Agency Director

Octagon is seeking a dynamic and experienced Agency Director for our London office, the hub of the agency’s European operations. The role will lead a group of more than 120 playmakers as they deliver world class campaigns and marketing programs across our blue-chip client roster.  The role will be responsible for driving continued business growth (post this summer’s Euros and Olympic Games), delivering strategic initiatives, and overseeing client relationships. This role offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of our UK and European business. 

You will be Responsible for: 

Commercial planning and growth 

• Developing and delivering against annual market business plan, with a focus on delivering growth against key financial metrics including revenue, staff costs and margin/profitability

• Driving business growth by identifying new opportunities and nurturing existing client accounts. 

• Working closely with the UK Finance Director and IPG Legal to develop and formalise commercial processes that allow us to make well-informed business decisions and mitigate risk with both supplier and client contracting. 

• Staying informed about industry trends and best practices, leveraging insights and industry knowledge to drive results internally, whilst continuously seeking opportunities for innovation and improvement. 

• Assessing regional opportunities to standardise ways of working, with specific focus on the new business processes (lead generation, qualification, etc.) and creative (briefing, casting, production) 

Developing and fostering talent, culture and collaboration 

• Working in partnership with Head of People & Culture and UK leadership team to bring consistency to our agency culture, including continued evolution of employee career development and wellness programming. Expanding our position as an employer of choice. 

• Leading and mentoring a team of professionals, fostering a collaborative and high-performing culture. 

• Serving as a key member of Octagon Marketing’s regional leadership team and support and lead collaboration, connectivity and integration across Octagon R&CPMK. 

• Establishing and building key working relationships across the IPG network in UK. 

• Acting as a vocal and proactive leader to build on the agency’s existing momentum and progress in DEI  (including continued focus on recruitment, education and training, ERG’s, comms and leadership buy in). 

• Living and leading with our agency values every day.  Championing our brand internally and externally. 
• Serving as line manager for the UK leadership team, including Head of People & Culture, Finance Director and other specialism leads in the UK.  Continue to support, mentor and develop senior leaders across the UK business 
  
  

This could be your next right move if you have / if you are: 

• Strong client-servicing skills, adept at building and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders. 

• Insight-driven mindset, utilising data and industry knowledge to inform strategic decisions. 

• Commercially minded, with a focus on driving revenue and delivering results. 

• A strategic thinker with the ability to translate client objectives into actionable plans. 

• An inspirational leader, who can communicate clearly, capable of motivating and mentoring a team to achieve their full potential. 

• A proactive problem-solver who loves finding creative solutions to difficult challenges. 

• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate complex ideas clearly and persuasively. 

• A collaborative team player – able to collaborate across disciplines, departments and client’s additional agency partners 

• Someone who can’t help but pay attention to the details - anything worth doing is worth doing right every single time. You stay focused and nothing gets missed. 

• The knack for thinking on your feet and using your initiative. You like learning new things and can quickly adapt when things change. 

• A natural at building rapport with just about anyone at any level in an organisation. 

• A track record of helping other people to succeed. You enjoy teaching other people something new. 
• Patient, level-headed and cool under pressure as a default.
   

It’s not essential but will help if: 

• A background in and passion for sports and entertainment.
   

BENEFITS 

We’re pleased to offer wide range of benefits, including but not limited to the following:  

• Core benefits (available from start date) – flexible holiday allowance, AXA private medical insurance, life assurance, income protection, pension scheme with 4.5% employer contribution, Employee Assistance Programme 

• Flexible benefits (available after probation) – Gymflex, dental insurance, travel insurance, health cash plan, Cycleshceme, interest-free season ticket loans  

• A Flexible Workplace – we have a number of initiatives in place to ensure that our team have the flexibility to balance work with their lives, this includes flexible holiday and flexible working options.  
• We also run a number of internal programmes to support physical and mental wellbeing, alongside learning and development opportunities to support career development and progression. 
   

WHO YOU’LL BE JOINING 

 
Recognized as one of the “Best Places to Work in Sports”, Octagon is the global sports, entertainment, and experiential marketing arm of the Interpublic Group. 

We take pride in being Playmakers – finding insightful, bold ways to create play in our work, our lives, and in the world. We believe in the power of play to create big ideas and unlock potential for our clients and talent. 

We can put ourselves in the shoes of fans because we ARE fans – of sports, entertainment, and culture at large. This expertise allows us to continually evolve the fan experience across sports and entertainment alongside some of the biggest brands and talent in the world. 

The world needs play more than ever. Are you a Playmaker? 

ABOUT US  

Octagon is a global creative agency in sports, entertainment and culture.  

We’re part of a wider family of agencies – the Octagon R&CPMK – a group of specialist agencies working with brands, athletes, and celebrities. Group agencies include Futures Sport & Entertainment, FRUKT and No2ndPlace. We’re all part of the Interpublic Group of Companies (IPG), one of the world’s most respected advertising networks. 

Founded in 1982 with over 800 employees around the globe. Our Headquarters is in Stamford, Connecticut with further offices around the world including: New York, LA, Miami, McLean, Sao Paulo, Johannesburg, Sydney, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Singapore, Seoul, Tokyo, Paris, Frankfurt, Munich, Barcelona, Madrid, London and Manchester. 

We believe that great brands own an idea in the minds of their audience. For Apple, it’s creativity. For Nike, it’s performance. For BMW it’s Joy. For Coca-Cola, it’s happiness. For Mastercard, it’s priceless experiences. 

At Octagon, it’s all in Play. 

We inspire brands and people to play. 

http://www.octagon.com/