Senior ACCOUNT Director
(Freelance)
15+ years helping agencies and brands get high-stakes work over the line.
I’m a senior Account Director who steps in when the work matters – to define the real problem, set clear direction, and make sure great ideas actually make it into market.
I lead senior client relationships, turn feedback into decisions, and keep momentum when projects, pitches, or teams get complex.
I’m often brought in new business pitches, launches, transitions, and coverage in the short term.
I’ve spent my career working at the intersection of strategy, client leadership, and execution and to protect the edge of the work.
Brands include ESPN, Shake Shack, Toyota, Indeed, Jack Link’s, and Southwest.
Agency experience across Droga5, Tombras, VML, BBH, and GSD&M.
I slot straight into established agencies to provide senior client leadership and keep teams moving.
I also work with smaller or growing teams that need experienced direction to punch above their weight.
If you need senior leadership that can parachute in and get to work, let’s talk.
+82% Brand Recall
The problem : How could ESPN show a new generation of sports fans it’s still the most innovative brand in sports?
What they needed: To move from ESPN talking about innovation to fans feeling the sense of wonder that keeps them watching.
What I did: Reset the brief around fan fascination and extending the platform in real time with the Mad Dog Russo recut. TV, digital, Social, outdoor, print, PR.
The outcome: A national campaign that delivered +82% brand recall (33% above ESPN norms and drove app downloads.
The problem: People love Shake Shack, but in a crowded, cheaper QSR world, they needed reminding why it’s okay to choose indulgence without guilt or explanation.
What they needed: To stop justifying price and make premium feel instinctive.
What I did: Led brand strategy and creative oversight on campaign, positioning ingredients and craftsmanship as a justified indulgence. Broadcast, CTV, Social, Digital, OOH, Print, PR.
The outcome: A product campaign reinforcing Shake Shack’s premium positioning. +7% foot traffic. 74–75% of viewers more likely to purchase (+8–9 pts over QSR norms).
The problem: Jack Link’s was seen as a gas-station, road-trip snack — not something you reach for every day.
What they needed: A point of view that reframed jerky as a more satisfying, everyday protein.
What I did: Helped reposition the brand around being the original, more satisfying protein. Led the work from strategy through delivery, coordinating creative, production, and media across Broadcast, CTV, Digital, Website, Search, Social, OOH, Print, PR, Radio
The outcome: +46% brand awareness and +18% growth in online sales.
Seen in Ad Age, Adweek, Fast Company, USA Today, and other top outlets, with fully integrated campaigns across TV, digital, social, and experiential.
Partnering with great brands and agencies, wherever the brief takes me. I go where the best work gets made. LA, Austin to NYC and everywhere in between.
Let’s drive measurable impact together.
montshawkins@gmail.com
Ph: 929 262 9738
