Account Director (Corporate Social Responsibility) (Soccer) (Financial Services Client)

CLIENT SERVICES / Responsible for leading Octagon’s client business and day-to-day management of client programs.

***Our headquarters are in Stamford, CT, but the location of this position can be flexible with a priority given to candidates open to hybrid work (3 days a week in the office) in one of our office locations - - Stamford, CT, New York, NY, Charlotte, NC, Los Angeles, CA, Chicago, IL or Atlanta, GA. We will also consider a remote-based working arrangement for qualified candidates with East Coast working hours as a prerequisite

Our Financial Services client has recently made significant investments in soccer partnerships that will put them at the forefront of soccer during the FIFA World Cup 2026™ and beyond.  This is an exciting time for us to build a new soccer platform for a long-time client that is a global leader in the financial services industry. 

While contributing to strategic program development across our client’s entire Soccer portfolio (including partnerships with FIFA and the US Soccer Federation), this role will require past experience developing community impact programs.  The position will play a key role in shaping and implementing a soccer-focused plan to provide a long-lasting legacy in markets across the United States. Working with community partners will be integral to the success of this campaign as we undertake a variety of investment initiatives including soccer pitch building/refurbishment, driving youth clinics, integrating soccer-themed programming in public schools and breaking the pay-to-play model that is negatively impacting youth participation in soccer.  While launching in a big way in the lead-up to and during the FIFA World Cup 2026™, our client’s community impact efforts will extend far beyond next year’s tournament.

Additionally, this position will also play an integral role in talent management and activation supporting both the community impact strategy as well as the overall soccer marketing strategy.  This work will require past experience in identifying talent that aligns with the strategy and working with talent and talent representatives to activate assets.  Talent usage will span multiple programs, campaigns and events requiring an integrated approach across key client stakeholders, other agency partners and internal specialty groups (e.g. experiential, digital strategy, creative etc.)

THE WORK YOU’LL DO

• Support Octagon’s account leadership team in planning, campaign development and program execution across our client's soccer portfolio, which includes the FIFA World Cup 2026™.  
• Plan and implement our client’s soccer-related community impact efforts, including managing community partnerships, activating the community impact strategy across various partner assets, collaborating with Octagon’s experiences team to host youth-focused events (e.g. local soccer clinics) and working closely with our client to promote employee volunteerism.
• Support the leveraging of talent to amplify our client’s soccer-related marketing efforts.  The talent roster has not yet been built but will include a global ambassador, a team of domestic brand ambassadors, community leaders and ad hoc speaking engagements and event appearances.  Talent will be leveraged across the client’s marketing portfolio, including creative campaign production, social/digital messaging, fan engagement, community impact, VIP hospitality and event appearances.  This role will be required to work with talent representatives/agents throughout the negotiation, contracting and execution phases.
• Collaborate closely with the client’s Integrated Agency Team including implementation/evolution of management routines across multiple collaborators (clients, cross-agency partners, property partners, vendors, etc.)
• Manage an Account Manager providing support for day-to-day deliverables including the management of workstreams, budgets, status reports, inventory tracking and meeting agendas/notes.
• Demonstrate intellectual curiosity and the drive to stay current within the financial services industry, sports and entertainment news and soccer trends.
• Be ready to fully immerse yourself in all things FIFA World Cup 2026™…its massive global impact, its significant North American footprint, its 39-day schedule of events and the legions of fans from around the world that will look to us for the experience of a lifetime.
• Serve as a reliable agency contact for the client’s marketing and sponsorship teams.

THE BIGGER TEAM YOU’LL JOIN

Recognized as one of the “Best Places to Work in Sports”, Octagon is the global sports, entertainment, and experiential marketing arm of the Interpublic Group.

We take pride in being Playmakers – finding insightful, bold ways to create play in our work, our lives, and in the world. We believe in the power of play to create big ideas and unlock potential for our clients and talent.

We can put ourselves in the shoes of fans because we ARE fans – of sports, entertainment, and culture at large. This expertise allows us to continually evolve the fan experience across sports and entertainment alongside some of the biggest brands and talent in the world.

The world needs play more than ever. Are you a Playmaker?

WHO WE’RE LOOKING FOR

• 5-7 years of work with an agency, brand or property on the development of integrated brand campaigns within global sports and specifically soccer.
• A passion for soccer and an eagerness to stay up-to-date with developments in the industry.
• A passion for working in a team environment with a diverse group of people from different cultural backgrounds.
• Quick learner with the ability to multi-task and meet deadlines, coordinate timelines, and perform under pressure while managing multiple workstreams at once.
• Exceptional work ethic, a strong desire to succeed and willingness to learn.
• Strategic collaborator and problem solver who can see possible impacts of a decision across many projects and ideate solutions that build relationships and influence a range of audiences.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate concisely, persuasively, and effectively across multiple mediums.  
• Dynamic presentation skills with all audience levels.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Software (specifically PowerPoint, Excel, and Word).
• Flexibility and willingness to travel domestically (and internationally) and work weekends or holidays as needed (anticipated travel amount: 30-40%). As such, a valid US passport will be required.

The base range for this position is $70,000 - 95,000. Where an employee or prospective employee is paid within this range will depend on, among other factors, actual ranges for current/former employees in the subject position; market considerations; budgetary considerations; tenure and standing with the company