EVP, Client Leadership

Dentsu Aegis Network Ltd.; Chicago, Northern (IL, KY); Hybrid; USD 206,000 - 300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, vision, dental insurance

Life insurance

Disability insurance (short/long term)

401k

Flexible PTO

15+ paid holidays per year

Paid sick and safe leave

Paid parental leave

Job summary

Dentsu Creative in Chicago seeks an EVP of Client Leadership to guide a major home improvement retailer and grow a broad client portfolio. You will shape strategic direction, enable operational excellence, and lead a senior team in a fast-paced retail environment.

The role emphasizes executive presence, growth, and collaboration across marketing disciplines. The position reports to the US Chief Client Officer and commands a base salary range of $206,000 to $300,000 with discretionary incentive

Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressive leadership in an agency or complex client services.
• Proven success leading large accounts and multi-disciplinary teams at EVP/SVP level.
• Deep retail marketing experience with a major national retailer.
• Track record building C-suite relationships and organic growth.
• Experience overseeing significant account P&L with forecasting and staffing.
• Strong integrated marketing acumen across channels and formats.
• Working knowledge of AI and modern marketing tools with governance.

Responsibilities

• Own the senior agency relationship with a large home improvement retailer and cultivate executive partnerships.
• Provide executive oversight for a double-digit portfolio with revenue and profitability accountability.
• Connect brand marketing with retail activation across paid, owned, and earned channels.
• Identify opportunities to modernize marketing capabilities and innovate with AI.
• Lead and develop a six-person account team, building a high‑performing culture.

Skills

Executive leadership

Retail marketing

C-suite relationships

P&L management

Integrated marketing

Job description

Job Description

The EVP, Client Leadership will serve as the senior relationship and business lead for a large home improvement retailer, one of dentsu creative's most important retail partnerships, while overseeing a broader portfolio of business. This executive will be the face of the agency with senior client leadership and the internal leader accountable for strategic direction, operational excellence, team performance, organic growth, and the continued evolution of the partnership. This role calls for a proven agency leader who can thrive in a fast-moving retail environment, build trusted C-suite relationships, and connect brand, promotional, seasonal, and culture-led marketing into a cohesive business agenda. With strong operational leadership already in place, the EVP will focus primarily on elevating the relationship, shaping the future vision, and introducing forward-looking opportunities across innovation, AI, and modern marketing practices. This role reports to the US Chief Client Officer.

Key Responsibilities

• Executive Client Leadership Own the senior agency relationship with a large home improvement retailer and cultivate trusted, influential partnerships across C-suite and executive client stakeholders. Serve as the senior strategic advisor on the client's business, retail landscape, competitive dynamics, consumer behavior, and evolving marketing priorities. Lead consequential client conversations, business reviews, and senior-level presentations with clarity, confidence, and a proactive point of view. Anticipate client needs, navigate leadership and organizational change, and strengthen dentsu creative's position as an indispensable business partner.


• Business, Portfolio and Growth Leadership Provide executive oversight for a double-digit portfolio, with accountability for revenue, profitability, forecasting, scope, and sustainable account health. Identify and convert organic growth opportunities across the client relationship and broader client portfolio. Partner with agency leadership on new business and adjacent growth opportunities where relevant. Balance client ambition with commercial discipline, ensuring the team delivers against business commitments while protecting the quality and value of the work.


• Integrated Marketing and Creative Partnership Connect brand marketing, high-volume promotional retail work, seasonal campaigns, retail-driven sales programming, and culture-led partnerships into a unified client agenda. Collaborate across creative, strategy, media, production, project management, finance, and other integrated partners to deliver effective, modern marketing solutions. Champion creative ambition while ensuring the work is grounded in the client's business goals, customer needs, brand strategy, and retail calendar. Can connect brand platform work to retail activation across paid media, owned channels, stores, e-commerce, CRM, social, partnerships and measurement - without treating those channels as separate programs. Bring a strong understanding of the broader marketing ecosystem beyond creative, including media, commerce, content, data, technology, and channel dynamics.


• Innovation, AI and Transformation Proactively identify opportunities to modernize the client's marketing capabilities, operating model, tools, and ways of working. Bring practical knowledge of AI and its application across marketing, content, insights, operations, and client solutions; translate emerging capabilities into responsible, business-relevant opportunities. Create a forward-looking innovation agenda that moves the partnership from reactive account management to proactive thought leadership. Partner with subject-matter experts to frame, test, and scale new ideas while maintaining appropriate governance, brand stewardship, and client trust.


• Team and Agency Leadership Lead, coach, and develop approximately six direct or closely aligned account team members, in partnership with established SVP-level leadership. Create clarity across roles, decision‑making, expectations, and ways of working in a highly matrixed, cross-disciplinary environment. Build an inclusive, high‑performing culture that values accountability, collaboration, candid feedback, and strong talent development. Operate as an enterprise‑minded agency leader who contributes to dentsu creative's culture, commercial priorities, and broader transformation agenda.

Required Experience and Capabilities

15+ years of progressive leadership experience in an agency, marketing, or similarly complex client‑services environment, including significant senior client leadership responsibility.

Demonstrated success leading large, complex accounts and multi‑disciplinary teams at the EVP, SVP, or comparable level.

Deep retail marketing experience, ideally supporting a major national retailer in a high‑volume, fast‑paced promotional environment.

A proven record of building C‑suite relationships, increasing executive influence, and creating organic growth through strong strategic partnership.

Experience overseeing a significant account P&L with fluency in forecasting, scope, staffing, margin, and investment decisions.

Strong integrated marketing acumen across creative, media, strategy, production, commerce, content, digital, social, television, out‑of‑home, and omnichannel experiences.

Working knowledge of AI, emerging technology, and modern marketing tools, with the judgment to identify practical use cases and guide responsible adoption.

Ability to lead through complexity and change while remaining hands‑on, decisive, and highly engaged with clients and teams.

Exceptional executive communication, presentation, negotiation, and stakeholder‑management skills.

The annual base salary range for this position is $206,000 - $300,000. Placement within the salary range is based on a variety of factors, including relevant experience, knowledge, skills, and other factors permitted by law. Additionally, this position is eligible for discretionary incentive compensation.

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.

Location: Chicago

Brand: Dentsu Creative

Time Type: Full time

Contract Type: Permanent

Dentsu is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees.

We do this without regard to race, color, national origin, sex , sexual orientation, gender identity, age, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, ancestry, physical or mental disability, marital status, political affiliation, religious practices and observances, citizenship status, genetic information, veteran status, or any other basis protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.

Dentsu is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to, among others, individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans.

If you need an accommodation because of a disability to search and apply for a career opportunity with us, please send an e-mail [e-mail] clicking on the link to let usknow the nature of your accommodation request and your contact information. We are here to support you.

About dentsu

For over 120 years, innovation has been a core tenet of our offering – exploring new ways to reach, engage and nurture relationships with audiences. Together we drive a multiplier effect for clients at a global scale, through the development of Integrated Growth Solutions that are underpinned by our promise to clients: innovating to impact. Be a force for good. Sustainability is a vital part of our business and an important area of focus for our clients. We’re leading the way – helping to build a more sustainable planet. Dream loud. In this moment of transformation, we need our people to be fearless, embracing change and ambiguity, driven by the love for their work and excitement for the future. Team without limits. We create opportunities for connection and collaboration between our colleagues and clients, building a sense of belonging and having some fun along the way.

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