Client Engagement Lead - US

About Very
Very is a fully distributed technology firm led by expert problem-solvers who create efficient, scalable solutions that move commercial, industrial, and consumer products from pilot to production in record time.We believe that real innovation happens in the grind , working shoulder to shoulder with clients who are building the future. Our team thrives on that energy. When we're not helping clients deliver business-critical outcomes, we're refining our craft and celebrating what it means to do hard things well.We've built a collaborative, tight-knit culture that thrives in both remote and in-person settings. We've won numerous workplace awards over the years, including Great Place to Work certification and recognition from Parity.org as a Best Company for Women to Advance.Our clients include well-known brands like Vizio, Peloton, Clear, iHeart Radio, and Fellowes — all determined to leverage connected devices and AI to drive meaningful impact. Our job is simple: help them win.

About this role
The Engagement Lead is a distinct career track at Very — separate from engineering and program management — built around a single accountability: the outcome of the client engagement. PMs run the machine. Engagement Leads own the outcome. This is a client-facing, commercially-minded role. You will personally own 1–3 active client relationships at a time, ensuring that Very is delivering real business value, that engagements are healthy and profitable, and that clients are growing with us. You will operate at high billability (60–80%), meaning you are not overhead — you are contributing directly to the work while simultaneously holding the altitude of the overall engagement. You will sit at the intersection of client trust, technical delivery, and business development. The best Engagement Leads are builders who have learned to sell, or sellers who have learned to build — people who are as comfortable writing a Statement of Work as they are reviewing a sprint report. We're remote-first, but travel within the US is part of the job — show up in person when it strengthens client relationships & deliverables.

What you'll own

Client Relationship & Outcomes

Serve as the primary relationship owner for 1–3 client engagements simultaneously

Maintain client trust at the working level — know your stakeholders, understand their business, and be the person they call when something feels off

Drive alignment between client expectations and what Very can actually deliver

Escalate early and with a recommendation — never let a problem become a surprise

Commercial Ownership

Own the profitability of your engagements — understand margin, monitor burn, and proactively flag risk

Write and negotiate Statements of Work for new phases and follow-on engagements

Identify expansion opportunities within existing accounts and close them

Participate in the sales process for new opportunities — Very's best Engagement Leads are part of the commercial motion

Delivery Health

Accountable for the health of delivery on your engagements — scope, schedule, and quality

Make tradeoff calls with confidence; bring options, not just problems

On smaller engagements (= $250–400K, single workstream, small team): run the cadence yourself — standups, sprint planning, milestone reviews

On larger engagements: partner with a PM who runs execution; you shift altitude to steering, scope management, and client strategy

Team & Culture

Coach team members on what it means to work in a client services organization — communication, expectation management, escalation

Model the standard for how Very engages with clients

What success looks like

In the first 90 days: Named as engagement owner on at least one active client; client and internal team know you own it

Strong working relationships established with key client stakeholders

Reporting consistently in Program Tactical; no surprises to leadership

In year one: 80%+ of clients renew or expand under your ownership

At least one new SOW written and closed without direct leadership involvement

Engagements you own are consistently at or below budget with healthy margins

Your clients would call you first — not Very leadership — when they have a concern or an idea

Qualifications

Required

Bachelor's degree in Engineering (or equivalent hands-on experience) and time spent working as a practicing engineer earlier in your career

Technical fluency sufficient to earn the respect of engineering teams and translate client needs into actionable scope

5+ years of experience in client services, technical program management, or a delivery-facing role at a technology consulting or product company

Demonstrated experience owning client relationships — not just supporting them

Ability to write and negotiate Statements of Work independently

Experience managing project budgets and financial indicators

Excellent communication skills — written, verbal, and in the room; able to present to executives and lead difficult conversations

Experience with IoT, connected hardware, or complex technical product development strongly preferred

Strongly Preferred

Background in electronics hardware, firmware, or embedded systems product development

History of working directly with contract manufacturers

Experience in a pre-sales or solutions engineering capacity

3+ years in a consultancy or client services environment

Skills We Look For in Every Lead-Level Role
Communicates Effectively: Expert-level communication across audiences. Can negotiate for positive outcomes on projects of any complexity. Leans into hard conversations.

Owns the Room: Independently resets tone when engagements drift. Decisive, direct, and respectful when recommending a different path.

Builds Others Up: Teaches best practices; grows the capabilities of the team around them.

Estimates Well: Produces accurate scoping and SOW estimates. Uses experience to pressure-test team estimates.

Runs Agile Cleanly: Knows how to break work into tickets, sprints, and epics. Holds teams to rhythm without being bureaucratic.

Compensation & Benefits
Base Compensation: $145,000 – $175,000 commensurate with experience. Variable Compensation: Up to 20% performance bonus in year one. Perks & Benefits: 401(k) match $200-$250/month cell phone + internet stipend (monthly amount based on level) $600/year home office stipend Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance Paid parental leave (95th percentile in the U.S.) Professional development stipend Loaned MacBook Pro Annual team retreat

Why Work for Very
We do not promise an easy ride — we promise meaningful work. We work hard because our clients' success depends on it, and we take pride in delivering when others can't. We collaborate closely, move fast, and stay grounded in results. We take joy in the process — in the problem-solving, the iteration, and the shared wins that come from doing the hard things well. If you're looking for a place where every project matters, where the standards are high, and where you'll grow by pushing yourself and others — welcome to Very.

Interviewing for a new company is a serious time commitment for all parties involved. Please take the time to read this and thoughtfully consider if we would be a good fit for one another.

No contractors or agencies. Seriously.

Note: To qualify for this role, you must reside within the region posted.

Note: This role requires the ability to travel within the US as needed for client engagements.

We do not provide visa sponsorship.

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