DiverseJobsMatter
Customer Strategy Director
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Associate Director – Consumer Brand Communications
Location: Bristol, UK
Contract: Permanent, Full Time
Working pattern: Hybrid, with approximately two days per week in the Bristol office and regular client travel across England
Salary: £70,000–£85,000 per year, depending on experience
Industry: Creative Communications, Consumer Brands, FMCG, PR and Marketing
Overview
Our client, a values-led creative communications agency, is seeking an experienced Associate Director to lead a major business unit focused on consumer brands and FMCG clients.
This is a senior leadership role with responsibility for client relationships, strategic and creative quality, team development, and the commercial performance of a portfolio of major accounts. You will oversee approximately two to three large consumer brands, although the final portfolio may vary depending on experience and business needs.
The role goes beyond traditional account leadership. You will help shape the wider agency, contribute to its growth, and create the conditions for teams to produce outstanding work. You will be expected to balance commercial priorities with client needs, creative ambition, people leadership, and long-term business development.
This opportunity is suited to an established Associate Director or equivalent senior agency leader who wants to make a visible impact on clients, colleagues, and the future direction of a growing communications business.
Responsibilities
- Lead a business unit responsible for a portfolio of major consumer and FMCG clients.
- Act as the senior lead for client relationships, commercial growth, and team performance.
- Take overall responsibility for the strategic and creative quality of work delivered by the business unit.
- Ensure campaigns are culturally relevant, commercially effective, and executed to a consistently high standard.
- Oversee integrated communications activity across PR, social media, creators, crisis communications, issues management, and related channels.
- Build trusted relationships with senior client stakeholders and provide high-quality strategic consultancy.
- Develop a deep understanding of clients’ businesses, audiences, categories, and commercial priorities.
- Identify opportunities to expand existing accounts and introduce new services, campaigns, or strategic work.
- Maintain responsibility for the income, profitability, and commercial health of the business unit.
- Balance client objectives with team capacity, delivery quality, and wider agency priorities.
- Lead, motivate, and develop high-performing multidisciplinary teams.
- Create an environment in which people can perform at their best and creative thinking can flourish.
- Coach senior and developing team members, supporting their progression and professional growth.
- Anticipate commercial risks, delivery challenges, and client issues before they escalate.
- Make confident decisions and take accountability for business, client, and people outcomes.
- Lead internal workstreams and contribute to the effective operation of the wider agency.
- Help shape agency strategy, culture, values, and future growth.
- Act as a visible, positive, and values-led role model across the business.
- Travel regularly to meet clients across the North and South of England.
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Requirements
Essential
- Current experience operating at Associate Director level or in an equivalent senior agency leadership role.
- Significant experience leading large consumer, lifestyle, or FMCG brands.
- A strong record of building trusted relationships with senior client stakeholders.
- Experience overseeing integrated communications campaigns across multiple channels.
- Strong strategic understanding of brands, audiences, culture, and business growth.
- Demonstrable experience leading and developing high-performing agency teams.
- Commercial accountability for client portfolios, account income, profitability, or business-unit performance.
- The ability to balance commercial objectives with client, team, and organizational needs.
- Strong judgement and confidence making decisions in complex situations.
- The ability to identify opportunities, risks, and delivery challenges at an early stage.
- Strong influencing, presentation, and relationship-management skills.
- Experience shaping creative and communications strategy at a senior level.
- A collaborative leadership style and the ability to work effectively with people who bring different perspectives.
- A values-led approach that supports curiosity, inclusion, kindness, and open challenge.
- Willingness and ability to travel regularly for client meetings.
Desirable
- Experience working within a consumer brand, FMCG, food and drink, lifestyle, or retail communications agency.
- Expertise across consumer PR, social media, influencer marketing, creator partnerships, or experiential campaigns.
- Experience managing crisis communications, reputation, or complex issues.
- A driving licence and access to suitable transport due to the travel requirements of the role.
- Experience contributing to agency growth, organizational strategy, or leadership-team initiatives.
- Previous experience within a certified purpose-led or socially responsible business.
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Benefits
Our client offers a flexible and people-focused working environment, including:
- Salary of £70,000–£85,000 per year, depending on experience.
- Flexible hybrid working with trust around how and where work is completed.
- A collaborative office space in central Bristol.
- Coaching, mentoring, and structured in-house learning opportunities.
- Support to shape an individual professional development plan.
- Modern family policies covering a wide range of family structures and caring responsibilities.
- Supportive workplace practices for neurodiversity, periods, and menopause.
- Year-round access to mental health and wellbeing support.
- A nationally benchmarked fair-pay approach.
- Regular pay-equity analysis.
- A strong focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
- Opportunities to work on purpose-led campaigns alongside major consumer brands.
- Paid time contributed to local community causes.
- Company-provided laptop and relevant working equipment.
- The opportunity to influence the future direction of a growing agency.
Application Process
Submit your CV together with a short introduction explaining your interest in the role and what excites you about the opportunity.
Applicants should also address the following areas:
- The most impactful piece of work they have delivered.
- The person or group they have made the greatest professional difference to.
- Their personal values and how these align with curiosity, kindness, and inclusion.
Applications will be reviewed regularly, and candidates can expect direct communication regarding their progress.
Our client is committed to equal opportunity, diversity, and inclusion. Reasonable adjustments and accommodations are available throughout the recruitment process.
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills
Location