Job Title: Account Director - Managed Clients

Company: Genie Shopping Ltd

Department: Partnerships Team

Location: Flexible - Distributed with use of Cambridge office and occasional travel

Working Hours: Full Time 37.5 hours per week with flexible working arrangements

Salary Range: £47,024 - £50,944 pa

Who is Genie Shopping?

Genie Shopping is a UK-based, high-growth performance marketing business operating through the affiliate channel and CSS ecosystem. As a certified Google CSS Premium Partner, we work with retail giants like Boots, ebay, Frasers, B&Q, Currys, and Lookfantastic, serving over 57 billion ad impressions to users across our network.

We differentiate ourselves through our managed CSS CPA model and our technical scale. We don’t act as a traditional CSS; we act as a performance partner. Alongside our self-managed SaaS offering, our core revenue comes from our CPA model, which means our success is directly aligned with our clients'. We are a driving force in the industry, leading the conversation through education, sponsorship, and active event contribution. This approach has led to huge success, doubling our growth in 2024 and setting new records in 2025.

We are a certified Great Place to Work with a remote-first setup. Our environment is small (~20 people) but ambitious. We value:

Autonomy: We hire people who want to own their output. If you love solving complex problems and implementing your own ideas, you will thrive here.

Connection: We prioritize culture over geography. We get together for proper team socials every quarter - think punting, cocktail making, and go-karting, to ensure we stay connected as people, not just colleagues.

The team is remotely based, but has fluidity in meeting in-person for client meetings, industry events, strategy days and team socials. There are requirements to travel to Cambridge around once a month, with London (or other UK locations) once a month on average.

What is the role?

You will own Genie's most valuable retailer relationships, lead a team of Account Managers, and be directly accountable for the gross profit performance of the Managed portfolio.

You will set the standard for how Genie manages large-scale retail partnerships. That means owning commercial outcomes, enforcing Genie policy and governance, and building the playbooks and frameworks that allow the Managed pod to operate at a consistently high level.

This role sits at the intersection of commercial leadership, affiliate expertise, and strategic account management. You will be expected to challenge retailers, escalate affiliate issues with confidence, and drive Genie's position as the partner of choice for leading UK retailers.

What you'll do

Commercial Ownership and GP Accountability

• Own the gross profit performance of the Managed portfolio, with clear targets and direct accountability for growth and retention across Tier 1 and Tier 2 accounts.

• Drive GP improvements through exclusive partnerships, market-leading CPA rates, and disciplined commercial negotiation.

• Be accountable for commission earnings and approval rates across your portfolio, including validation outcomes. Understand the drivers of rejection rate volatility and work proactively with clients and networks to protect and improve approval rates.

• Lead commercial escalations within the affiliate channel, including disputes around validations, commission structures, and attribution terms. Represent Genie's commercial interests with confidence and authority.

• Build and maintain senior-level relationships with client stakeholders, acting as a trusted commercial partner on performance, strategy, and growth opportunities.

Affiliate Practice and Governance

• Own and enforce Genie's affiliate governance standards across the Managed portfolio, including brand bidding policies and validation break protocols.

• Escalate governance issues with clients clearly and commercially, protecting Genie's position and ensuring retailers are held to agreed terms.

• Stay ahead of affiliate industry developments and bring informed, commercially grounded expertise into client conversations and internal strategy.

• Feed insights from your portfolio into Genie's broader affiliate and commercial strategy.

Strategic Account Leadership

• Set and drive long-term strategies to grow value across your accounts, strengthen commercial setups, and maintain Genie's position as a key strategic partner.

• Identify and execute initiatives that deepen commercial impact, unlock innovation, and maximise gross profit.

• Represent Genie externally at industry events and forums relevant to Managed clients, enhancing the company's visibility and reputation.

Managed Success Playbook

• Take ownership of crafting Genie's Managed Success Playbook, defining clear strategic methods, commercial frameworks, and account management standards that consistently deliver results across large retailer relationships.

• Turn what works into repeatable process. Document best practices for commercial negotiation, relationship management, performance review cadences, and escalation handling so the pod operates to a consistently high standard.

• Continuously refine the playbook based on results, client feedback, and changes in the affiliate and CSS landscape.

Team Leadership

• Lead and manage a team of Account Managers, setting clear expectations and driving accountability for commercial KPIs, client relationships, and delivery quality.

• Act as a mentor and coach, developing the team's expertise in affiliate marketing, commercial negotiation, and strategic account management.

• Ensure Account Managers fully own their responsibilities on lead accounts, including delivery of commercial targets and client communications.

• Join strategic business reviews and planning sessions with clients alongside your Account Managers, ensuring objectives are aligned and value is consistently delivered.

• Hold the team accountable for implementing commercial changes accurately and with clear client impact at every stage.

Team Collaboration and Senior Leadership

• Act as a senior member of the Partnerships team, advocating for Managed client priorities in broader business planning and strategy discussions.

• Mentor and support client-facing team members across the wider team, helping them develop strategic capabilities and stronger client outcomes.

• Lead or contribute to cross-team projects that raise standards and drive strategic outcomes across the business.

Skills & Attributes

• Commercially sharp - You think in terms of profitability and long-term partnership value, not just activity or relationship warmth. You know how to connect account decisions to business outcomes.

• A strong negotiator - You can hold a position under pressure, challenge clients constructively, and close commercially favourable outcomes without damaging relationships.

• A clear communicator - Both in writing and in person, you have the ability to adapt your style from a tactical account manager conversation to a senior client stakeholder or internal leadership discussion.

• You can build genuine credibility with clients quickly - Large retailers will want to see that you understand their business, not just our product.

• A builder - You're not just here to maintain what exists. You want to define how things should work, create the frameworks and playbooks that raise the bar, and leave the function in better shape than you found it.

• Operationally disciplined - You hold yourself and your team to a high standard of accuracy, follow-through, and client communication, especially when managing commercial changes that have material financial impact.

• Comfortable with ambiguity and pace - Genie is a small, high-growth business. You'll need to move quickly, make decisions with imperfect information, and adapt as the business evolves.

Experience

• A proven track record at Account Director level or equivalent, with direct experience owning a portfolio of high-value, complex client relationships and the commercial outcomes that come with them.

• Experience managing a small number of strategically significant accounts rather than a high volume of smaller ones. You understand what it takes to build deep, senior relationships with large retailers or brands and drive meaningful commercial results from those partnerships.

• A background in performance marketing, ideally with meaningful exposure to the affiliate channel. You don't need to be a specialist, but you must understand how affiliate models work, including commission structures, validation mechanics, and how approval rates affect profitability.

• Experience leading and developing a team of account managers, with a clear track record of setting direction, holding people accountable, and raising the standard of delivery around you.

• Demonstrated ability to negotiate commercially at a senior level, including CPA rates, exclusivity terms, and contractual conditions, with confidence and without needing to escalate upwards.

• Experience working with large, complex client organisations, including navigating multiple stakeholders, agency relationships, and internal sign-off processes.

• Exposure to affiliate channel governance, such as brand bidding enforcement, validation disputes, or commission compliance, is a strong advantage but not a requirement.

What We Offer

• Remote Working Allowance - We pay all Genies £126 per month WFH allowance

• Flexible Working - We provide flexibility in working options and work in a distributed team model

• 25 Days Annual Leave + Bank Holidays + Your Birthday 🎂

• Enhanced Absence and Family Leave Policies

• Workplace Pension - Your 4% employee contribution is matched by Genie via salary exchange

• Employee Referral Scheme - A bonus payment if we hire someone you recommend

• Electric Car Scheme - Allows you to lease an electric car through salary exchange, giving savings on Tax and NI

• Cycle to Work Scheme - The Cycle2Work Scheme allows you to buy a new bike for commuting to work, spreading the cost over 12 months via salary exchange

• Genie Academy - Our in-house training helps develop talented people into world-class digital marketers. Courses cover all aspects of the business

• Quarterly Social Events - We all get an afternoon off each quarter to attend a staff social. Events range from bowling and punting to cocktail making and quizzes

• Access to Spill - Professional therapist sessions

• Wellness Activities - Workshops and support sessions cover everything from crafting, exercise, posture and staying fit in the workplace through to managing both stress and financial wellbeing

• Wellbeing Perks - Paid eye tests, contribution towards glasses for DSE use and a yearly flu jab reimbursement

• Genieversaries - Work anniversary awards give gratitude to Genies for their dedication and commitment to the business

We look forward to receiving your application!

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Genie Ventures is committed to creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive experience for our Genies and clients, in turn fostering a safe and happy workplace where everyone can be their authentic selves and thrive. We strive to build a team that reflects the diversity of the community we work in and encourage applications from traditionally underrepresented groups. If we can make this easier through accommodation in the recruitment process, please let us know via apply@genieventures.co.uk