Managing Director

What you’ll do:

In partnership with the CEO and other members of SimplyBe. leadership, the Managing Director engages to help build and maintain a strong internal operational infrastructure needed for the highest quality of work, clear processes , balanced productivity, a positive environment dedicated to excellence and an authentic culture aligned with the core values of the company.

The primary responsibility of the Managing Director is to ensure agency profitability by leading growth in revenue from and through existing clients. This is accomplished in two main ways: 1) Ensuring client satisfaction and retention through consistent delivery of the highest quality, most creative work for SimplyBe. clients; 2) Operational oversight of a systemized billability, time tracking and reporting approach, laddering up to profitability.

The Managing Director accomplishes this with the support of and by leading his/her team of Directors within each agency discipline to ensure client strategies are sound, execution is excellent, processes are followed, successful management of their respective teams, and clients are achieving measurable results through their work with SimplyBe. This means closely managing client account teams by way of strong leadership, collaborating and coaching regular reviews of client deliverables, and periodic audits of work executed for retained clients.

Additionally, the Managing Director takes the lead for SimplyBe. on client satisfaction, taking regularly scheduled 1:1 meetings and calls with clients to gauge satisfaction, working with teams to proactively address issues before they arise, and developing win-back strategies when clients express concerns or dissatisfaction.

The Managing Director stays on top of key trends in digital marketing and brand building, ensuring agency team members are staying informed and challenging them to bring these leading-edge ideas to client engagements.

This role requires superb leadership and management skills, excellent operational abilities, a problem-solving mindset that thrives on challenge, a clear vision for improving processes, and the courage to challenge the status quo.

This role reports directly to the CEO of SimplyBe. and partners with the CFO, COO, and Director-Level leaders.

Job Responsibilities:

• Provide executive leadership and management across the SimplyBe Agency disciplines: Account Management, PR, Content, Creative
• Partner with CFO and COO to analyze and manage capacity and billability of all agency staff, ensuring profitable agency operations while supporting the work/life balance needed for consistent creative excellence
• Responsible for the Agency P&L and the budgetary management
• Directly manage Directors off Account Management, PR, Content, and Creative
• Motivate, lead and inspire the agency team
• Partner with CEO and agency directors to attract and develop the best talent to deliver SBA’s clearly differentiated products and services
• Ensure consistent delivery of SimplyBe. brand-aligned work for every client
• Generate ideas and implement enhanced programs and refined processes to improve performance and quality in client delivery, both internally and externally
• Ensure client satisfaction, maintaining 95% client retention
• Work collaboratively across the SimplyBe. team to develop strategies and identify opportunities to increase business with and through existing clients
• Report weekly/monthly/quarterly on agency activity keeping management teams up to speed on performance
• Support client teams in developing strategies for key clients and projects
• Work alongside SimplyBe. leadership on key pieces of business growth strategy
• Support the preparation of submissions of agency bids and pitches in partnership with the SimplyBe. sales team

What’s expected:

• Understanding of how to manage up down and across in a founder-led growth stage organization
• Proven track record of strategy and marketing at an executive level
• Track record of achieving results and affecting change
• Track record of leading on and off-site teams around the globe
• Outstanding communication skills
• Sound financial commercial skills
• Confident in delivering across all communication channels
• Natural leadership skills
• Strong management skills
• Strategic, decisive thinker
• A passion for growing people, especially rising leaders
• Agency leadership experience is ideal

What is required:

• Must be Chicago based and willing to be in our Wicker Park office 2-3 days per week
• Must have a strong aptitude for spreadsheets, data analysis and reporting