Account Director (Maternity Cover, Fixed-Term)

element MEA is supporting a leading Dubai-based creative and digital agency in appointing an Account Director on a full-time maternity cover contract, to lead a prestigious, multi-faceted Abu Dhabi Government account. The agency's identity will be shared with shortlisted candidates.

You will own the client relationship at senior level: acting as the client's key strategic advisor, setting the direction for integrated delivery across Social Media, Performance and Media Buying, Website, SEO/GEO and Content Marketing, and holding the account to high standards of quality, timeliness and commercial discipline.

The role

• Full-time, fixed-term contract (maternity cover) from mid-November 2026 to 31 March 2027, about 5.5 months
• Hybrid and remote-first: mostly remote during UAE business hours (Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM GST), with regular in-person client meetings, workshops and steering reviews at client offices in Abu Dhabi
• Reporting to the Group Managing Director
• You must be based in the UAE, with your own means of transport

Key responsibilities

• Lead the relationship with senior government stakeholders, managing complex expectations, multi-layered approvals and high-priority requests with diplomatic confidence
• Chair monthly steering reviews and lead weekly status meetings and working sessions, both virtually and on-site in Abu Dhabi
• Provide strategic counsel on integrated communications and digital transformation
• Direct multidisciplinary teams across Social Media, Paid Performance and Media Buying, Website, SEO/GEO and Content Marketing
• Turn government mandates into clear account plans, scopes of work and creative briefs, and own quality across all client-facing deliverables
• Own the account P&L: retainer utilization, scope burn, margins, billing, media spend reconciliations and vendor costs
• Report account performance, forecasts and resource needs to agency leadership, and identify opportunities to grow the account

What you'll bring

• 8+ years of agency account management experience, including at Account Director level or as a senior lead on integrated, multi-channel accounts; UAE or Abu Dhabi Government experience is strongly preferred
• Hands-on understanding of how Social Media, Performance and Media Buying, Web Development, SEO/GEO and Content Marketing work together
• Confidence with formal protocol, layered government approvals and fast-turnaround announcements
• Strong commercial acumen: P&L ownership, retainer burn and margin management
• Executive presence, excellent communication and a structured, detail-oriented way of working

Nice to have

• Arabic fluency (written and spoken), a significant advantage for government client relations
• Familiarity with Abu Dhabi Government brand guidelines and protocol

To apply, please share your CV, your notice period or earliest start date, and your salary expectations.