Director, Growth & Alliances

dentsu; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 100,000 - 132,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, vision, and dental insurance

Life insurance

Disability insurance

401k

Flexible paid time off

At least 15 paid holidays per year

Paid sick and safe leave

Paid parental leave

Job summary

Dentsu Creative in Chicago is seeking a Director, Growth and Alliances to lead new business efforts, guide pitch processes, and articulate performance-driven capabilities across paid media, CRM, AI, and data platforms.

You will work with existing client partners and potential new engagements, coordinating with senior leadership to craft compelling proposals and ROI-focused presentations. This role blends leadership with hands-on strategy in a fast-paced agency setting.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in New Business within a recognized media or creative agency.
• 6+ years of experience managing the pitch process across multiple industry categories.
• Proven experience leading and coaching teams through complex pitch processes and new business initiatives.
• Hands-on experience with performance creative platforms and tools, including paid media, CRM strategies, DCO, AI-driven creative production, and programmatic buying.
• Strong data literacy: comfortable interpreting performance metrics, conversion analytics, and attribution models to brief teams and inform strategy.
• Strategic perspective on how creative choices (format, messaging, personalization, creative testing) directly impact conversion and business results in performance channels.
• Experience with the marketing function, including what drives CMO/Director-level decisions, and ability to apply team goals into a compelling agency story and win strategy.
• Demonstrated talent for abstract thinking, spotting trends and patterns, curiosity and insight into human behavior, instinct for pop culture, and a nuanced understanding of creative and media-driven work.
• Proven ability to articulate why performance creative matters to clients—how it connects to their business goals, not just to tactics.

Responsibilities

• Manage all new business activity and participate in growth planning and follow-up.
• Assist in developing revenue growth strategy with emphasis on new clients and performance-driven offerings.
• Coordinate with the pitch team and departments to complete new business tasks on time.
• Lead development of RFP responses with ability to articulate performance creative capabilities across paid media, CRM, DCO, AI solutions, and programmatic tools.
• Maintain agency credentials, case studies, and biographies for RFPs and presentations; refresh content to highlight relevant work.
• Lead a process that moves teams to strong, strategic presentations grounded in conversion and ROI.
• Bring creativity and inspiration to the team while maintaining focus on performance metrics.
• Gather client and competitive background to brief pitch teams and build winning strategies.
• Prepare consulting agreements, NDAs, and new business proposals.

Skills

New business leadership

Pitch process management

Team coaching

Data-driven decision making

Strategic thinking

Executive communication

Tools

Paid media platforms

CRM strategies

Dynamic Creative Optimization

AI-driven creative production

Programmatic buying

Job description

Job Description

The Director, Growth and Alliances supports the Creative Practice Area with a focus on performance creative, and facilitates the pitch processes within business. You bring deep expertise in how paid media, CRM, AI tools, and data platforms work together to drive measurable results and conversion.

Job Description

The Director, Growth and Alliances supports the Creative Practice Area with a focus on performance creative, and facilitates the pitch processes within business. You bring deep expertise in how paid media, CRM, AI tools, and data platforms work together to drive measurable results and conversion.

You will be working with both existing client partners and brands but will also respond to and identify new client engagement opportunities. This role routinely interfaces with VP, SVP, and C-Level Dentsu leadership as well as high-level client executives.

You will report to our EVP, Growth and Alliances.

This role is a great opportunity for someone who loves bringing people together by overseeing the pitch process through problem-solving and coaching/motivating teams.

Responsibilities

• You will manage all new business activity, participating wherever appropriate in the planning and follow-up of growth efforts and projects
• You will assist in the development of a revenue growth strategy, with emphasis on new clients and performance-driven creative offerings
• You will work with the pitch team and all departments to ensure aspects of the new business effort are completed according to process, schedule and expectation
• You will lead the development of RFP responses, in partnership with the new business team and agency leaders, with ability to articulate performance creative capabilities across paid media, CRM, dynamic creative optimization, AI creative solutions, and programmatic tools
• You will maintain agency credentials, case studies, and biographies for RFPs and presentations, and author refresh content to ensure the most relevant performance creative work and results are highlighted
• Lead a process that moves teams to strong, strategic presentations grounded in conversion and ROI
• Bring creativity and inspiration to the team while maintaining focus on performance metrics and measurable outcomes
• Gather potential client and competitive background information to help brief pitch teams and build winning pitch strategies, with particular attention to client marketing technology and performance goals
• Prepare consulting agreements, non-disclosure agreements, and new business proposals

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in New Business within a recognized media or creative agency
• 6+ years of experience managing the pitch process across multiple industry categories
• Proven experience leading and coaching teams through complex pitch processes and new business initiatives
• Hands-on experience with performance creative platforms and tools, including paid media, CRM strategies, dynamic creative optimization (DCO), AI-driven creative production, and programmatic buying
• Strong data literacy: comfortable interpreting performance metrics, conversion analytics, and attribution models to brief teams and inform strategy
• Strategic perspective on how creative choices (format, messaging, personalization, creative testing) directly impact conversion and business results in performance channels
• Experience with the marketing function, including what drives CMO/Director-level decisions, and ability to apply team goals into a compelling agency story and win strategy
• Demonstrated talent for abstract thinking, spotting trends and patterns, curiosity and insight into human behavior, instinct for pop culture, and a nuanced understanding of creative and media-driven work
• Proven ability to articulate why performance creative matters to clients—how it connects to their business goals, not just to tactics

Additional Information

At dentsu, we believe great work happens when we’re connected. Our way of working combines flexibility with in-person collaboration to spark ideas and strengthen our teams. Employees who live within a commutable distance of one of our hub offices, currently located in Chicago, metro Detroit, Los Angeles, and New York City, are required and expected to work from the office three days per week (two days per week for employees based in Los Angeles and Detroit). Dentsu may designate other Hub offices at any time. Those who live outside a commutable range may be designated as remote, depending on the role and business needs. Regardless of your work location, we expect our employees to be flexible to meet the needs of our Company and clients, which may include attendance in an office.

The annual salary range for this position is $99,500-$132,000. Placement within the salary range is based on a variety of factors, including relevant experience, knowledge, skills, and other factors permitted by law.

Benefits available with this position include:

• Medical, vision, and dental insurance,
• Life insurance,
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance,
• 401k,
• Flexible paid time off,
• At least 15 paid holidays per year,
• Paid sick and safe leave,
• Paid parental leave.

Dentsu also complies with applicable state and local laws regarding employee leave benefits, including, but not limited to providing time off pursuant to the Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act, in accordance with its plans and policies. For further details regarding Dentsu benefits, please visit www.dentsubenefitsplus.com.

Location

Chicago

Brand

Dentsu Creative

Time Type

Full time

Contract Type

Permanent

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