Associate VP

Associate Vice President – Client Partner

WHY DEPT®?

We are pioneers at heart. What this means, is that we are always leaning forward, thinking of what we can create tomorrow that does not exist today. We were born digital and we are a new model of agency, with a deep skillset in tech and marketing. That’s why we hire curious, self-driven, talented people who never stop innovating.

Our culture is big enough to cope and small enough to care. Meaning, that with people across 20+ countries, we’re big enough to provide you with the best tools, global opportunities, and benefits that help you thrive. While acting small by investing in you, your growth, your team, and giving you the autonomy to solve our clients problems, no matter where you are in the world.

What is DEPT® Studio?

We’re a specialist team at the intersection of cost, speed, and quality – leading our clients into a pioneering future. We’re an agile interconnected global team partnering with the most ambitious enterprise clients, solving their content delivery challenges through implementing complex processes powered by industry leading proprietary technology.

Client Partners lead our largest client relationships on behalf of DEPT. They are responsible for curating talent, capability, and services that represent the best of our company. They serve as a client’s main access into solutions that will help elevate their brand and business in the face of ever evolving consumer, category, technology, and marketing dynamics. CPs drive organic growth through exceptional client experience, helping unlock value, and bringing future-forward expertise in a unique and differentiated way. They are experienced business leaders with a proven track record of delivering new and organic growth opportunities, overseeing client services and strategic operations, and demonstrating acumen operating in highly complex and multidisciplinary environments.

The Associate Vice President, Client Partner is responsible for helping to develop new opportunities in the North American market and delivering excellence across new contracts, as well as maintaining stability and strong partnerships with existing clients (ie. Opendoor, Walmart, OpenAI, etc.). Primary focus is on building client relationships and establishing new accounts; maintenance of existing accounts eventually delegated to team members.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

Key Responsibilities:

Business Leader-External

• Partner and trusted advisor to senior clients. Client relies on the AVP, Client Partner to know all elements of their business, competition, and category to represent the client’s opinions and objectives within DEPT and to deliver innovative and creative solutions for the business. AVP, Client Partner builds and maintains strong relationships with C-suite executives from Top25 clients and beyond.
• Sets a strategic vision for the business to deliver growth for Client and DEPT. Delivers an annual business plan for the account. Amplifies DEPT and DEPT Studios offerings to existing and new clients, positioning DEPT as a solution for their issues.
• Constantly learning and understanding changes happening in culture, in technology, in commerce, and in content and how those changes are impacting the client’s business. Applies that knowledge to drive innovation with teams and partners, bringing fresh thinking and new solutions to the client’s business. Consistently delivers value add and thought-leadership to the client in these areas.
• Engages a multi-disciplinary team across multiple solution areas to ensure work and processes are meeting/exceeding client expectations.
• Understands end-to-end customer journey and proactively optimises the marketing ecosystem. Includes areas like data, tech, media content, and operations.
• Acts as an escalation point for client issues and a key point of contact to the people and resources of DEPT for client opportunities.
• Has strategic relationships at all levels within the client company. Is seen as a leader and trusted advisor, balancing company and client needs.
• Creates best-in-class on-boarding for both agency team and clients; establishes clear ways of working and governance models for the business; monitors, maintains and reports on client satisfaction through formal review process.
• Shares POVs and thought leadership, sees what’s next for the business and brings that perspective and plan to clients (future business review)
• Understands key clients’ personal and career objectives and seeks out opportunities for elevating client within the industry and company.

Business Leader—Internal

• Influences the work internally and client perspective externally. Delivers creatively brilliant, innovative work that drives positive outcomes for the client’s business.
• Keeps DEPT’s executive stakeholders aware of activity on the account. Regularly shares updates and status with DEPT Studio VPs, CEOs, and key senior executives. Reports on and drives success for Top25 clients.
• Develops and maintains C-suite level relationships internally; confidently presents strategic plans and multi-year forecasts to them regularly.
• In-depth knowledge of DEPT, Tools, and Tech and how they can be used to facilitate client outcomes.
• Knows all scopes, commercial engagement models, and key players within DEPT and Client; fully understands DEPT Studios commercials and how individual clients fit within them.
• Has an OneDEPT view as well as. single location/team perspective. Brings the best DEPT solutions to solve business challenges.
• Upholds all global policies as they relate to the operations of the business; maintains the global brand, culture, and ethos
• Communicates with DEPT Studio VPs, CEOs, and key senior executives on any escalation or financial issue; attends weekly finance and ops meeting with central Studios, Americas, or EMEA teams as necessary
• Attends industry events and helps establish credibility and expertise with clients, prospects, potential candidates, and other agencies.

Revenue and Growth

• Protects and grows revenue. Works toward DEPT revenue goals, forecasting, and maintenance of organic growth pipeline for near- and long-term success.
• Increases practice area penetration by introducing appropriate DEPT capabilities to solve client business challenges.
• Leads proposals for new solutions, bringing appropriate talent and resources together from across the company appropriate to solving a particular business problem or challenge. Acts in a leadership capacity within the team and plays a key role in closing incremental business.

Team Champion

• Establishes and owns a clear system of governance and ways of working for client/DEPT
• Knows and supports clients’ DEI goals. Establishes DEI metrics for account and implements strategies to meet KPIs.
• Fosters a respectful team environment; champions and supports team members in their personal and career growth ambitions.
• Demonstrates good judgement and emotional intelligence with their teams and encourages self-development by modeling the behaviour.

WHAT YOU BRING

• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Extensive account management and client partnership experience in a digital design environment.
• Extensive experience managing large and complex projects and clients.
• Excellent problem solving, organization, time management, and risk management skills.
• Expert conflict resolution skills.
• Enterprise experience partnering with clients at Fortune 500 companies
• The ability to be self-directed and work in an ambiguous and dynamic environment.
• Willingness to travel to client sites regularly
• Experience working within and selling the following services: user-centric digital and integrated marketing; business transformation; digital products and services; design systems and branding at the intersection of content, content strategy and commerce solutions work.
• Experience across strategic, omnichannel and production-based projects.
• Experience managing $10 – $15M+ Portfolio and/or driving clients to enterprise relationships at $10 – $15M+
• Experience managing vendors/partners, partner agencies and entities to drive revenue success with Fortune 500 accounts.
• Knowledge of current issues, trends and tools within ecommerce and the consumer technology industry.

WHAT DO WE OFFER?

• A flexible, hybrid/remote working policy
• An excellent salary based on experience and equal pay policies
• Mental health support, and company sick pay scheme.
• 15 days paid holiday annually (plus Public Holidays).
• Refreshments are provided in the office all week
• Enhanced family friendly policies to support new parents.
• Social and Cultural Events, plenty of opportunities to connect with colleagues through organised activities and celebrations.
• Inspirational Talks, bringing the outside in with regular guest speakers and events.
• Learning and Development, supporting your growth with continuous opportunities to learn and advance.
• Buddy Programme: You will be paired with a ‘Buddy’ to help you through your first weeks’ at DEPT®.
• A reputation for doing good. DEPT® has been a Certified B Corp® since 2021 and named ‘Agency of the Year’ at both The Lovies and The Webby Awards.
• Awesome clients. Whether big or small, local or global — at DEPT® you’ll get the opportunity to work with clients of all sizes and across all industries. And we celebrate all of our successes together!
• The opportunity for possibility. We want to enable you to do what you do best and help you develop your skills further with training, development and certifications.
• Global annual DEPT® Cares Month in which employees come together and donate their skills to support local charities.

The anticipated annual salary range for this position is $160-170 CAD. Salary is based on relevant experience, expertise, and organizational impact.

AI Disclosure: At DEPT®, we use AI-assisted technology (Metaview) to capture notes and summarize interview conversations, so our interviewers can stay fully focused. Using the AI is optional, just let us know if you’d prefer it not be used.

This posting reflects an existing vacancy at DEPT®.

WHY DEPT®?

We are a Growth Invention company built to help the world’s most ambitious brands grow faster. Operating at the intersection of technology and marketing, we create what is next by pioneering ideas, acting fast, and moving further because standing still just is not in our DNA.

We are drawn to people who stay curious, move with intent, and never stop inventing. Our culture runs on three values: better together, relentlessly curious, and get sh*t done. It is how we work, how we grow, and how we make things that matter.

At DEPT®, you will find the freedom to explore, the space to collaborate, and the trust to make a real impact for our clients, for each other, and for the world we are helping to build.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

At DEPT®, we take pride in creating an inclusive workplace where everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive. We actively seek to recruit, develop, nurture, and retain talented individuals from diverse backgrounds, with varying skills and perspectives.

Not sure you meet all qualifications? Apply, and let us decide! Research shows that women and members of underrepresented groups tend not to apply for jobs when they think they may not meet every requirement, when in fact they do. We believe in giving everyone a fair chance to shine.

We also encourage you to reach out to us and discuss any reasonable adjustments we can make to support you throughout the recruitment process and your time with us.

Want to know more about our dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion? Check out our efforts here.