0425DP - 203TRU | Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Creative Ad Agency
The Role
We’re looking for your leadership in rapid growth.
As we embark on our metamorphosis to the next levels of scale and impact, we’re seeking an operational leader to translate the founders’ vision into reality—turning plans into action and priorities into results. You'll serve as a crucial counterbalance to big dreamers, guiding and redirecting the team to achieve meaningful traction.
You’ll partner closely with our two co-founders and our Managing Director as we continue to disrupt the industry—and ourselves. You’ll be deeply involved with both the team and the work: training people, building forecasts and staffing plans, and ensuring operational excellence on a daily basis.
The ideal candidate thrives in a founder-driven agency environment and is excited by the challenges and opportunities that come with scaling a business inside a challenger holding company. You’re someone who tames chaos… and then creates new chaos as we reach for the next level. Let’s go! 🚀
Essential Functions & Responsibilities
Direct Leadership
Lead Operations and Project Management Office (PMO), as well as Finance, HR, IT, and Legal (depending on experience).
Identify and pursue strategic opportunities to improve operational, creative, and financial performance.
Manage the Project Management team, setting standards of excellence and coaching them to deliver.
Oversee senior leaders in HR and Finance, building a leadership team focused on smart growth.
Lead pricing and staffing strategy for new business pitches and current accounts.
Supervise and enhance processes related to Legal, Business Affairs, and IT.
Agency Leadership
Collaborate with founders and executive leadership to plan, prioritize, and drive transformation and growth.
Create a healthy tension between disruption and operational discipline.
Partner with the Managing Director to ensure client satisfaction and business growth.
Work with the CCO and ECD to elevate creative output by improving team models and delivery processes.
Collaborate with the CEO and Finance lead on P&L planning and strategic decision-making.
Balance margin and growth, and guide the agency in tracking toward financial targets.
Lead the achievement of key operational KPIs like billability and profit margin.
Build and deploy teams for large AOR wins.
Foster a culture of excellence, joy, and belief in what’s possible.
Qualifications
Open to hiring at COO, EVP, or SVP level depending on experience.
Optimistic, nurturing, collaborative, and decisive leader.
20+ years of experience in marketing agencies, especially creative and/or social agencies. Client-side experience is a plus.
Proven success in fast-growing agencies (50–200 people).
Experience partnering with founders in a scaling environment.
Expertise in project management, staff planning, resource management, and pricing.
Strong background in financial planning & analysis.
Familiarity with legal issues and best practices for creative agencies.
Spreads joy! ✨