Managing Director [207662]

Aquent Studios is seeking a bold, strategic Managing Director to lead business growth and creative operations for a marquee high-tech client in the Puget Sound area. This role is both visionary and hands-on—ideal for a senior leader who thrives at the intersection of client partnership, operational excellence, and creative innovation.

As Managing Director, you’ll own senior client relationships, guide multidisciplinary teams, drive financial performance, and shape the future of creative delivery across live, digital, and content-driven experiences. You’ll play a critical role in scaling operations while maintaining a premium, best-in-class client experience.

Note: While this role is REMOTE, candidates must currently reside on the U.S. West Coast or Mountain Time Zone to be considered.

What You’ll Do

Operational & Client Leadership

• Lead day-to-day client engagement, overseeing teams, operations, and senior stakeholder relationships
• Deliver large-scale, complex programs on time and on budget, managing scope, risk, schedule, quality, and communication
• Anticipate resource needs and align talent, skills, and capacity to support growth and profitability
• Evolve creative processes through thoughtful integration of tools and emerging technologies
• Apply deep understanding of live and digital events, marketing, and content—bringing practical, hands-on experience to delivery
  
  

Business Development & Growth

• Own and grow the new business pipeline, evaluating opportunity viability, pricing, margins, and risk
• Expand and strengthen long-term client partnerships
• Lead strategic planning efforts that drive revenue, improve operational efficiency, and increase client satisfaction
• Develop a premium client experience that positions Aquent Studios as a trusted, innovative partner
  
  

Financial Ownership

• Drive both top-line revenue and bottom-line profitability
• Own program scoping, schedules, and cost estimation
• Manage P&L, revenue forecasting, and financial reporting
• Ensure strong project-level financial controls, margin management, and cost analysis
  
  

Team Leadership & Development

• Inspire and lead cross-functional teams with clear vision and consistent, meaningful feedback
• Build and evolve teams in alignment with projected growth and future opportunities
  
  

Creative & Quality Excellence

• Foster a culture of creative, design, and development excellence
• Set and uphold high standards across deliverables, proposals, and value-based pricing models
  
  

Strategy, Innovation & Thought Leadership

• Actively contribute to Aquent Studios leadership and long-term vision
• Identify emerging industry trends and pioneer new approaches
• Lead with an entrepreneurial mindset—turning vision into execution
• Produce high-quality written thought leadership, including proposals and long-form content
  
  

Communication, Risk & Compliance

• Communicate clearly and transparently with stakeholders at all levels
• Confidently navigate conflict resolution and project escalations
• Manage contracts, SOWs, NDAs, and terms and conditions
• Ensure strict adherence to security, confidentiality, and compliance requirements
  
  

What You Bring

• 10 years of senior leadership experience in business operations, ideally within a creative, consulting, or agency environment
• *
• MUST HAVE experience in Hi-Tech to be considered for this opportunity
• Proven success managing complex, cross-functional programs
• Experience scaling teams or business units during periods of growth
• Strong executive communication, negotiation, and presentation skills
• Demonstrated ability to lead, inspire, and retain diverse, high-performing teams
• Proven experience cultivating senior-level client relationships
• Strong understanding of creative development processes and emerging technologies
• Passion for building operational efficiencies through innovation
• Hands-on experience in events, design, content, or marketing delivery
• Experience in experiential design or digital transformation is a plus
  
  

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

Compensation Range: $125-130K

The range provided is our reasonable estimate of the compensation for this role. The actual amount may be higher or lower, based on factors such as experience, knowledge, skills, abilities and location.