Vice President / Senior Vice President - Client Leadership

Overview

Function: Client LeadershipDesignations: Vice President (VP) / Senior Vice President (SVP)Experience: 15-25 yearsLocation: Mumbai / Gurgaon

About the Role

Publicis Groupe is looking for an experienced Client Leadership professional to lead strategic client partnerships, drive business growth, and oversee integrated marketing and media solutions across key accounts.

The role requires a strong understanding of client business objectives, marketing strategy, media, digital transformation, and integrated communications. The individual will act as a trusted advisor to senior client stakeholders, lead cross-functional agency teams, drive account growth and profitability, and ensure delivery excellence across the client portfolio.

Key Responsibilities

• Client Leadership & Strategic Partnership

• Serve as the senior relationship lead for key clients, building trusted partnerships with C-suite executives and senior marketing stakeholders.
• Develop a deep understanding of client business objectives, brand priorities, consumer behaviour, and competitive dynamics.
• Act as a strategic advisor, translating client business challenges into integrated marketing, media, and communication solutions.
• Lead senior-level client discussions, business reviews, annual planning, and strategic presentations.
• Drive client satisfaction, retention, and long-term partnership development.

• Integrated Marketing & Media Strategy

• Lead the development of integrated marketing and communication strategies aligned with client business goals.
• Oversee collaboration across media planning, investment, digital, performance marketing, data and analytics, creative, content, commerce, and technology teams.
• Ensure integrated solutions are aligned with brand objectives, consumer insights, and measurable business outcomes.
• Champion data-led decision-making, marketing effectiveness, innovation, and emerging capabilities.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen the agency's strategic contribution to clients' businesses.

• Business Growth & Commercial Accountability

• Drive organic growth across existing accounts by identifying opportunities to expand services, capabilities, and client engagements.
• Lead account growth planning, revenue forecasting, and commercial reviews.
• Identify cross-selling and upselling opportunities across the agency's integrated capabilities.
• Oversee account profitability, revenue targets, resource utilisation, and commercial performance.
• Partner with finance and business leadership to ensure sustainable account growth and financial discipline.
• Contribute to new-business pitches, client acquisition, and strategic business development initiatives.

• Account Management & Delivery Excellence

• Provide overall oversight of account operations, ensuring high-quality delivery across integrated client engagements.
• Establish clear governance structures, operating rhythms, performance reviews, and escalation mechanisms.
• Ensure delivery aligns with agreed scopes, timelines, budgets, client expectations, and service-level commitments.
• Proactively address client concerns, resolve escalations, and manage business risks.
• Drive accountability, operational efficiency, and continuous improvement across client teams.

• Cross-Functional Leadership & Team Development

• Lead and align multidisciplinary teams across media, strategy, digital, analytics, creative, and other specialist functions.
• Build high-performing teams and foster collaboration across agency brands, specialist units, and group companies.
• Mentor senior leaders, develop leadership capabilities, and establish succession plans.
• Drive talent development, performance management, and a culture of accountability and innovation.
• Ensure teams have the capabilities, resources, and direction required to deliver client and business objectives.

• Innovation, Transformation & Thought Leadership

• Identify emerging market trends, consumer shifts, technology developments, and new growth opportunities.
• Introduce innovative marketing, media, data, and technology solutions to address client business challenges.
• Champion the adoption of AI-enabled capabilities, advanced analytics, automation, and integrated marketing solutions where relevant.
• Represent the agency in senior client forums, industry discussions, and strategic business engagements.
• Contribute to agency thought leadership and strengthen the organisation's market positioning.

Required Skills & Experience

• 15–25 years of experience in client leadership, account management, integrated marketing, media, or advertising agency environments.
• Proven track record of managing large, complex client relationships and senior stakeholder engagements.
• Strong understanding of integrated media, digital marketing, performance marketing, data and analytics, and marketing strategy.
• Demonstrated success in driving client retention, organic growth, revenue expansion, and commercial performance.
• Experience managing account profitability, budgets, forecasting, and resource allocation.
• Strong strategic thinking, business acumen, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and develop senior talent.
• Excellent communication, presentation, influencing, and relationship management capabilities.
• Experience in new-business pitches, business development, and integrated solution selling.
• Ability to navigate complex stakeholder environments and balance client expectations with agency objectives.

Preferred Background

• Experience with a leading media, advertising, or integrated marketing agency.
• Exposure to large, multi-brand, or multi-market client portfolios.
• Experience managing senior client relationships and complex integrated marketing mandates.
• Strong understanding of business transformation, marketing effectiveness, and emerging media and technology capabilities.
• Experience managing P&L or commercial accountability for significant client accounts or portfolios.

Role-Level Expectations

Vice President (VP)

• Lead strategic relationships and overall business performance for major accounts or a defined client portfolio.
• Drive account growth, client satisfaction, commercial outcomes, and integrated delivery.
• Lead cross-functional teams and act as a senior escalation point for client and operational matters.

Senior Vice President (SVP)

• Provide broader strategic leadership across major accounts, portfolios, or a significant client business.
• Own senior executive relationships, long-term growth strategy, and high-level commercial performance.
• Influence agency-wide collaboration, leadership development, new-business growth, and strategic client partnerships.
• The final designation and experience requirements will depend on the size of the client portfolio, commercial accountability, leadership scope, and organisational structure.
• Why Publicis Groupe?
• Opportunity to partner with leading brands and senior business leaders.
• Exposure to integrated marketing, media, data, technology, and transformation solutions.
• Opportunity to shape client business strategies and drive measurable business growth.
• Collaborative environment with opportunities to influence agency strategy and develop future leaders.