SVP, Group Account Director

Global creative constellation built for what’s next—uniting the human vision of the Leo Burnett network with the innovation of Publicis Worldwide. Leo is HI × AI: Human Insight, Human Ideas, Human Impact—supercharged by the data and technology to move faster, go further, and deliver everywhere. Leo brings together 15,000+ people across 90 countries, combining global scale with creative firepower to drive outsized impact for brands.

About the role

We’re looking for an SVP Group Account Director to be the integrated account team leader steering culture-shaping, innovative, and effective work on behalf of the world’s largest retailer—Walmart. The ideal candidate is a proven client business partner with the resourcefulness, flexibility, and proactive curiosity to lead across a big, complex team. You will juggle multiple business priorities simultaneously, manage up and down the team, and lean in to get your hands dirty.

You will help lead a large team of driven account managers and integrated teams across creative, strategy, production, and project management. You must be equal parts strategic business partner, production and creative pro, and problem solver—comfortable in ambiguity and able to turn it into clarity to make progress. You will deepen the client relationship and grow their business meaningfully.

You will work as a leader across DeptW, the Publicis Groupe Walmart Power of One creative agency solution—a collective of agencies and partners working together on behalf of Walmart. This team spans five+ creative agencies, requiring true collaboration across myriad partners while prioritizing the success of clients and the larger team over any individual agency.

Responsibilities

• Be a thought leader and lead the team by example, directing and inspiring them to meet and exceed expectations and do their best work every day.
• Act as a brand steward—know the brand and business inside and out, and be the go-to person clients call in both good and challenging situations to navigate opportunities and obstacles.
• Be open to ideas and insights from across the DeptW team and all partners, demonstrating multi-cultural fluency.
• Navigate a complex organization with high emotional intelligence, building strong internal and external relationships.
• Nurture and grow the account team, fostering client management and business partnership as core competencies for junior and mid-level talent.
• Manage and direct internal teams (direct reports, agency partnerships, colleagues, and seniors) with confidence and clarity, inspiring collaboration to solve challenges.
• Navigate DeptW Power of One team and operations, leveraging internal expertise to deliver outstanding creative solutions across a range of briefs and asks.
• Be fluent in all phases of the creative process—from strategy through creative to production—bringing expertise and guidance to each stage, and problem-solving or deviating from process when needed.
• Handle difficult conversations and ambiguous situations with transparency and critical thinking to drive positive outcomes.
• Foresee issues before they arise, tackling difficult conversations proactively and knowing when to escalate for support.
• Demonstrate an entrepreneurial mindset, identifying client needs and quickly translating them into solutions to help grow the business.

Requirements

• At least 15+ years of experience and demonstrated growth as an Account leader on large, complex clients.
• Clear examples of leadership on large-scale campaigns with innovative creative outputs and/or client partnerships focused on digital transformation.
• Passion for working at the speed of retail.
• This role is based in the NYC area; in-office presence is required.
• Bachelor’s degree or relevant experience.

Benefits

• Medical coverage, dental, vision, and disability benefits.
• 401K retirement plan.
• Parental and family care leave, including family-forming assistance.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Flexible time off.

Pay

Compensation range: USD $180,215.00 - USD $299,637.00 annually. This role may also be eligible for bonus or incentive compensation. Compensation will be determined based on skills, qualifications, and experience, consistent with applicable law.