Develop and maintain strong, long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with senior client stakeholders (C-suite or equivalent)
Act as a senior strategic authority for performance
and search-led clients, translating specialist output into clear, commercial narratives for executive audiences
Partner closely with senior search and performance leaders to challenge thinking, guide prioritisation and ensure paid search and SEO strategies align with wider business outcomes
Proactively identify client needs and challenges, anticipating future requirements
Lead and win client pitches and cross-sell opportunities within the Client Team, working closely with the wider triumvirate to ensure successful outcomes
Deliver budget, revenue growth, profitability and client satisfaction across the portfolio in line with agreed commercial KPIs
Act as the primary escalation point for all client issues, alongside the Exec sponsor
Challenge client assumptions and provide confident strategic guidance on digital marketing strategy
Drive client-centric solutions that deliver tangible business value
Guide and mentor team members across the Client Team, including Planning Directors, Channel Strategy Directors, Project Managers and wider specialist teams
Remove roadblocks and facilitate effective internal collaboration
Foster a high-performing, inclusive and collaborative team culture
Ensure effective communication, coordination and knowledge-sharing across disciplines
Influence team composition to best serve client needs
Identify and address training and capability gaps within the Client Team
Develop and execute strategic plans for client growth and business development
Conduct regular performance reviews to identify optimisation and growth opportunities
Analyse market trends and competitive landscapes to inform strategy
Drive initiatives that improve revenue growth, profitability and client satisfaction
Oversee all financial aspects of the Client Team in partnership with finance leads
Manage budgeting, forecasting and invoicing
Drive profitability and maximise margins across engagements
Ensure long-term financial health and sustainability of the portfolio
Use data to inform decision-making and track KPIs
Ensure efficient, high-quality delivery against agreed KPIs
Implement best practices and streamline processes
Drive operational efficiency and compliance with agency policies
Maintain open, transparent communication with the wider Croud business, including channel heads, Growth and Exec teams
Contribute to agency-wide initiatives and strategic priorities
Build strong, trusted relationships across all internal teams
Be a champion of Croud's values and culture, fostering a positive and inclusive work environment.
Represent Croud with integrity and professionalism both internally and externally.
Drive continuous improvement within the agency based on client feedback.
Contribute to the overall development of the agency's service offerings.
Requirements
10+ years’ proven success in digital marketing, with strong experience in client leadership, business development and senior stakeholder management
Deep understanding of the digital marketing landscape, with particular strength and confidence in paid search, SEO and performance-led models , alongside working knowledge of paid media, social, content and emerging technologies
Proven experience operating in search-heavy or performance-critical client environments , where margin, ROI and commercial outcomes are closely tracked
Demonstrated ability to lead senior client conversations in performance and search contexts with confidence and authority
Proven track record of driving revenue growth, profitability and client satisfaction
Strong leadership, communication and influencing skills
Excellent negotiation, presentation and relationship-management capabilities at senior levels
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a data-driven mindset
Experience managing budgets, P&L and forecasting
Strategic thinker with strong industry awareness and future-focused mindset
Entrepreneurial, proactive and comfortable operating in complex, fast-moving environments
Benefits
Paid sabbatical at 7 years with an option to take it unpaid at 5 years