Associate Account Director (Influencer Marketing)

About the role

Location: Remote

Experience Level: Mid Level (Agency experience preferred)

We're looking for an experienced Associate Account Director to own a portfolio of client accounts and lead a team of account managers in delivering exceptional influencer marketing programs. You'll be the strategic and executional anchor across your book of business: equal parts client partner, team coach, and talent expert.

This is a player-coach role: you'll set the strategic direction for client programs while developing the next tier of talent on your team. You'll report to the Head of Account Management and work cross-functionally with creative, strategy & analytics, performance media and platform teams to drive results clients talk about.

What you'll do

Client leadership

• Develop integrated social and influencer strategies tied to measurable business outcomes
• Own day-to-day relationships as the primary client point of contact
• Lead strategic planning, quarterly business reviews, and campaign ideation
• Navigate complex client conversations with confidence and clarity
• Contribute to new business pitches and proposals as needed

Team management

• Directly manage 1–3 account managers or supervisors
• Provide coaching, feedback, and career development support
• Delegate campaign workstreams and review output for quality
• Foster an inclusive, high-performance team culture

Campaign execution

• Lead end-to-end delivery of multi-platform influencer programs
• Oversee influencer selection, briefing, content review, and performance reporting
• Ensure on-time, on-budget delivery across a diverse client scope
• Drive cross-department collaboration with creative, paid media and strategy teams to align on campaign goals and ensure seamless execution
• Serve as the internal connector between client needs and departmental capabilities, facilitating clear communication and shared accountability across functions

Qualifications

• 5–7 years of experience in digital, social, or influencer marketing  (agency background preferred)
• Prior experience managing direct reports and developing junior team members
• Deep knowledge of influencer marketing across paid and earned channels, with hands-on platform expertise (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube)
• Proven track record managing multiple client accounts simultaneously with strong retention and growth outcomes
• Proficiency with influencer management tools (CreatorIQ, Modash, Upfluence, or equivalent)
• Strong project management skills with sharp attention to timelines, budgets, and deliverables
• Comfortable presenting and leading conversations with VP- and C-suite level clients
• Experience with paid social amplification, cross-channel integration, and performance reporting a plus
• Proficient in AI tools and comfortable applying them to streamline workflows, accelerate research, and improve team output 
• Experienced with productivity and collaboration suites including Microsoft Word, Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides), and project management tools such as Asana

What we offer

• Remote-first
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits
• Flexible time off with inclusive holiday benefits
• 401(k) matching
• Collaborative, diverse team culture with meaningful professional development

About The Shelf

We are a full-service influencer marketing agency creating meaningful stories, experiences, and content by working with influencers who know how to spread the word about your brand. With our unique, professional, and longstanding influencer marketing expertise, we create the most genuine connections to deliver the results you deserve.

• We’re a team of more than 80.
• We’re growing.
• We’re about as scattered as a team can be… East Coast, West Coast, the middle of the country… a bunch of us are in Canada, 1 in Ukraine, 1 in Russia… we like to keep our options open in terms of company retreat locations.
• About half of us are really funny.
• We’re currently working with some pretty amazing brands: Famous Footwear, UMG, Zenni Optical, KISS, Lenox, Sam’s Club, ROAR Organic, Nestlé, Honest Co., and Hershey just to name a few.