Senior Account Manager (Maternity Cover, Fixed-Term)

element MEA is supporting a leading Dubai-based creative and digital agency in appointing a Senior Account Manager 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 be the client's key strategic advisor and operational anchor: translating complex government stakeholder directives into clear delivery plans across Social Media, Performance and Media Buying, Website, SEO/GEO and Content Marketing, and making sure the agency's teams deliver on time, to a high standard and within budget.

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

• Act as the primary senior contact for the government client, managing complex expectations, multi-layered approvals and high-priority ad hoc requests with diplomatic confidence
• Lead weekly status meetings, monthly steering reviews and working sessions, both virtually and on-site in Abu Dhabi
• Coordinate and direct multidisciplinary teams across Social Media, Paid Performance and Media Buying, Website, SEO/GEO and Content Marketing
• Turn client briefs and government mandates into clear scopes of work, sprint plans and creative briefs
• Hold a high bar for quality across client presentations, campaign reports, digital deliverables and strategy documents
• Own the account budget: retainer utilization, scope burn, project profitability, billing, media spend reconciliations and vendor costs
  
  

What You'll Bring

• 6 to 8+ years of agency account management experience, leading 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, retainer burn and margin management
• Excellent organization, attention to detail and communication, at ease in executive-level client meetings
  
  

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. Candidates at Account Director level with the right experience are also welcome to apply.