There are many constants in life (and advertising). Death. Taxes. Multiple rounds of client feedback. And agencies that still don’t know how to effectively deploy the Account Management (AM) and Project Management (PM) functions.
I speak from experience, having worn both the AM and PM hats over the years. I started my ad career in Account Management and gradually moved into Project Management (and eventually Operations).
One of the biggest challenges is the overlap between AM and PM responsibilities. Too often, Project Management is treated as the administrative arm of Account Management when, in reality, they are two distinct disciplines with separate but complementary functions. By not recognizing this and clearly defining roles and responsibilities, friction is inevitable. That friction often negatively impacts team morale, agency operations, financials, and client relationships.
Account Management when told a Project Management Department is being created
The Root of Role Confusion
I’ve always believed that confusion about the roles stems from history. Account Management has been central to agency structures for decades, while Project Management has only gained traction in the last 30 years or so. Traditionally, Producers (video, broadcast, etc.) were the ones with deep expertise in execution and delivery. The Producer and Account Manager team was well established and clearly defined.
As Project Management gained popularity, many agencies added the function without fully integrating it into their existing AM and Producer functions. Add in an ever-evolving marketing landscape with new service lines, technologies, and increased complexity, and confusion was inevitable if this area wasn’t proactively managed.
I also believe that, whether consciously or unconsciously, there was initial reluctance from Account Management to relinquish power to this new “Project Management” function. This is often why PMs have been relegated to handling administrative tasks - creating timelines, updating status reports, and taking meeting notes - rather than leading and driving true project execution.
While this power struggle has lessened, the limited and inconsistent deployment of PM in agencies has left a lasting impact, one that many agencies are still struggling to resolve today.
Looking Beyond Agencies
I was fortunate to work outside the agency world for an extended period, which gave me valuable insight into how AM and PM are structured in other industries.
The general consensus? Project and Program Management own and drive all project work. Account Management (or, more recently, sometimes called Customer Success) focuses on sales, growth, client relationships, client retention, and client satisfaction.
Recognizing this distinction is helpful, and it raises an important question: why is the advertising industry an outlier?
That said, the traditional Account Management function is unique to advertising, and fully mirroring other industries by reducing AM to only sales and revenue growth would be a mistake.
Defining AM and PM Roles
From experience, the most successful AM and PM structures split the roles this way:
Account Management focuses on client relationships, strategy, and big-picture thinking. AMs work to understand client needs, manage expectations, and ensure the agency delivers work that aligns with the client’s objectives. Their role is to drive strategic success, not manage daily project logistics.
Project Management is centered on execution, logistics, and operational efficiency. PMs oversee timelines, budgets, deliverables, and internal workflows. They ensure that projects stay on track and within scope but should not be the primary client contact for strategic discussions.
When structured correctly, AMs drive strategy and client relationships, while PMs ensure smooth execution.
Another Misconception: AM as External, PM as Internal
A common but flawed perspective is that AMs are external-facing (client-focused), while PMs are internal-facing (team-focused). While AMs do spend more time with clients and PMs focus on internal coordination, both roles require strong communication across all stakeholders - just as PMs do in every other industry.
Account Management must translate client needs into clear direction for internal teams while ensuring execution aligns with strategy.
Project Management needs to provide updates on project progress, timelines, and risks directly to the client.
Over-simplifying these roles as purely external or internal creates silos and limits collaboration.
Common Pitfalls When AM and PM Are Misaligned
When agencies fail to differentiate these roles, the following inefficiencies often occur:
Redundant communication – Clients and internal teams receive the same updates from both AMs and PMs and often aren’t sure who to go to for additional information or questions.
Lack of accountability – Tasks fall through the cracks because both teams assume the other is handling them.
Role friction – AMs get pulled into execution, while PMs are asked to lead strategic discussions they aren't equipped to handle.
These inefficiencies create confusion, slow down execution, and weaken client relationships.
Applying Project Management Best Practices
To fully leverage the potential of Project Management, agencies can integrate Project Management Professional (PMP) best practices as a foundation. This helps create a clearer distinction between AM and PM roles:
Scope Management – PMs define project scope, deliverables, and expectations, ensuring projects stay within agreed parameters. AMs focus on managing client-driven changes strategically.
Time Management – PMs develop schedules and track progress to keep projects on time. AMs communicate strategic shifts when necessary.
Risk Management – PMs identify and mitigate project risks, while AMs manage risks related to client satisfaction and business alignment.
Quality Control – PMs ensure deliverables meet project specifications, while AMs ensure the work aligns with brand and strategy.
Budget Management – PMs manage the nuts and bolts of the budget while AMs focus on larger budget discussions, securing client funding, and financial reviews.
By following these best practices, agencies can create better workflows and improve overall execution.
The Ideal Structure
The most efficient agencies separate AM and PM into distinct departments with clear responsibilities.
Account Management should generally tilt towards a more senior-level function (Account Supervisors, Account Directors, etc.) responsible for client relationships, strategic oversight, and expectation management. Fewer AMs are needed, but they must be experienced, capable of providing strategic value, and skilled at asking the right questions.
Project Management should be a dedicated department handling logistics, execution, and process management. PMs should focus on keeping projects running smoothly without being responsible for client relationships or strategic decisions. While senior-level leadership is needed to manage and supervise the team, this department can include more entry- and mid-level staff, depending on administrative needs and project complexity.
This structure allows AMs to focus on big-picture client success while PMs ensure projects are delivered efficiently and on time. The division improves accountability, reduces inefficiencies, and strengthens collaboration.
Hybrid Model
For agencies that are not large enough to support separate AM and PM departments, a hybrid model can work, but extreme clarity on responsibilities is required. Ensuring individuals are not being pulled in conflicting directions is critical.
A potential hybrid approach might involve AMs overseeing both client relationships and project execution for smaller accounts, while a dedicated PM function supports larger, more complex projects or client accounts. In this model, having another resource - like a Delivery or PMO Manager - help mentor, train, and support AM’s tasked with doing both functions can be helpful and worth considering.
Additionally, agencies must proactively manage client expectations to ensure they understand who to contact for strategic discussions versus project updates. Educating clients on this structure prevents frustration and ensures smoother communication.
Final Thoughts
If your agency is struggling with inefficiencies, miscommunication, or friction between AMs and PMs, it may be time to rethink how these roles are structured. Agencies that clearly define these functions see better project execution, stronger client relationships, improved team morale, and more scalable operations.