Archetype recruits salespeople and senior leaders for communication agencies, advertising agencies and media sales houses in Belgium: account managers and account directors, business developers, advertising sales managers, managing directors. Our core business is sales, marketing and management profiles, which account for over 90% of our assignments. Assignments in French, Dutch or English, on retainer, 12 weeks on average, 6-month replacement guarantee, since 1993.
A sector of small firms, where the founder often does the selling
According to Eurostat structural business statistics, Belgium had 9,348 advertising and market research enterprises in 2024, employing 20,343 people: just over two people per enterprise on average. In many agencies the founder is also the first salesperson, so hiring a business developer or account director means handing over part of the client book.
Sales representatives (vertegenwoordiger in Dutch) are on the VDAB 2025 shortage occupation list, which covers 251 occupations. Many good service sellers are not job hunting: they often have to be approached in post.
What an agency or media salesperson has to sell
An agency sells expertise. Its salesperson must understand the client’s marketing objectives, defend a budget in front of a marketing director or a buyer, prepare an agency pitch and turn a one-off project into an annual contract. After signature, the account manager keeps the relationship, widens the scope and protects margin when the client asks for more than agreed.
In a media sales house, space is sold on audiences and campaign calendars, to advertisers and media agencies. A national campaign usually means working in French and Dutch, with English for international groups.
Sales profiles in demand at agencies and media
- Account manager and account director: managing and growing existing clients (account manager recruitment).
- Business developer: prospecting, tenders, opening new accounts (business developer recruitment).
- Advertising sales manager: space sales, leading a team of sellers.
- Agency managing director: profitability, teams, shareholder relations (managing director recruitment).
Need a marketing profile inside your own company, such as a Marketing Manager or a Communication Officer? See our marketing recruitment page.
An assessment that ends with a PDF report has no value. Ours rests on three moments: the deep-dive interview, competency analysis on real cases and role-plays, and the KOAN personality test. And above all, the debrief: spoken, structured, actionable. What you walk away with is a clear read on competencies, drivers, and gaps versus the target profile. Not a score. A decision.
The same read works before an internal promotion, such as moving an account manager up to account director, or to assess a whole sales team. See our assessment service.
Method, timing and fees
Briefing, sourcing strategy, structured screening, detailed presentation, follow-up before, during and after the hire. For agency roles, the key question is which accounts the candidate actually managed and how much revenue they brought in themselves. Each file includes a scorecard, interview transcripts and a KOAN test.
Fees are set before the assignment starts, in a written proposal, on a retainer basis: never a success fee. 6-month replacement guarantee.
About Archetype
Archetype is a Belgian family business founded in 1993 by Marc Diamant and now co-managed with Davy Diamant and Steve Diamant. A member of Federgon, it won Talent Business Innovation of the Year 2025 for its ethical and structured use of AI.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to recruit a salesperson for a communication agency?
Fees are set before the assignment starts, in a written proposal, on a retainer basis: never a success fee. 6-month replacement guarantee.
How long does it take to hire an account director?
12 weeks on average between signing the assignment and the candidate signing.
Do you also recruit creatives, designers or digital project managers?
No. We recruit sales and leadership roles. For creative and production profiles, use a firm specialised in those jobs or a staffing agency.
Can you recruit a French and Dutch-speaking salesperson?
Yes. Our team works in French, Dutch and English.
Do you recruit communication officers for an in-house team?
Yes, that is a marketing profile, covered on our marketing recruitment page with its timing and terms.
Is your agency looking for a business developer or a director? Let’s talk about the role: written proposal within 48 to 72 hours of our first call.
Contact usAll industriesMain page: Sector expertise built since 1993
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