STARCH CREATIVE: Better Brand Experiences, Made Together.
Starch is a full-service experiential design agency and fabrication company based in Irvine, CA. We create culturally resonant experiences for the fans of the brands we love, led by a team of innovative thinkers, builders, strategists, designers, and producers united by a shared love for creating. From the big picture to the finest detail, we manage ideas from concept to completion.
We are hiring people who are motivated, self-driven, and collaborative, and who work just as well independently. We hope you’re inspired to learn more.
Account Director
Location: Portland, OR or Irvine, CA
Reports to: VP, Account Director
Status: Full Time Employee
What You Will Accomplish
As an Account Director at Starch, you will serve as a team leader, advisor, and trusted partner to both clients and internal teams. You will build strong client relationships, guide integrated creative programs, onboard new work, and identify opportunities to expand existing partnerships. This role is ideal for someone who combines strategic thinking, exceptional client service, and a collaborative approach to leading work from engagement through delivery.
How You Will Be Successful
• Grow and maintain client relationships: Provide strategic and tactical leadership while building trusted relationships with client stakeholders.
• Serve as a trusted client partner: Bring a proactive, solution-oriented approach, communicate clearly, and help clients navigate decisions throughout the engagement.
• Lead cross-functional programs: Plan, strategize, and guide integrated programs and campaigns with a strong understanding of Starch capabilities and process.
• Define scopes and engagement models: Partner with Project Management and Creative leads to shape scopes of work, establish expectations, and educate clients on our process.
• Keep teams aligned: Create strong working relationships across project management, creative, and client teams so priorities, expectations, and deliverables remain clear.
• Proactively manage risk and client satisfaction: Identify issues, conflicts, or disruptions early and drive effective solutions that protect the client relationship and the work.
• Forecast and report on client programs: Track program performance and provide useful insights to leadership to support business operations and strategic planning.
• Identify and drive growth: Assess opportunities with existing clients and support new business efforts as needed.
• Lead and mentor teams: Motivate and support internal teams while contributing positively to agency culture and overall business success.
Skills for Success
Experience:
6+ years of account management experience, including managing creative teams and/or outside creative resources, leading internal project teams, and working directly with senior-level client contacts to define program engagements.
Location:
Based in Portland, OR or Irvine, CA.
What you already know:
How to lead client relationships, present with confidence, communicate clearly in writing and verbally, and guide integrated creative work through development cycles and best practices. Experience with new business development and a strong understanding of agency capabilities and workflows are important for success in this role.
What we will teach you:
Our internal systems, project workflows, and how Starch Creative and Starch Fabrication work together to move projects from creative concept through fabrication and execution.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Starch is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, religion or religious creed, age, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy or related conditions, reproductive health decision-making, marital or familial status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Consistent with the California Fair Chance Act, we will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities and for sincerely held religious beliefs and practices. If you need an accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact us at Hireme@starchcreative.com.
Our positions go quickly. Apply today: Hireme@starchcreative.com