Account Director – Programmatic Sales

We are looking for an experienced and commercially driven Account Director to lead Programmatic Sales in the market.

This is a senior and business-critical role, reporting to the Commercial Director. The primary purpose of the role is to deliver the budget, generate incremental revenue, and establish Alight as a leading programmatic and technology-enabled out-of-home media owner.

You will define and lead our programmatic go-to-market strategy, develop relationships across the digital and out-of-home ecosystem and turn Alight’s technology, data and audience capabilities into clear commercial opportunities.

The role requires someone who can combine strategy with execution. You will be expected to identify opportunities, build the proposition, create demand, lead senior customer conversations and work closely with colleagues across Sales, Trading, Technology, Commercial Operations and Marketing.

What you will own

Programmatic strategy and revenue

• Define and lead Alight’s programmatic go-to-market strategy.
• Own the programmatic sales plan, budget, pipeline and forecast.
• Identify and convert incremental sources of programmatic demand.
• Develop clear quarterly and annual priorities aligned with Alight’s wider commercial strategy.
• Create focused plans for priority agencies, specialists, advertisers, partners and sectors.
• Maintain a visible, accurate and qualified pipeline.
• Review performance regularly and act where revenue, pipeline or conversion is behind plan.
• Work with Trading and Commercial colleagues to develop the right pricing, packaging and commercial approach.

Customer and partner relationships

• Build senior relationships with key programmatic and digital out-of-home customers.
• Develop strong relationships with specialists, agencies, direct clients and non-traditional out-of-home buyers.
• Build productive partnerships with ad technology providers, including SSPs, DSPs, data providers and other relevant platforms.
• Understand the priorities, challenges and decision-making processes of customers and partners.
• Create opportunities that connect customer needs with Alight’s roadside and place-based inventory.
• Represent Alight confidently and credibly in the programmatic marketplace.

Proposition and market positioning

• Develop a clear and compelling programmatic sales proposition.
• Position Alight as one of the most technologically advanced businesses in the out-of-home sector.
• Translate technical capabilities into simple and commercially relevant customer benefits.
• Develop sales materials, case studies, proof points and market-facing narratives.
• Build understanding of Alight’s audiences, formats, data, dynamic creative and reporting capabilities.
• Identify emerging trends and opportunities that could create competitive advantage for Alight.
• Use customer, campaign and market insight to improve the proposition continuously.

Sales leadership and capability

• Act as Alight’s internal programmatic sales specialist.
• Support and coach colleagues to identify and develop programmatic opportunities.
• Create clear guidance on when and how the wider Sales team should introduce programmatic solutions.
• Deliver training, market updates and practical support to Sales colleagues.
• Share learning and successful examples across the business.
• Encourage collaboration between Programmatic, National, Direct, Regional and place-based Sales teams.
• Help colleagues become confident discussing programmatic buying, audiences, technology and campaign outcomes.

Campaign accountability and delivery

• Maintain oversight of programmatic opportunities from initial brief through to campaign delivery and review, along side our Programmatic Account Manager.
• Work closely with Technology, Trading and Commercial Operations to confirm feasibility, inventory, pricing and delivery requirements.
• Ensure customer commitments are translated into clear internal handovers, actions and deadlines.
• Raise delivery risks early and work with the relevant teams to resolve them.
• Ensure that campaign performance, reporting and learnings are communicated clearly to customers.
• Use campaign outcomes to create renewal, repeat spend and account growth opportunities.
• Help establish scalable processes that can support continued growth in programmatic revenue.

Forecasting, insight and commercial discipline

• Maintain accurate and current programmatic pipeline and activity information in the CRM.
• Provide clear forecasts, including what is expected to land, what may slip and where support is required.
• Track revenue, pipeline coverage, conversion and other agreed performance measures.
• Protect commercial value and avoid using price as the only route to sale.
• Develop commercially sound proposals that balance customer value, revenue and inventory considerations.
• Use data and insight to identify gaps, priorities and opportunities.
• Provide regular updates to the Head of National Sales and relevant Leadership Team members.

A day in the life

No two days will be the same, but your work may include:

• Reviewing the programmatic pipeline, forecast and priority opportunities.
• Meeting an agency, specialist, DSP, SSP or data partner to develop a new opportunity.
• Working with Technology and Commercial Operations to confirm how a proposed campaign can be delivered.
• Developing a programmatic response to a customer brief.
• Supporting a Sales colleague to prepare for a customer meeting.
• Presenting Alight’s proposition to an advertiser or agency team.
• Reviewing campaign performance and identifying the next commercial conversation.
• Refining pricing, packaging or sales materials with Trading and Marketing.
• Sharing market insight and opportunities with the wider Sales team.
• Agreeing clear owners, actions and deadlines to keep an opportunity moving.

What success looks like in the first six months

By the end of your first six months, we would expect to see:

• A clear programmatic sales strategy and go-to-market plan agreed and in action.
• Delivery against the agreed programmatic revenue budget and milestones.
• A visible, qualified pipeline with clear owners, actions and expected close dates.
• New and incremental sources of programmatic demand identified and progressing.
• Meaningful programmatic revenue generated through specialists, agencies and advertisers.
• Strong working relationships established with priority SSPs, DSPs, agencies, specialists, advertisers and data partners.
• A clear Alight programmatic proposition, including pricing, packaging, proof points and sales materials.
• A confident and better-informed Sales team able to identify and develop programmatic opportunities.
• Clear processes for opportunity management, campaign handover, delivery, reporting and follow-up.
• A strong understanding of Alight’s technology platforms, operational capabilities and development roadmap.
• Priority customer and partner targets agreed against current and future platform capabilities.
• Evidence that campaign learning is being used to drive renewals, repeat spend and future growth.

Experience and skills

• A strong track record in programmatic, digital media, digital out-of-home or a closely related sales environment.
• Evidence of generating revenue and delivering against stretching commercial targets.
• A strong understanding of the programmatic advertising ecosystem.
• Experience developing relationships with agencies, advertisers, specialists and technology partners.
• The ability to develop a strategy and translate it into clear commercial action.
• Strong sales, negotiation and closing skills.
• The ability to build persuasive propositions and communicate value clearly.
• Strong commercial judgement, including confidence discussing pricing, value and deal quality.
• The ability to build relationships and influence at senior level.
• Experience working across multiple teams and disciplines.
• Strong pipeline management, forecasting and CRM discipline.
• The confidence to work with technical colleagues and translate complex capabilities to customer benefits.
• Excellent written, verbal and presentation skills.
• The ability to manage competing priorities and maintain momentum across several opportunities.
• A collaborative and practical approach, with a willingness to share knowledge and support others.
• Experience within out-of-home or digital out-of-home.
• Established relationships across the programmatic and digital advertising marketplace.
• Experience working directly with SSPs, DSPs, data providers or dynamic creative partners.
• Experience developing or launching a new sales proposition.
• Knowledge of content management, inventory management or digital out-of-home delivery platforms.
• Experience leading training, sales enablement or commercial change.
• Experience using campaign data and reporting to generate renewal or account growth opportunities.

The personal qualities that will help you succeed

You are likely to thrive in this role if you:

• Are commercially ambitious and motivated by creating growth.
• Take responsibility and follow things through.
• Are curious about customers, technology and the market.
• Can move confidently between strategy and practical execution.
• Build trust quickly and maintain strong relationships.
• Speak up early and challenge constructively.
• Remain calm and solution-focused when issues arise.
• Share knowledge and help colleagues succeed.
• Are comfortable working with uncertainty and shaping something that is still evolving.
• Look for ways to improve rather than accepting the status quo.
• Care about both what is delivered and how it is delivered.

The impact of the role

This role provides the opportunity to:

• Shape the future of one of the UK’s fastest-growing out-of-home businesses.
• Build a strategically important revenue channel for Alight.
• Work at the forefront of the developing programmatic digital out-of-home market.
• Influence how advertisers plan, buy, deliver and measure out-of-home campaigns.
• Work across the advertising ecosystem, including agencies, advertisers, technology providers, data partners and Alight’s internal teams.
• Develop and lead your own commercial plan with meaningful autonomy.
• Manage the full commercial journey, from demand creation and opportunity development through to campaign delivery, reporting and account growth.
• Build expertise in an area at the centre of the continued evolution of digital out-of-home.

The Alight Way

The Alight Way is how we turn our ambition into everyday behaviour. It defines how we work with one another, make decisions, respond to challenges and deliver for our customers.

We take responsibility.

We focus on what we can control, own our part and move things forward.

In this role, that means:

• Owning the programmatic strategy, budget, pipeline and results.
• Following opportunities through from first conversation to delivery and review.
• Bringing recommendations and solutions, not simply identifying problems.
• Being clear about owners, actions, deadlines and follow-through.
• Escalating issues early with the facts, impact and proposed next step.

We speak up

We share ideas, concerns and feedback openly, honestly and early.

In this role, that means:

• Bringing market insight and customer feedback into the business.
• Challenging constructively when our proposition, pricing or process needs to improve.
• Giving clear and timely feedback to colleagues and stakeholders.
• Raising delivery, technology or commercial risks before they become barriers.
• Creating an environment where different perspectives are welcomed.

We raise the bar

We keep improving individually, as teams and as a business.

In this role, that means:

• Continuing to evolve Alight’s programmatic proposition.
• Looking for better ways to generate demand, sell, deliver and report.
• Learning from campaign performance and using insight to improve future outcomes.
• Building programmatic capability across the wider Sales team.
• Setting a high standard for commercial thinking, customer experience and execution.

Our wider commitments

We are proud to work in a medium that can be a platform for good. We put our social, environmental and community responsibilities at the heart of how we operate.

Our commitments include:

• ISO accreditation for Environmental Management and Energy Management.
• A portfolio serviced by electric vehicles and powered by 100% renewable energy.
• The use of recycled materials, living-roof shelters and renewable power within relevant street-furniture partnerships.
• Participation in the Government Enterprise Scheme.
• Company wide charity partnerships, including Justdiggit and the Trussell Trust.
• Working directly with schools, colleges and youth organisations to support careers education and opportunity.

What our Alighters say

“Alight Media is like no place I have worked before. It has a happy, friendly and welcoming essence that you can feel throughout the entire company. Our positive Monday morning meeting and the gratitude you feel weekly from the leadership teams help make me feel like a valued member of Alight.”

Inclusion and reasonable adjustments

Alight Media is committed to creating an inclusive environment in which people can be themselves, contribute fully and develop their careers.

We welcome applications from people with different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process.

About us:

Alight Media is on a mission to grow out-of-home and beyond. We help advertisers engage audiences across every region of the UK through our portfolio of digital billboards, digital and classic 6-sheet posters, and our place-based media network, Dwell.

We are a fast-growing, values-led business built to be positively different — ambitious, collaborative, and focused on continuous improvement across both technology and commercial operations.

Working at Alight

Our head office is in the heart of London’s West End, on Broadwick Street at the edge of Soho.

For colleagues based at our London headquarters, we encourage the team to work together in the office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, with greater flexibility to manage their time on Mondays and Fridays. Our remotely based colleagues come together with the wider business regularly through team sessions, company events and conferences.

We are continuing to build a market-leading benefits package that is available across the business. Our benefits currently include:

• Competitive salary and commission scheme, where applicable.
• Employer pension contributions.
• Private medical cover through Bupa.
• Income protection and life assurance.
• 25 days’ annual leave plus public holidays.
• Access to virtual GPs and mental health professionals.

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