Account Director, Freelance

Overview

Assembly was formed by converging best-in-class teams at Edelman to lead UK integrated communications on behalf of Microsoft. Assembly London is a tightly integrated storytelling machine of over 40 full time employees working across the entire Microsoft business spanning Xbox, Surface, and Windows as well as Commercial/B2B and Corporate. Assembly is a member of the Daniel J. Edelman Holdings family of companies. Passionate about developing creative ideas to help the world’s biggest Brands connect with their audiences, our teams work collaboratively across the entire Edelman network to transform Brands’ reputations. This work has scored us several recent Cannes Lions award wins.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Freelance Account Director to join Assembly in the Xbox EMEAUKI team for a 3 month contract with potential to extend. This is a unique role working for one of the largest brands in the world, with a broad remit across the UK side of the Xbox business, and playing a pivotal role in decision-making and client relations.

We’re looking for someone who has experience in the gaming industry and can come into a fully formed team to drive forwards and evolve the work that we do at a UK level. You’ll have strong media contacts in tech, gaming and lifestyle and an ability to understand how to talk to audiences who are already highly engaged in gaming, as well as those on the periphery who might be just starting their gaming journey. The successful candidate will understand how to incorporate earned strategies within integrated campaigns, will have experience working on data/insight driven campaigns and will have a track-record in working with content creators and developing creator strategies and content.

We are looking for someone with a real passion for the industry, who can bring experience and knowledge to support Xbox in the next stages of its journey whilst being able to develop strong client relationships and give solid client counsel across the many parts of the business - ensuring that client expectations are not only met, but exceeded.

Additional knowledge of the burgeoning gaming policy landscape and experience with trade body relations would be a welcome bonus.

Key Responsibilities:

• Creating and driving outreach plans, message development, management of events, effective pitching and coaching of spokespeople
• Managing and developing client relationships to earn their trust to deliver day to day work as well as providing proactive confident counsel on communications strategy and new approaches or ideas that will help evolve their communications
• Writing proposals, messaging and narratives as well as longer form PR materials
• Crafting compelling newsworthy stories from limited content
• Overseeing quality and operational performance, ensuring work quality and deadline adherence for junior members of teams, providing close coaching and development
• Identifying potential leads and areas of growth within existing client workstream
• Overseeing quality and operational performance, ensuring work quality and deadline adherence for junior members of teams, providing close coaching and development
• Identifying potential leads and areas of growth within existing client workstream
• Project management including leading on game launch campaigns, from planning through to previews/reviews and launch
• Press tour and industry event planning, logistics and event management
• Assisting with overall financial management – forecasting, hours allocation for team members, project & plan budgeting, managing servicing levels
  
  

Ideally you will have/be:

• Strong communication skills, verbal and written - able to develop high-quality strategy, write documents and proposals and manage junior team members
• Understanding of Millennial and Gen Z audiences and how to reach them
• Desire to work as part of a large, integrated team in a busy, fast-paced, and highly motivated working environment
• The ability and experience to provide senior clients with clear, confident, and well-informed strategic counsel and excellent negotiation skills and ability to manage expectations against budgets / results
• Present confidently and expertly, able to articulate point of view and persuade and influence
• Experience working in collaboration with both earned and paid
• A curiosity and desire to keep up with the digital trends, emerging platforms and changing audience behaviours, and be able to articulate these to our clients
• Proven track record of working in or with global brands or entertainment brands
• Creative storyteller with a natural curiosity in the arts and broader cultural life and societal trends
• A knowledge of the major technology trends and issues impacting big tech and gaming, including the UK policy landscape
• Experience of integrating with different practices / teams on cross-business work, ability to work collaboratively with a variety of people to meet client expectations
• Entrepreneurial spirit - willingness to ‘get stuck in’ and make the most of opportunities
  
  

Assembly is an integrated agency providing purpose-built communications to Microsoft – bringing strategy, creative, research, social and digital, and influencer marketing together to drive tangible business results and advance Microsoft’s mission to empower every person and organization on the planet to achieve more.

We advocate for ideas based on real audience insights and sound strategic opportunities and bring them to life with creative executions that earn attention. We are the team behind some of Microsoft’s most exciting work across Surface, Xbox, M365, and Windows to name a few. We are the lead agency for the Microsoft brand across social; the global PR agency of record for Xbox; and the influencer agency of record for Xbox, Surface, M365 and Windows. Assembly is also a strategic partner for executive communications across Microsoft Store and several executives across the company.

Our results are a direct reflection of our culture and people – we believe that bringing together diverse perspectives enhance creativity and innovation, and we embrace and celebrate differences both in our organization and through our work. We’ve partnered with Microsoft for 27 years, across 17 countries around the world. Come be a part of our collective story as we partner with Microsoft to enable each other to achieve more.

Assembly Media was founded in 2014 under DJE Holdings to exclusively service Microsoft. In 2019 our parent agency, Edelman, was recognized by AdAge as one of the top 10 creative companies in the U.S. and recognized as a 2019 Best Place to Work.