Senior Client Services Manager
Remote Work & Time Zone
This role is fully remote and will be based in South Africa, working for a U.S.-based company. Candidates must be able to work U.S. Eastern Time (ET/EST) hours.
This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced account management professional who wants to work with sophisticated clients, leverage cutting-edge AI and marketing technology, and play a meaningful role in driving growth for a high-performing agency.
Direct Agents is looking for an experienced Senior Client Services Manager to lead high-value client relationships, drive strategic marketing initiatives, deliver standout campaigns, and identify opportunities for meaningful account growth.
This is a strategic, client-facing role for someone who understands performance marketing, can confidently engage with senior executives, and knows how to turn client objectives into measurable business results.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Client Leadership
- Own end-to-end client relationships, serving as a trusted strategic advisor and business partner
- Develop a deep understanding of client business models, competitive landscapes, target audiences, and market dynamics
- Lead comprehensive quarterly business reviews (QBRs), including developing strategic narratives, coordinating content, maintaining quality standards, and managing delivery timelines
- Lead strategic planning sessions and QBRs with C-level and senior stakeholders
- Proactively identify opportunities for account expansion, new revenue, and long-term client growth
- Anticipate client needs, solve complex challenges, and act as the escalation point for critical issues
- Build strong, long-term relationships with key client stakeholders
Advanced Campaign Strategy & Innovation
- Lead the development of integrated marketing strategies across Search, Programmatic Display, Social, and emerging digital channels
- Develop innovative strategies, testing methodologies, and approaches designed to improve campaign performance
- Lead campaign strategy for high-value, complex accounts with substantial media budgets
- Use performance data and market insights to make informed strategic recommendations
- Stay ahead of emerging trends across the digital and performance marketing ecosystem
- Mentor and support junior team members in strategic thinking, campaign strategy, and client management
Account Leadership & Operational Excellence
- Lead complex, multi-workstream initiatives from strategy through execution, ensuring timelines and quality standards are met
- Drive accountability across internal teams and stakeholders to deliver against critical client deadlines and milestones
- Establish clear project governance, communication protocols, and processes for campaigns and deliverables
- Prioritize competing demands across a portfolio of accounts to maximize client and business impact
- Coordinate closely with internal strategy, media, creative, analytics, and operations teams
- Identify potential risks or roadblocks early and proactively develop solutions
- Ensure clients receive consistent, high-quality communication and deliverables
What We're Looking For
Required
- 4–6 years of account management/client services experience, with a proven track record of driving client growth and retention
- Deep expertise across Search, Programmatic Display, Social, and emerging digital marketing channels
- Demonstrated experience managing high-value clients and significant marketing/media budgets
- Proven experience presenting to, influencing, and building relationships with C-level executives
- Strong commercial and strategic mindset with the ability to identify account growth opportunities
- Excellent time management and organizational skills, with the ability to prioritize competing deadlines in a fast-paced environment
- Highly self-motivated, proactive, detail-oriented, and collaborative
- Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to confidently navigate complex client situations
Nice to Have
- Experience working with project management platforms such as ClickUp, Asana, Monday.com, or similar
- Experience within a performance marketing, digital agency, media, or advertising environment
Essential Skills
- Advanced strategic thinking and strong business acumen
- Strong analytical skills and the ability to translate data into actionable insights
- Exceptional presentation, communication, and relationship-building skills
- Leadership experience with the ability to influence stakeholders across all levels of an organization
- Deep understanding of the performance marketing ecosystem and emerging industry trends
- Commercial mindset with a proven ability to identify and drive revenue opportunities
- Proven track record of delivering measurable client and business results
Who We Are
Direct Agents is not a traditional agency.
We are an elite team of builders and operators—growth strategists, media architects, and creative thinkers—who partner with ambitious brands to drive measurable revenue growth.
Backed by Kanopy AI, our proprietary intelligence platform, and exclusive partnerships with leading technology and media platforms, we give our clients an unfair advantage designed to help them dominate, not just compete.
We operate at the intersection of technology, media, and strategy, where AI meets human expertise to produce outcomes that neither can achieve alone.
Our client roster includes brands such as Tennis Channel, Marvel, NYSE, Morgan Stanley, Prologis, and DistroKid.
What Sets Us Apart
Direct Agents isn't for everyone—and that's by design. We're building something different.
- Proprietary AI That Actually Works: Kanopy AI is our custom-built intelligence platform, providing real-time campaign optimization, media mix modeling, natural language analytics, and algorithm enrichment. AI isn't a buzzword here—it's part of how we operate.
- Exclusive Platform Access: Direct partnerships across Google AI Search, Meta, TikTok, Amazon, FreeWheel, Teads, StackAdapt, and other leading technology and media platforms.
- An Elite, Not Bloated, Team: More than 100 operators who move quickly, think deeply, and focus on work that drives meaningful outcomes. There are no unnecessary layers of bureaucracy, with direct access to senior leadership and the executives shaping strategy.
- AI Integrated Across Everything: Claude, ChatGPT, and proprietary AI tools are embedded throughout our workflows—from data analysis and creative versioning to strategic planning and client intelligence.
- 7x Crain's Best Places to Work: A people-first culture featuring a 12-month average time to promotion, a 4-day workweek, and a genuine investment in career development.
- Certified Minority-Owned Business: 48% BIPOC representation and 60% female representation across the agency, reflecting the diverse markets and clients we serve.