Team triumphs ego – and that’s how we play. We keep it real – as a diverse team of talented individuals, we act together to make our world a happier place.
We are more than an agency – we are a global community shaping the future of brands through people, culture, and experiences.
We are looking for a senior Key Account Lead to take full ownership of our Zalando partnership and drive its continued growth, impact, and strategic integration within act.3.
This is not a traditional account management role.
You will operate at the intersection of strategy, client leadership, and business development, acting as the single accountable lead for a key strategic partner.
As KEY ACCOUNT LEAD – ZALANDO (f/m/d), you will own the relationship end-to-end, from senior stakeholder alignment to delivery excellence and commercial development, ensuring that Zalando is fully embedded in the act.3 ecosystem, contributes to the broader business strategy and drives measurable long-term value.
At act.3, we work with a carefully curated ecosystem of handpicked partners and we see the success of our partners as deeply connected to our own.
In this role, you will not only lead an account, you will champion a partnership, taking full ownership for its growth, impact and long-term success.
You will work closely with Senior Leadership across Account Management and Business Development, providing strategic direction, visibility and input to actively shape the long-term growth and positioning of the account.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
CLIENT & STAKEHOLDER LEADERSHIP
- Act as the primary senior interface to Zalando
- Build and maintain strong, trusted client relationships
- Proactively manage expectations and secure long-term client satisfaction
- Align internal and external stakeholders (act.3 teams, partners, collaborators)
- Navigate complex stakeholder environments with clarity and confidence
ACCOUNT INTEGRATION & STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT
- Integrate Zalando into the broader act.3 business and client landscape
- Ensure the account is positioned as a strategic flagship, not a standalone project
- Drive cross-functional collaboration across act.3 teams and partner ecosystem
- Translate client needs into scalable, business-relevant opportunities
- Position act.3 as a strategic partner beyond execution
DELIVERY & QUALITY OWNERSHIP
- Oversee all outputs across projects, ensuring strategic relevance and consistency
- Maintain high standards across creative, production, and execution
- Challenge teams to deliver impactful, business-relevant work
- Maintain strong alignment with Zalando’s commercial and brand priorities
SENIOR LEADERSHIP ALIGNMENT & REPORTING
- Act as key interface into Senior Leadership (Senior Account Management & Business Development)
- Provide clear visibility on account performance, risks, and opportunities
- Align account direction with broader business and growth strategy
- Support strategic decision-making at the leadership level
Real impact comes from real people and real stories, and yours looks a little like this:
- Experienced: 6–8+ years in account management, client leadership, or strategic roles in an agency or similar environment
- Client-Strong: Trusted advisor to senior stakeholders, confident navigating complex organisations
- Strategic: Able to think beyond execution and connect work to business impact
- Commercially Sharp: Understands revenue drivers, growth levers, and account profitability
- Delivery-Driven: Combines big-picture thinking with strong execution control
- Structured: Highly organised, clear communicator, and calm under pressure
- Connector: Brings people, teams, and ideas together seamlessly
- Culture-Aware: Understands how brands operate at the intersection of culture, community, and commerce
- act.3 on tour: work in a global, interdisciplinary environment across 25 community bases
- Learning & education: access to training, workshops, and ACT.CADEMY programmes
- Our way of acting: inspiring workspaces and collaborative set-ups
- Feel good management: food, drinks, and community-driven office culture
act.3 is an equal opportunity employer. We believe real impact comes from real people and real stories.
Everyone has a story to tell, and they should be heard, valued, and respected – regardless of background, identity, or perspective.
We believe in trust, respect, and relationships at eye level. It’s our differences that enable us to shape the future of brands through people, community, and culture.
We are a community of real people who turn our passion into impact. We shape the future of brands through people, community and culture. We make ideas happen.
We began our journey as an exclusive partner of adidas, UEFA, and FC Bayern in 2012, from our headquarters in Herzogenaurach, Germany. Since then, we have continued to push the boundaries of human interaction. We understand what society and our world need.
Our purpose is to enable each other and brands to create real change in people’s lives, ultimately making our world a happier place. Community and culture are therefore a core part of our work. We approach marketing holistically and have expertise in strategy, creative and experiences. We are now a global community with over 250 individuals in 18 global offices spanning 6 continents. We collaborate with handpicked partners all over the world to bring beauty to the spheres of sport, culture and sustainability.
