Managing Director, Client Business Lead

Ladders; New York (NY); On-site; USD 259,000 - 370,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Access to senior leadership

Cross-disciplinary team

Transformation initiative exposure

Job summary

Ladders is seeking a Managing Director, Client Business Lead to join our team in New York. This senior strategic role serves as the primary partner to a major client relationship, guiding leadership conversations and aligning priorities across ten lines of business.

The role drives integrated marketing strategy, supports transformation efforts, and helps shape operating model improvements that strengthen decision‑making and execution.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of senior leadership experience in agency or marketing services.
• Proven track record of advising CMOs and managing strategic client relationships.
• Strong understanding of financial services marketing, including compliance.
• Experience leading integrated teams across multiple agencies and disciplines.
• Demonstrated ability to redesign operating models and implement data-driven capabilities for improved efficiency.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary business partner and advisor to client CMOs across 10 lines of business
• Build strong relationships with senior stakeholders and provide informed counsel on strategic decisions
• Set clear client strategies and annual priorities, translating them into actionable plans and measurable outcomes
• Lead integrated strategies across brand, performance, and customer engagement, leveraging various capabilities
• Drive transformation by aligning stakeholders around new capabilities and effective workflows
• Transform the agency operating model to enhance decision‑making and execution across all business lines
• Foster collaboration across the integrated agency team, prioritizing client outcomes over agency boundaries

Skills

Senior leadership

CMO advisory

Cross-functional

Marketing services

Financial services marketing

Data-driven

Operating model design

Agency leadership

Job description

For our client, we are seeking a Managing Director, Client Business Lead to join the team of a leader in the Business Services space.

This role will serve as a senior strategic partner across a major client relationship, with responsibility for guiding leadership conversations and aligning priorities across multiple lines of business. The position will drive integrated marketing strategy, support transformation efforts, and help shape operating model improvements that strengthen decision‑making and execution. The ideal candidate will bring strong client counsel, cross‑functional leadership, and the ability to connect brand, performance, and customer engagement initiatives to measurable outcomes.

Location: New York, NY - US based candidates only, no visa sponsorship available

Compensation: $259,000 – $370,000 annually

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary business partner and advisor to client CMOs across 10 lines of business
• Build strong relationships with senior stakeholders and provide informed counsel on strategic decisions
• Set clear client strategies and annual priorities, translating them into actionable plans and measurable outcomes
• Lead integrated strategies across brand, performance, and customer engagement, leveraging various capabilities
• Drive transformation by aligning stakeholders around new capabilities and effective workflows
• Transform the agency operating model to enhance decision‑making and execution across all business lines
• Foster collaboration across the integrated agency team, prioritizing client outcomes over agency boundaries

Qualifications

• 15+ years of senior leadership experience in agency or marketing services, preferably with financial services clients
• Proven track record of advising CMOs and managing strategic client relationships through periods of change
• Strong understanding of financial services marketing, including compliance and regulatory implications
• Experience leading integrated teams across multiple agencies and disciplines
• Demonstrated ability to redesign operating models and implement data-driven capabilities for improved efficiency

Benefits

• Opportunity to lead one of the company's largest and longest-standing client relationships
• Access to a multidisciplinary team with established senior leaders
• Engagement in a significant marketing transformation initiative
• Involvement in shaping the company's operating model and processesSupport for professional development and talent growth within a collaborative environment

Our client is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet every qualification—your background could be exactly what this team needs.