Account Director -- Lead Management

TITLE: Account Director -- Lead Management

DEPARTMENT: Account Leadership

REPORTS TO: VP/Group Account Director

TRAVEL: 10-20%

FLSA STATUS: Exempt

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: Yes

LOCATION: Austin

At GSD&M, we're on a mission to build First & Only brands, meaning the first to do it and the only ones who can. We're able to do this because we set a high bar for ourselves and our work. We care about what we put out in the world. We're humans who like other humans. Our ideas make a difference. Shift culture. Create a smile. Inspire change. Initiate belly laughs. Deepen our understanding of the world and ourselves. We grow. We learn. We get better. We do it all over again. Because that's what it takes to build and be First & Only.

We are seeking a dynamic and strategic leader to drive the next phase of innovation and growth in lead management, CRM strategy, and data-driven marketing for the United States Air Force and Space Force. This role is ideal for a visionary executive passionate about leveraging marketing technology, automation, and analytics to optimize customer engagement and recruitment outcomes.

Over the past eight years, this position has evolved significantly, expanding in scope and impact. We are looking for a leader who can build on this foundation, driving continued transformation and lasting results. The Account Director -- Lead Management oversees a multifaceted team which includes an internal lead management team and a subcontractor partner consisting of 72-person virtual recruiters/advisors and a dedicated Salesforce practice (project managers, architects, developers, admins, and analysts.) This role ensures seamless integration of lead capture, nurturing, and refinement across email, SMS, event-based marketing, and digital channels, all powered by Salesforce CRM and Marketing Cloud.

This leader plays a critical role in managing complex processes, ensuring data integrity, security, and governance, and fostering collaboration across clients, government stakeholders, development teams, and internal agency partners. The ideal candidate excels at translating complex challenges into actionable strategies, driving innovation, and empowering teams to deliver measurable impact.

Responsibilities

• Oversee and provide strategic direction for software development projects, ensuring successful execution from inception to completion by guiding client interactions, internal teams, and external vendor partnerships.
• Provide leadership and mentorship to internal team members and project teams, ensuring alignment on project scope, goals, deliverables, and dependencies while maintaining high-quality execution.

• Manage cross-project dependencies, risks, and issue resolution at a strategic level, proactively addressing challenges and ensuring successful project outcomes.

• Ensure effective stakeholder communication by setting expectations, facilitating clear and timely updates, and guiding the development of progress reports and presentations.

• Drive collaboration across teams to maintain project scope, timelines, budgets, and milestones, ensuring alignment with broader business objectives.

• Lead post-implementation reviews to assess project successes and areas for improvement, providing strategic recommendations to enhance future project execution.

• Oversee project meetings and key discussions, ensuring that project teams are equipped with the resources and guidance necessary to succeed.

• Monitor project budgets and schedules at a macro level, ensuring fiscal responsibility and timely delivery of initiatives.
• Explore and advocate for the adoption of new technologies to unify data, enhance segmentation, and deliver personalized omnichannel experiences, educating stakeholders on its strategic value (i.e.: Customer Data Platforms).
• Lead efforts to leverage tech integrations between Google Analytics (GA4) and Salesforce to enhance closed-loop reporting and ROI measurement.

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Marketing, Advertising, Communications, Business, Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field.
• 8+ years of experience in account management, program management, project leadership, or marketing operations, with a proven track record of managing large-scale, cross-functional initiatives.
• Deep expertise in project management methodologies, including Agile, Scrum, and Waterfall, with experience overseeing complex projects from strategy to execution.
• Strong leadership and organizational skills, with the ability to drive multiple projects simultaneously, navigate ambiguity, and make strategic decisions in a fast-paced environment.
• Exceptional communication, collaboration, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build strong relationships and influence across all levels of an organization.
• Advanced problem-solving and analytical skills to assess challenges, identify innovative solutions, and drive continuous improvement.
• Technical proficiency in CRM platforms, particularly Salesforce, and familiarity with marketing automation tools.
• Experience managing and mentoring teams, fostering professional growth, and cultivating a high-performance culture.
• PMP certification or equivalent project management expertise preferred.
• Familiarity with collaboration and workflow management tools such as Jira, Trello, or Monday.com is a plus.