Director, Systems & Operations

Director, Systems & Operations - also open to San Francisco Mekanism is a full-service modern agency making unexpected ideas unstoppable through the power of Soul & Science. We partner with brands to unleash breakthrough creativity and drive impact across the entire customer journey, delivering brand building at full volume. With eight offices spanning markets throughout the US and Canada, we serve as collaborative business partners to some of the world’s best North American brands, including Alaska Airlines, Jose Cuervo, Quaker, Ben & Jerry's, and Amtrak in the US, and CAMH, Koodo Mobile and Public Mobile in Canada. Named a Top 10 Most Effective Independent Agency in the US by the Effie Index, Mekanism has been profiled by The New York Times, Fast Company, and ABC’s Nightline. Our campaign methodologies are studied by Harvard Business School. For more information, visit Mekanism.com. The Role We're looking for a Director of Systems & Operations to own how Mekanism runs day to day — the tools, workflows, and processes that power our creative, strategy, production, and business teams. You'll keep the operational backbone of the agency strong while leading its evolution, including a thoughtful, agency-wide rollout of AI starting with Google Workspace's intelligence features. This is a build-and-operate role, not a research project or a pilot program. We need a systems thinker who can assess where we are, define where we need to go, and get people there — whether that means tightening a broken workflow, evaluating a new platform, or championing a major change in how teams work. You'll be equal parts project manager, operator, and internal champion, translating fast‑moving technology into practical wins for every team. You'll report to the Chief Operating Officer and work cross‑functionally across every department in the agency. What You'll Do Systems & Operations Own the agency's core operational systems and tooling, ensuring they're reliable, well-integrated, and fit how teams actually work Manage vendor relationships, licensing, and ongoing tool evaluation across the agency's tech stack Partner with IT and finance to ensure systems are implemented securely, sustainably, and in compliance with client data standards Workflow & Process Design Audit existing workflows across creative, strategy, production, and account teams to reduce friction, improve speed, and free up creative energy. Ensure AI tools are evaluated and implemented Build and document new processes and standard operating procedures that scale as the agency grows Identify high‑value opportunities for automation and AI integration where they genuinely improve the work AI Adoption Lead the agency's rollout of Google Workspace AI tools (Gemini for Workspace, NotebookLM, Google Meet AI features, and beyond), from technical implementation through adoption Develop an adoption roadmap that meets teams where they are and scales intelligently across the agency Evaluate and onboard additional AI platforms that improve how we brief, research, produce, and present Training & Enablement Design and deliver training that builds real fluency in the agency's tools and processes — including, but not limited to, AI Create role‑specific playbooks so writers, strategists, producers, account leads, and finance teams each understand how new systems fit their specific work Establish internal feedback loops to continuously improve adoption and surface new use cases Culture & Change Management Act as an internal advocate and translator for change — making the case clearly, addressing concerns honestly, and keeping Mekanism's creative values front and center Work with leadership to develop a clear point of view on responsible tool and AI use, including guidelines around client data, creative attribution, and vendor evaluation Stay current on the technology landscape and proactively bring recommendations to leadership before the agency falls behind What We're Looking For 7+ years of experience in operations, systems, or technology roles — ideally within an agency, media, or creative services environment Demonstrated experience leading operational or technology change at an organizational level Strong project management and change management skills — you know how to bring people along, not just roll things out Solid familiarity with Google Workspace; hands‑on experience with AI tools like Gemini, ChatGPT, Claude, or comparable platforms is a plus Excellent communication skills: you can talk to engineers, creatives, and executives with equal clarity A pragmatic instinct for separating signal from hype, and genuine curiosity about where technology is headed Comfort operating in ambiguity and building structure where none yet exists Bonus Points Experience in advertising, marketing, or creative production environments Familiarity with AI governance, data privacy, and responsible use frameworks Background in L&D, training design, or internal communications Familiarity with Smartsheet Why This Role, Why Now Mekanism is growing, and how we operate has to grow with us. This role is a genuine leadership opportunity to shape the systems, processes, and tools — AI included — that an award‑winning creative agency relies on every day. You'll have real ownership over how the agency works and where it goes next. You won't be handed a playbook. You'll write it. Regarding compensation, the range below represents the low and high end of the base salary someone in this role may earn as a full‑time employee of Mekanism in the United States. Salaries will vary on the basis of various factors, including but not limited to professional and academic experience, training, associated responsibilities, and other business and organizational needs. Salary decisions are dependent on the circumstances of each hire. Pay Range $165,000 - $175,000 We may use AI tools to support aspects of our recruitment process, but we do not use them to make any hiring decisions or disqualify candidates. All applications are reviewed by our hiring team. #J-18808-Ljbffr Mekanism