The account director is generally the next step up from account executive, with correspondingly increasing responsibilities and duties. The account director (AD) deals with senior levels at the client more than the AE does. The AD is responsible for more accounts and/or bigger accounts, and is supervising any number of account executives. In addition to working with present clients, the AD works on getting new clients. The AD is sometimes known as a Senior Account Executive or an Account Manager. In charge of the Marketing Plan, the AD generally oversees a great deal of brands and their marketing strategies. If the AE is the quarterback, the AD is the offensive coach.
Average Salary:

$95,000
Average Hours (per week):

The demand for an account director is 50 hours plus per week. Besides handling a huge amount of responsibilities with sometimes demanding clients, account directors are often out late entertaining those clients or prospective clients.
Union:

No
Certifications:

Account directors are expected to keep up with issues and trends that may impact their clients.
Training Period:

The account director (AD) needs a college degree or an MBA. Four or five years at least as an account executive is required. As with an account executive, the AD needs a variety of business, communications, marketing, and sales skills. Success depends on the ability to be persuasive and/or reassuring with the client and everyone else.
Strongest Market(s):

Bigger agencies have a more structured path to and through management, and they are in NYC, Chicago, and other large cities. Account directors who believe that they are good enough to one day head up an agency are advised to go where the limelight is, and that’s the biggest cities.
Entry Level Salary: $71,000. This is the typical salary for a low-level account director or a high-level account executive.
Top Salary: $130,000. The account director is not at the top of the agency line of command, but is close. The AD is responsible for a good share of the client’s business, but still answers to a group account director or a management director or the general manager or the owner of the agency.
Job Growth Forecast:

The ten-year job forecast for the account director is 12 percent, typical of agency growth, and growth across all jobs nationwide.

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