EVP, US Resource Management

Merkle Italia; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 197,000 - 229,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Vision insurance

Dental insurance

Life insurance

Disability insurance

401k

Flexible PTO

Paid holidays

Sick leave

Parental leave

Job summary

Amplifi, part of Dentsu, is seeking an EVP, Resource Management to lead workforce planning, capacity forecasting, and staffing strategy across the NA region. You will own utilization, headcount planning, and engagement with Finance, HR and leadership to align funded scope with delivery needs.

You will drive talent taxonomy, title realignment, and governance while managing contingent and onshore/offshore staffing.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience in a resource management or people operations role.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with strong conflict resolution and problem-solving ability.
• Analytical and experienced in using data to identify trends, opportunities and challenges.
• Proficient in basic Office software and programs, with some familiarity with project and resource management systems.

Responsibilities

• Own Amplifi workforce planning, converting demand from pitches, renewals and expansions into a rolling capacity forecast by capability, level and location, including scenarios for wins, losses and in-year scope changes.
• Translate forecasts into hiring and annual resource plans, co-own in-year reforecasting with Finance, and lift gaps between funded scope and planned capacity before they affect delivery.
• Lead title realignment with Talent/HR and leadership, resolve anomalies, and manage sequencing and communications.
• Set and govern utilization, billability and allocation targets, and run the standard reporting, breach review and bench-management cadence.
• Represent Amplifi on the North America resource approval governing body, ensuring positions, backfills, contingent engagements and off-standard team shapes follow one approval chain with Finance and Talent/HR.
• Co-own client team design and redesign with capability and client leads, including role mix, level pyramid and onshore/offshore split; co-own the scope-to-staffing method with Client Operations.
• Operate assessment and calibration with Talent/HR; co-own raises and promotions through the governing body against taxonomy, level standards, pyramid shape, cost per head and funded scope; and enable mobility across Amplifi, Carat, dentsuX and iProspect.
• Own the knowledge, skills and abilities framework, skills inventory and gap analysis for Amplifi disciplines, including emerging media, technology, AI and automation capabilities.
• Own contingent and partner workforce policy, approvals, supplier and rate discipline, cost and duration tracking, and conversion of sustained roles; own cost per head, pyramid shape, margin modeling and the resource cost improvement pipeline, including onshore/offshore cost delta.
• Represent Amplifi in the shoring model, including saturation targets, offshore capacity in the forecast and the interlock with Shoring Operations; support models that improve delivery efficiency and staffing cost structure.
• Act as Amplifi product owner for workforce planning technology, accountable for adoption, data quality and requirements into Data & Technology.

Skills

Resource management

People operations

Data analysis

Stakeholder management

Communication

Office software

Leadership

Conflict resolution

Confidentiality

Tools

Resource management systems

Job description

ROLE OVERVIEW The EVP, Resource Management, Amplifi is accountable for the forward view of Amplifi's workforce and the discipline that turns it into decisions: what capacity is needed, in what shape, at what cost, deployed to whom, progressed how and against which funded scope. Covering Investment and Activation across the Amplifi portfolio, this role partners directly with Brand Resource Management leads and establishes a consistent approach across talent taxonomy and titles, utilization and allocation, approvals, account and pitch staffing, assessment, progression, managed departures and workforce reporting. This senior operator must be fluent in capacity, cost and pyramid shape; credible with client and commercial leaders; trusted on people decisions; and willing to hold an unpopular line when the plan and the promise do not match. The role sits within centralized Operations, with a hard line into the NA COO and a dotted line into Amplifi leadership. 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). 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.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Own Amplifi workforce planning, converting demand from pitches, renewals and expansions into a rolling capacity forecast by capability, level and location, including scenarios for wins, losses and in-year scope changes.
• Translate forecasts into hiring and annual resource plans, co‑own in‑year reforecasting with Finance, and lift gaps between funded scope and planned capacity before they affect delivery.

Talent taxonomy and title realignment

• Apply the North America talent taxonomy, levels, role definitions and billability categories across Amplifi; lead title realignment with Talent/HR and leadership, resolve anomalies, and manage sequencing and communications.
• Maintain target pyramid shape by capability and workforce data that aggregates cleanly into the practice‑level view.

Resource utilization and allocation

• Set and govern utilization, billability and allocation targets, and run the standard reporting, breach review and bench‑management cadence.
• Own the single workforce view across headcount, billability, utilization, allocation, open positions and contingent usage, using funding and capacity data to optimize allocation across client delivery and growth.

Governing body for approvals

• Represent Amplifi on the North America resource approval governing body, ensuring positions, backfills, contingent engagements and off‑standard team shapes follow one approval chain with Finance and Talent/HR.
• Chair Amplifi team and talent management meetings, prepare the Amplifi position for practice‑level forums, record decisions and ensure they are implemented locally.

Team design, account and pitch staffing

• Co‑own client team design and redesign with capability and client leads, including role mix, level pyramid and onshore/offshore split; co‑own the scope‑to‑staffing method with Client Operations.
• Own pitch and account staffing, capacity protection and assignment matching, testing Amplifi Solutions and P&P as the first‑line response before adding resource.

Talent mobility, assessment, progression and managed departures

• Operate assessment and calibration with Talent/HR; co‑own raises and promotions through the governing body against taxonomy, level standards, pyramid shape, cost per head and funded scope; and enable mobility across Amplifi, Carat, dentsuX and iProspect.
• Lead redeployment before headcount reduction, manage departures with Talent/HR and Legal, and operate the career advocate model so deployment and progression decisions include development intent.

Discipline KSA development

• Own the knowledge, skills and abilities framework, skills inventory and gap analysis for Amplifi disciplines, including emerging media, technology, AI and automation capabilities.
• Set the capability development agenda, commission delivery through Talent, Craft/Capability and Marketplace training routes, and assess and report capability maturity against forecast demand.

Contingent workforce, resource cost and commercial support

• Own contingent and partner workforce policy, approvals, supplier and rate discipline, cost and duration tracking, and conversion of sustained roles; own cost per head, pyramid shape, margin modeling and the resource cost improvement pipeline, including onshore/offshore cost delta.
• Partner with Commercial Leads on Statements of Work, pricing and talent plans, supply Client Operations with staffing‑to‑plan insights, and lead remediation when staffing is the root cause of account health issues.

Shoring interlock and workforce planning technology

• Represent Amplifi in the shoring model, including saturation targets, offshore capacity in the forecast and the interlock with Shoring Operations; support models that improve delivery efficiency and staffing cost structure.
• Act as Amplifi product owner for workforce planning technology, accountable for adoption, data quality and requirements into Data & Technology.

QUALIFICATIONS

• 12+ years of experience in a resource management or people operations role.
• Highly organized, proactive and effective at time management in a fast‑paced environment; calm under pressure while managing tight deadlines and multiple large and small priorities.
• Trusted advisor with a successful track record of building and maintaining strong relationships at all organizational levels; comfortable being accountable to multiple stakeholders.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with strong conflict resolution and problem‑solving ability.
• Analytical and experienced in using data to identify trends, opportunities and challenges.
• Self‑motivated, resourceful, detail‑oriented, and eager and quick to learn new responsibilities with confidence.
• Proficient in basic Office software and programs, with some familiarity with project and resource management systems.
• Proven ability to partner closely with colleagues across disciplines, geographies and levels.
• Ability to handle sensitive situations, information and conversations with professionalism and confidentiality.

The annual base salary range for this position is $197,225-$228,750. 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.

• 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, and
• 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 more information regarding dentsu benefits, please visit www.dentsubenefitsplus.com.

Location: Chicago Brand: Amplifi 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 to [e-mail] by clicking on the link to let us know 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. Find out more about us Who we are Our Social Impact Our work