Overview

Account Director (Sports Sponsorships, Brand Asset Management and Rights Approval) - We’re excited to be looking for an exceptional Account Director or Senior Account Manager looking to step to the next level. Working with some of the biggest rightsholders across motorsports, football, golf and cricket, you will lead the rights approval, IP and brand guidelines management for a key client. This is a fixed contract until April 2026 with possibility to extend - no promises, though. Based in our London office, you will sit within the wider agency team and be integral to the client’s sponsorship management team, serving as an extension of their sponsorship team. You will build trusted partnerships with the rightsholders and wider agency resources, ensuring that collaboration, insight and best practice flow seamlessly between all parties.

You will lead all IP and brand asset management, overseeing approvals both internally and externally and managing the client’s centralised digital asset management platform. The right candidate will ideally have a history of working with multinational brands and rights holders, navigating complex approval and compliance processes. A keen eye for detail and a strong emphasis on process are essential in this fast-paced environment. With your strong communication skills, you’ll collaborate effectively and keep all stakeholders to timelines, understand the client’s branding guidelines, and deliver regular reports on asset performance. This role suits someone passionate about sponsorship governance and brand protection, adept at navigating complex stakeholder environments and managing several high-profile projects simultaneously. If you thrive in dynamic settings and enjoy international travel, you’ll fit well here.

We’re After Someone Who

• has 6-8+ years experience within an agency, client or rights holder environment running sponsorships and managing assets and approvals across multiple properties
• Experience of owning and growing positive and effective relationships with senior client stakeholders and sponsorship partners
• Exceptional attention to detail, alongside organisational, time and project management skills
• Exemplary verbal and written communication skills; ability to articulate clearly and offer a strong, collaborative and constructive presence in meetings
• Ability to balance multiple sophisticated tasks simultaneously
• Capacity to quickly become knowledgeable on our clients’ industry, brand and product offerings
• Proven ability to think analytically and strategically

What You’ll Do

• Provide ongoing support for the management of the client’s sponsorship-related branding assets, including images, video footage, and intellectual property (IP) assets, across all sponsorship properties
• Collaborate with all sponsorship partners to collect, organise, and maintain branding materials, including photographs, video footage, logos, and associated IP rights
• Coordinate with the client’s internal business units, subsidiaries, and external partners to review and approve all sponsorship-related content prior to publication or use
• Ensure all branding and IP-related activities are conducted in full compliance with the client’s internal brand guidelines, sponsorship governance strategy, and intellectual property policies, including trademark usage, copyright, and co-branding standards
• Serve as the primary point of contact for internal stakeholders and external partners regarding the interpretation and application of sponsorship-related brand and IP rights
• Review and approve all content produced in collaboration with the client, partners, and the legal department, as required, to ensure compliance with brand, legal, and IP standards
• In collaboration with the client, its partners, and external agencies, support the design, development, and documentation of sponsorship-related IP rights to ensure consistent brand protection and value creation

This Might Be The Right Role For You If

• You live and breathe IP and guidelines, details and process
• You have influencing and stakeholder management capability as a core strength

The Bigger Team You’ll Join

Octagon is the global sports, entertainment, and experiential marketing arm of the Interpublic Group. We are Playmakers – finding insightful, bold ways to create play in our work, our lives, and in the world. We believe in the power of play to create big ideas and unlock potential for our clients and talent. We can put ourselves in the shoes of fans because we ARE fans of sports, entertainment, and culture at large. This expertise allows us to continually evolve the fan experience across sports and entertainment alongside some of the biggest brands and talent in the world. The world needs play more than ever. Are you a Playmaker?

Benefits

• Core benefits (available from start date) – flexible holiday allowance, AXA private medical insurance, life assurance, income protection, pension scheme with 4.5% employer contribution, Employee Assistance Programme
• Flexible benefits (available after probation) – Gymflex, dental insurance, travel insurance, health cash plan, Cycle scheme, interest-free season ticket loans
• A Flexible Workplace – flexible holiday and flexible working options
• Internal programmes to support physical and mental wellbeing, learning and development opportunities

About Us

Octagon is a global creative agency in sports, entertainment and culture. We’re part of the Octagon R&CPMK group within IPG. Founded in 1982 with over 800 employees, our headquarters are in Stamford, CT, with offices worldwide including London. We inspire brands and people to play. At Octagon, it’s all in Play. More at http://www.octagon.com/

We are an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, disability, or any other basis prohibited by law. If you need an accommodation to participate in the application process, contact JobAppAccommodation@ipgdxtra.com. This email is strictly for applicants requiring special assistance accessing our employment website.