Senior Account Manager (Maternity Cover, Fixed-Term)

About the role

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 act as the client's key strategic advisor and operational anchor, turning complex government stakeholder directives into clear delivery plans across Social Media, Performance and Media Buying, Website, SEO/GEO and Content Marketing, while keeping projects on time, to a high standard and within budget.

The contract is fixed-term, from mid-November 2026 to 31 March 2027 (about 5.5 months), reporting to the Group Managing Director. It is 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. 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
• Lead weekly status meetings, monthly steering reviews and working sessions, 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
• Maintain a high bar for quality across 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

Required profile

• 6 to 8+ years of agency account management experience leading integrated, multi-channel accounts; UAE or Abu Dhabi Government experience strongly preferred
• Based in the UAE with your own transport
• Nice to have: Arabic fluency (written and spoken) and familiarity with Abu Dhabi Government brand guidelines and protocol
• Candidates at Account Director level with the right experience are also welcome

Required skills

• 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
• Commercial acumen: P&L, retainer burn and margin management
• Excellent organization, attention to detail and communication in executive-level client meetings