Account Director
The Account Director is a senior leader within Tunnl’s Client Experience team, responsible for delivering exceptional value to clients, managing complex accounts, and mentoring junior team members. This role bridges insight delivery, strategic partnership, and internal coordination, serving as a key driver of client retention and growth.
Reporting to the VP of Client Experience and Insights, the Account Director owns a $3M–$4M book of business and collaborates closely with Strategic Research, Product, and Sales to ensure Tunnl’s work is impactful, efficient, and aligned to client priorities.
This is a hands-on, externally facing role requiring strong business acumen, storytelling skills, and operational clarity. You will lead client conversations, scope new work streams, and coach Account Managers and Analysts to deliver with excellence.
The ideal candidate is a motivated self-starter who enjoys solving problems, works well in fast-paced environments, takes pride in getting the details right, and is eager to leverage their technical and analytical skills in survey research and microtargeting. While it's preferable to have candidates in the DC-area, this role is open to US-based, fully remote candidates as well.
Responsibilities:
Client Strategy & Growth:
- Lead day-to-day management of high-value client accounts across advocacy, corporate, or agency sectors
- Partner with AEs to drive renewals, upsells, and long-term account expansion
- Translate client business goals into scoped research and audience strategies
- Present insights and recommendations to senior stakeholders
Project Oversight & Delivery:
- Scope and manage projects across research, reporting, and audience activation
- Ensure timely delivery of client outputs and escalate blockers when needed
- Provide feedback and coaching to team members on storytelling, timelines, and client-facing materials
- Maintain quality control across decks, insights, and deliverables
Internal Collaboration & Cross-Functional Leadership:
- Act as a strategic liaison between Account Management, Strategic Research, Product, and Engineering
- Coordinate intake and scoping processes with internal stakeholders
- Help shape client segmentation, tiering, and service model strategy
- Support development of SOPs, planning frameworks, and reporting templates
Team Coaching & Mentorship:
- Manage and coach Account Managers and Research Analysts assigned to your accounts
- Provide regular feedback and growth paths aligned with Tunnl’s talent ladder
- Guide junior team members through client conversations, insight framing, and audience usage strategy
- Contribute to team rituals and peer support culture
Required Qualifications:
- 6+ years of experience in client-facing roles across public affairs, agency, corporate communications, or SaaS
- Proven ability to manage $3M+ in client revenue across multiple accounts
- Experience leading client reporting, insight delivery, and strategic account growth
- Comfortable interfacing with VPs, C-suite, and senior government or advocacy stakeholders
- Strong written and verbal communication skills with demonstrated storytelling expertise
- Occasional domestic travel to visit clients or to attend industry conferences (approximately 2-3 days per month)
Preferred Qualifications:
- Background in public affairs, issue advocacy, or political campaigns
- Experience with audience targeting, segmentation, or media planning
- Familiarity with survey research, polling, or analytics deliverables
- Comfort working with tools like Dropbox, HubSpot, or project tracking systems
- DC-area preferred (hybrid team environment)
What Success Looks Like:
- Clients renew and expand their contracts due to your strategic leadership
- Account Managers and Research Analysts grow under your mentorship
- Insights are delivered clearly, consistently, and drive meaningful action
- Your portfolio is well-balanced and organized, with minimal escalations
- Internal stakeholders see you as a reliable, strategic partner
Why You Should Apply:
- Join a team driven by curiosity, clarity, and a shared passion for helping clients shape research and insights, public opinion, and policy
- Be part of a supportive, transparent, and forward-looking culture that invests in people and processes
- Eligible for the Variable Compensation Plan for securing account renewals and expansions
- Comprehensive benefits with excellent medical, vision, and dental coverage
- HSA option
- Voluntary short- and long-term disability, accident, and critical illness insurance
- Flexible hybrid work policy
- Flexible unlimited paid vacation + 80 hours of paid sick leave
- 10 paid company holidays + Christmas week off
- 401(k) plan with 100% match up to 3%, plus 50% match up to 5%
- Cell phone reimbursement stipend
- Monthly parking or commuter stipend for VA-based employees
About Tunnl
Tunnl is building a future where artificial intelligence enables organizations to connect meaningfully with the people who matter most. We help organizations conduct research at scale, define the right audiences, surface real-time insights, identify optimal communication channels, and measure changing attitudes over time.
Tunnl serves brands, agencies, and advocacy groups alike - organizations navigating complex communications, reputational, and regulatory landscapes. These teams need smarter, faster ways to make audience-informed decisions that stand up to scrutiny and resonate across stakeholder groups. Whether you're building a brand, shaping public opinion, managing risk, or launching a new initiative, Tunnl empowers you to move from insight to impact with clarity & confidence.