Account Director

element MEA is supporting a leading Dubai-based creative and digital agency in appointing an Account Director on a full-time maternity cover contract, to lead a prestigious, multi-faceted Abu Dhabi Government account. The agency's identity will be shared with shortlisted candidates. You will own the client relationship at senior level: acting as the client's key strategic advisor, setting the direction for integrated delivery across Social Media, Performance and Media Buying, Website, SEO/GEO and Content Marketing, and holding the account to high standards of quality, timeliness and commercial discipline. The role • Full-time, fixed-term contract (maternity cover) from mid-November 2026 to 31 March 2027, about 5.5 months • Hybrid and remote-first: mostly remote during UAE business hours (Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM GST), with regular in-person client meetings, workshops and steering reviews at client offices in Abu Dhabi • Reporting to the Group Managing Director • You must be based in the UAE, with your own means of transport Key responsibilities • Lead the relationship with senior government stakeholders, managing complex expectations, multi-layered approvals and high-priority requests with diplomatic confidence • Chair monthly steering reviews and lead weekly status meetings and working sessions, both virtually and on-site in Abu Dhabi • Provide strategic counsel on integrated communications and digital transformation • Direct multidisciplinary teams across Social Media, Paid Performance and Media Buying, Website, SEO/GEO and Content Marketing • Turn government mandates into clear account plans, scopes of work and creative briefs, and own quality across all client-facing deliverables • Own the account P&L: retainer utilization, scope burn, margins, billing, media spend reconciliations and vendor costs • Report account performance, forecasts and resource needs to agency leadership, and identify opportunities to grow the account Nice to have • Arabic fluency (written and spoken), a significant advantage for government client relations • Familiarity with Abu Dhabi Government brand guidelines and protocol What you'll bring • 8+ years of agency account management experience, including at Account Director level or as a senior lead on integrated, multi-channel accounts; UAE or Abu Dhabi Government experience is strongly preferred • Hands-on understanding of how Social Media, Performance and Media Buying, Web Development, SEO/GEO and Content Marketing work together • Confidence with formal protocol, layered government approvals and fast-turnaround announcements • Strong commercial acumen: P&L ownership, retainer burn and margin management • Executive presence, excellent communication and a structured, detail-oriented way of working