Director, Performance Creative Strategy

twentysix; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

twentysix is seeking a Lead Clients & Creative Strategy to own strategic partnerships and drive performance across key accounts. You will guide creative strategy, present insights to senior stakeholders, and lead a small team to deliver measurable business results.

You will also shape new business efforts, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and champion AI-enabled approaches to improve workflows and outcomes.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in an advertising, creative, or digital marketing agency with 5+ years leading Performance Creative for paid media clients.
• Proven success leading and developing high-performing teams, including coaching senior-level talent.
• Deep expertise in Performance Creative across Meta, TikTok, YouTube, Amazon, Programmatic, Display, and emerging paid media channels.
• Track record translating performance insights into scalable creative strategies, testing frameworks, and measurable learnings.
• Experience leading senior client relationships, facilitating executive presentations, and serving as a trusted strategic advisor.
• Confidence leading new business efforts, including RFP strategy, in-person pitches, and cross-functional proposal development.
• Strong operational and business acumen, with experience contributing to staffing plans, scopes of work, resource planning, and department growth.
• Collaborative leadership style with ability to influence across disciplines and build partnerships with Media, Client Services, Strategy, Production, and Operations.
• Practical experience applying AI and emerging technologies to improve creative strategy, workflows, and team efficiency.
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to bring clarity to complex challenges.
• A builder's mindset; you enjoy creating better systems, developing people, and continuously evolving how great Performance Creative gets done.

Responsibilities

• Lead Clients & Creative Strategy across a portfolio of key client accounts, driving measurable business results.
• Own the health and growth of your team's book of business, balancing creative performance and client satisfaction.
• Present creative strategy and insights to senior client stakeholders with confidence.
• Step into complex client situations, providing strategic leadership to grow partnerships.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Client relationship management

Performance Creative

AI adoption

Creative strategy

Team coaching

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Problem solving

Job description

You Will Be

Lead Clients & Creative Strategy

• Serve as a senior strategic partner across a portfolio of key client accounts, ensuring creative strategy drives measurable business results.

• Own the health and success of your team's book of business, balancing creative performance, client satisfaction, and long-term growth.

• Present creative strategy, performance insights, and recommendations to senior client stakeholders with confidence and clarity.

• Step into complex client situations, providing strategic leadership and identifying opportunities to grow existing partnerships.

Lead & Develop the Team

• Manage a team of approximately 2–5 direct reports, including Associate Directors and Managers.

• Coach leaders to strengthen strategic thinking, creative judgment, client leadership, and performance marketing expertise.

• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning while empowering teams to take ownership of their work.

• Guide staffing decisions, team capacity, and resource planning to ensure the right talent is aligned to the right opportunities.

Help Grow the Business

• Lead the Performance Creative workstream for new business opportunities, including RFPs, pitch strategy, presentations, and in-person meetings.

• Partner across Media, Strategy, UGC/INF, Client Services, Design Production, and Operations to develop differentiated creative solutions for new and existing clients.

• Help shape the evolution of the Performance Creative practice by improving processes, testing frameworks, department standards, and ways of working.

• Champion the adoption of AI and emerging technologies to strengthen creative strategy, production workflows, and operational efficiency.

• Contribute to department planning, resource allocation, and operational decisions that support the continued growth of the Performance Creative team.

You Must Have

• 7+ years of experience in an advertising, creative, or digital marketing agency, including 5+ years leading Performance Creative for paid media clients.

• Proven success leading and developing high-performing teams, including coaching senior-level talent.

• Deep expertise in Performance Creative across Meta, TikTok, YouTube, Amazon, Programmatic, Display, and emerging paid media channels.

• A track record of translating performance insights into scalable creative strategies, testing frameworks, and measurable creative learnings.

• Experience leading senior client relationships, facilitating executive presentations, and serving as a trusted strategic advisor.

• Confidence leading new business efforts, including RFP strategy, in-person pitches, and cross-functional proposal development.

• Strong operational and business acumen, with experience contributing to staffing plans, scopes of work, resource planning, and department growth.

• A collaborative leadership style with the ability to influence across disciplines and build strong partnerships with Media, Client Services, Strategy, Production, and Operations.

• Practical experience applying AI and emerging technologies to improve creative strategy, workflows, and team efficiency.

• Exceptional communication, presentation, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to bring clarity to complex challenges.

• A builder's mindset; you enjoy creating better systems, developing people, and continuously evolving how great Performance Creative gets done.