Managing Director, Client Strategy & Innovation [AQ-17350]

Aquent Studios partners with the world’s most innovative and impactful organizations, connecting them with exceptional talent to drive transformative results. We are dedicated to building high-performing teams that tackle complex challenges and deliver groundbreaking solutions for our enterprise clients. Join us in shaping the future of how leading companies operate and innovate. Step into a pivotal role where your expertise will directly influence the strategic direction and growth of a multi-million dollar enterprise engagement with one of the world’s most recognized companies. This is an unparalleled opportunity to redefine how work gets done, leveraging cutting-edge technologies and new methodologies to unlock unprecedented value. You will be at the forefront of innovation, leading a dynamic team to solve complex business problems, challenge conventional thinking, and deliver measurable outcomes that propel our client’s success and shape the future of creative and operational workflows. What You’ll Do Lead the overall business and creative operations for a significant enterprise engagement. Serve as a strategic advisor to senior client stakeholders, proactively diagnosing business challenges and developing innovative solutions. Challenge assumptions and influence clients toward superior approaches based on deep expertise, sound business judgment, and a clear understanding of their overarching goals. Lead complex programs from initial strategy through successful execution, meticulously balancing quality, cost, speed, resources, and business impact. Take full ownership of P&L management, including forecasting, budgeting, profitability, and driving growth initiatives. Identify and cultivate opportunities to expand our partnership across various business areas, including events, content, social media, design, and marketing. Build, mentor, and lead high-performing, cross-functional teams that consistently deliver exceptional results. Continuously evaluate current operational workflows and identify opportunities to enhance efficiency, foster creativity, improve quality, reduce costs, and achieve greater scale. Bring a modern, hands‑on approach to artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, identifying precisely where new tools and approaches can fundamentally improve how work is accomplished. Translate innovative ideas into tangible, real‑world programs, pilots, and scalable solutions that drive measurable impact. Play a critical role in shaping the future of how creative and business services are delivered to enterprise clients. What We're Looking For Significant leadership experience in business operations, creative services, consulting, agency, technology, transformation, or related environments, with a demonstrated trajectory of increasing responsibility and impact. Demonstrated record of academic excellence and intellectual achievement, with evidence of succeeding in rigorous academic environments and pursuing challenging areas of study. Evidence of achievement and initiative beyond formal coursework—such as research, independent projects, entrepreneurship, leadership, competitive programs, technical or creative pursuits, publications, or other self‑directed work. Proven experience managing both business and creative operations within large-scale, enterprise‑level engagements. Proven experience managing multi‑million‑dollar client relationships, ideally at the $8M+ level, in complex organizations. Strong expertise in P&L management and financial oversight. Demonstrated success leading and scaling cross‑functional teams. Experience driving business development and expanding client partnerships. Deep understanding of creative, design, content, marketing, events, digital, or related ecosystems. Demonstrated ability to operate as a strategic consultant and trusted advisor, rather than simply an account or delivery manager. Proven ability to understand complex or ambiguous business problems, structure solutions, and drive those solutions through execution. Demonstrated ability to challenge a client's initial request when appropriate and articulate a better path forward based on expertise, business judgment, and a clear understanding of the desired business outcome. Demonstrated ability to act as an AI and Technology Innovator, with a practical, business‑first approach to applying AI and emerging technologies. Hands‑on experience experimenting with or integrating AI into workflows, with a clear understanding of where it can create meaningful value. Strong intellectual curiosity and a demonstrated pattern of learning quickly, tackling difficult problems, and applying knowledge in new or unconventional ways. Exceptional communication, negotiation, influence, and stakeholder management skills. Strong strategic thinking, problem‑solving, and decision‑making abilities. Demonstrated ability to take ideas from concept through execution and measurable outcome. 10+ years of experience is preferred, but we are open to candidates earlier in their careers who have demonstrated an exceptional trajectory, taken on significant responsibility, and achieved at a level that indicates they are ready for this opportunity. What Will Set You Apart Above all, you are a builder, problem solver, and strategic thinker who can execute. You can engage with a client who states, “This is what we need,” and skillfully ask the necessary questions to determine if that is truly the right problem to solve. You possess the ability to take an ambiguous challenge, structure it, develop a robust solution, build the optimal team and operating model, and drive it through to successful execution. You are comfortable challenging conventional thinking, with a clear understanding that innovation is only valuable when it produces a better business outcome. You not only bring innovative ideas but, more importantly, you know how to transform those ideas into real programs, measurable outcomes, and repeatable capabilities. You are equally comfortable discussing high‑level strategy with an executive, meticulously evaluating a P&L, redesigning an operating model, experimenting with new technology, and delving into the essential details required to bring an idea to fruition. This role is for someone who doesn't simply ask, “What does the client want us to do?” but rather asks, “What is the client actually trying to accomplish, and what is the best, most innovative way for us to help them get there?” Experience working with large enterprise clients. Background in experiential design, creative operations, consulting, business transformation, or digital transformation initiatives. Experience delivering both live and digital event‑based work. Track record of building operational efficiencies through emerging technologies. Experience expanding a client relationship across multiple business units or disciplines. Experience across content, social, design, marketing, events, or other creative services. Experience in a creative agency, consulting, technology, or professional services environment. Experience developing new business models, operating models, or service offerings. Strong writing skills for proposals, thought leadership, or strategic content. Client Description Aquent Studios is a global creative studio that delivers scale, speed and efficiency to the world’s most recognized brands. We create the work that matters the most to them—work that has a real impact on their business. As an Aquent Studio team member, you’ll have the opportunity to engage with the largest and most influential companies in the world, solving design challenges and extending their brands across tactic types and platforms, including digital design, UI/UX, video, motion, content, print design, web development, and more. If you want to do work that matters in a collaborative setting that values ingenuity and personal growth, you have found the right place! Other Requirements The target hiring compensation range for this role is $130-180K + bonus potential. However, final compensation level will be determined based on experience and scope alignment. #J-18808-Ljbffr Aquent