 years’ experience in account management, client services or project management within a creative agency.
Experience managing multiple projects and clients at the same time.
Strong client relationship and communication skills.
Experience managing budgets, timelines and project scope.
Experience briefing and working with creative teams.
Excellent organisational and administrative skills.
Confidence communicating with senior client stakeholders.
An understanding of branding, design and creative processes.
Ability to use Excel/Google Sheets and Keynote to an intermediate level
Familiarity with a Mac environment
Desirable
Experience within a branding or design agency.
Experience working across brand strategy, identity and brand implementation.
Experience managing external suppliers and production.
Experience supporting pitches and new business.
The handover
As this is a maternity cover position, there will be a structured handover from the current Account Director before the start of the role.
We’re looking for someone who can use that handover as a foundation and then confidently take ownership of the role.
What we offer
20 days annual leave plus 8 bank holidays, and extra leave over the Christmas period.
A company pension with generous employer contributions, along with a pension advisor
2 days annual conference/training leave plus training/conference budget
Networking opportunities, global clients and guaranteed access to important projects
About us
We’re a small independent branding agency, working closely with our clients to create thoughtful, distinctive and effective brands.
Our team is deliberately small, which means everyone has a meaningful role in the work and in how the agency operates. You’ll work directly with the Creative Director and design team, with genuine responsibility for the clients and projects you manage.
This is a great opportunity for an experienced Account Manager who enjoys close client relationships, good creative work and the variety and responsibility that comes with working in a small studio.
How to apply
To apply please send your CV and cover letter to work@johnsonbanks.co.uk by 23:59 on Tuesday 13 October.
