Dentsu Creative, Americas COO

Company Description

Part of Dentsu International, Dentsu Creative is a Global Creative Network that transforms brands and businesses through the power of Modern Creativity. Led by Global Chief Creative Officer Fred Levron, 9,000 experts across the globe work seamlessly together to deliver ideas that Create Culture, Shape Society and Invent the Future. Dentsu Creative was launched in June 2022 to address a client need for simplicity and will be Dentsu International’s sole creative network by the end of 2022. 

Job Description

The COO for Dentsu Creative US is an instrumental role responsible to architecting and executing the roadmap to deliver on the US business strategy as well as the Global Dentsu Creative vision.

This means the COO must (a) Be the liaison between the Client leads, Department Leads and Practice leads to ensure we are building the most appropriate and progressive solutions for our clients, (b) Partner with the Chief Strategy Officer to develop plans around key capabilities to ensure they are fit for purpose and in line with our strategic vision for Dentsu Creative US, and (c) Be a business partner to the CEO and CFO in ensuring that we are delivering in accordance with our financial plan.

Specific areas of responsibility

1. Transformation to ensure we are delivering on Modern Creativity

In partnership with the Global COO of DC, develop a transformation roadmap that is aligned with the priorities of Dentsu Creative. Actively lead /supervise the initiatives on the roadmap to ensure their successful completion.

Examples of creative transformation:

• Modern Creativity. Input into the design of global and regional initiatives and ensure implementation of global ways of working (Creative Brief, Creative Scale, end-to-end Creative Excellence Process)
• Production Transformation. Lead the development of progressive and distributed approach to production that creates a competitive advantage for Dentsu Creative
• Capabilities. Partner with Business Strategy Officer and Practice/Capability leaders to continually assess, upgrade and expand our capabilities in accordance with our Strategic Plan.
• Growth. Partner with the Chief Growth Officer to design a process around growth that is nimble, fit for purpose and effective.
• Business Transformation. Partner with the Americas COO and Global DC COO on business transformation activies such as brand optimization, legal entity rationalization, iERP implementation, Lead to Cash processes and best practices.

2. Client Operations & Delivery Excellence

• Leadership. Oversee SVP of Client Operations and Deliver Excellence. This team is made up of the Client Operations, Project Management, and Production and Delivery Excellence Teams. This team must ensure that we are constructing the best solutions for our clients and manage the process to ensure we are delivering flawlessly.
• Progressive Solutioning. Ensure all SOWs and LOEs (staff plans) are seeking:
  • Progressive and strategic approaches to staff plan construction and pricing.
  • Costs are in line with the requested deliverables and our SOW has the right guardrails to ensure we can control for scope creep.
  • Ensure that all proposals are in line with our Gross Margin targets
• Financial Management. Ensure Project Management team is reviewing project pacing such that we stay on plan. Coach Project Management teams where needed so that they can address any challenges.
• KPIs
  • Project Pacing: are project actuals in line with our ODE (Original Deal Economics)
  • Client Satisfaction: clients see PM as a key part of success and are happy to pay for them and engage with them
  • Internal satisfaction: when there is a challenge, PM is the first call

3. Resource Management

• Leadership.  Oversee SVP of Resource Management. Our goal is to have a Resource Management team that is equally savvy when it comes to casting the right people on the right work, as well as continuously optimizing our deployment of resources such that we are operating a financially healthy business.
• Proactive approach to managing staffing demands. Work with Resource Management leads to ensure we are being proactive about changes to staffing demand. This includes planning in advance for and quickly responding to business contraction, business expansion, change/evolution in skill set needs.
• Continuous improvement of our Cost to Serve. Responsible for ensuring that we are continuously optimizing our use of resources. Specifically:
  • Monit