Account Manager

Business Overview

Barrows is a commerce experience agency dedicated to building the world’s leading experiences for brands and retailers. We combine data-led strategy, creativity, and technology to engage and convert shoppers online and in-store. From shopper marketing to retail toolkits, display design, category management, and store design, we deliver end-to-end solutions that do not just meet expectations; they redefine them.

Backed by the scale and innovation of WPP and VML, our global team pushes the boundaries of what is possible at the intersection of creativity and commerce. We bring together strategy, design, and AI-powered insights to help clients achieve more with less, all fueled by a can-do spirit, relentless curiosity, and the belief that remarkable experiences can both build brands and grow real business results.

Barrows is seeking a highly organized, solutions-oriented, and relationship-driven Account Manager to manage day-to-day client relationships and lead the delivery of integrated retail and commerce workstreams for a major alcohol beverage client. This role combines client service, project leadership, and strategic thinking, ensuring briefs are clear, teams are aligned, and programs are delivered accurately, efficiently, and with measurable business impact.

In addition to bringing a killer attitude and energy, this individual must be able to deliver across the following areas:

Roles and Responsibilities

Client Partnership & Account Leadership

• Serve as the day-to-day client contact for assigned projects and workstreams, building trusted and responsive relationships.
• Develop a strong understanding of the client’s brands, business objectives, channel priorities, retailer dynamics, and ways of working.
• Lead routine status meetings, organize decisions and next steps, and ensure client expectations are clearly communicated to the team.
• Anticipate client needs, proactively surface solutions, and escalate sensitive issues to senior account leadership when appropriate.

Strategic, Creative & Cross-Functional Leadership

• Translate client inputs into clear, actionable briefs rooted in brand strategy, shopper insight, and retail context.
• Lead internal briefings and coordinate Strategy, Creative, Design, Production, Project Management, and partner-agency teams.
• Evaluate work against the brief, provide clear feedback, and ensure recommendations are strategically sound, creatively strong, and executionally realistic.
• Contribute thoughtful ideas and retail or category context during planning, creative development, and program optimization.

Operational Excellence & Project Ownership

• Manage small to medium-sized projects end-to-end, from intake and scoping through final delivery and post-program review.
• In partnership with Project Management, own timelines, deliverable lists, routing, approvals, and client communication across multiple concurrent assignments.
• Maintain strong quality control, including proofing copy, validating specifications, confirming legal or regulatory inputs, and ensuring feedback is fully addressed.
• Identify risks, dependencies, and resource needs early, partnering with Project Management and senior account leadership to resolve them.
• Coordinate external vendors and agency partners as needed to support seamless execution.
• Manage client’s internal-facing POS platform, inputting important details for procurement and stakeholder purposes.

Commercial Management & Growth

• Understand project estimates and support scope development in partnership with senior account, production, and finance leads.
• Track budgets, hours, purchase orders, out-of-pocket costs, and change requests against approved parameters.
• Identify and document out-of-scope requests, helping secure approval before incremental work begins.
• Look for practical ways to improve efficiency, strengthen client value, and expand the agency’s contribution.

Team Leadership & Agency Contribution

• Provide clear direction and day-to-day support to Account Executives, helping build their confidence and capabilities.
• Foster collaboration across disciplines and contribute to a positive, accountable, and solutions-oriented team culture.
• Share learnings and help improve account-management tools, processes, and ways of working.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in a marketing, advertising, shopper, commerce, experiential, or integrated agency environment.
• Bachelors degree in Marketing, Advertising, Business
• Experience managing retail, shopper, trade activation, digital commerce, experiential, or integrated marketing programs.
• Alcohol beverage experience is a plus, including exposure to on-premise, off-premise, distributor, retailer, or trade-marketing environments.
• Strong understanding of creative and production processes from brief through final delivery.
• Demonstrated ability to manage timelines, budgets, approvals, and multiple workstreams simultaneously.
• Strong client-management, presentation, and written communication skills.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, proactive, and calm under pressure in a very fast-paced environment with competing priorities.
• Collaborative and solutions-oriented, with the ability to build productive relationships across disciplines.
• Ability to work in the office 3–4 days per week.

Salary and Benefits

The salary range for this role is $75,000- $110,000

*exact compensation will be determined based on individual experience

Benefits include:

• Unlimited PTO
• Medical, Dental, Vision (with an option for free medical care!)
• 401K with a % match
• Various maternity/paternity leave options
• Fully funded disability and life insurance options
• Headspace subscription
• Wellness Stipend
• and more....