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Group Director, Client Partner - AI

San Francisco, CA, San Jose, CA, Los Angeles, CA, Portland, OR, Seattle, WA, Salt Lake City, UT, Austin, TX

WHY DEPT®?

We are a Growth Invention company built to help the world’s most ambitious brands grow faster. Operating at the intersection of technology and marketing, we create what is next by pioneering ideas, acting fast, and moving further because standing still just is not in our DNA.

We are drawn to people who stay curious, move with intent, and never stop inventing. Our culture runs on three values: better together, relentlessly curious, and get sh*t done. It is how we work, how we grow, and how we make things that matter.

At DEPT®, you will find the freedom to explore, the space to collaborate, and the trust to make a real impact for our clients, for each other, and for the world we are helping to build.

THE ROLE:

We are looking for a Group Director, Client Partner to serve as the strategic US Anchor for one of our most critical enterprise accounts, with the opportunity to expand to other clients. 

You will lead the client relationship for an important AI Acceleration program, serving as the primary bridge between eBay’s West Coast leadership and our expert engineering & consultancy teams in EMEA.

This is not a technical delivery role; it is a strategic leadership role. We don’t need you to code the AI; we need you to navigate the organization, build trust with VPs, and translate complex technical outputs into business value. You will ensure that our rapid engineering delivery lands effectively with stakeholders, unblocks political hurdles, and turns a pilot program into a long-term partnership.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

Client Partnership & Strategic Navigation

  • The Trusted Advisor: Build and maintain deep relationships with key stakeholders (Marketing, MarTech, Core AI) in the US Pacific Time Zone. You will be the face of the program, ensuring DEPT® is viewed as a strategic transformation partner, not just an execution vendor.
  • Stakeholder Mapping: Actively identify and navigate emerging blockers or political sensitivities within the client organization (e.g., aligning Marketing goals with IT/InfoSec constraints) to protect delivery timelines.
  • Business Translation: Translate complex technical concepts from our EMEA engineering teams into clear, commercial language for client leadership. Conversely, translate vague marketing desires into actionable direction for our delivery teams.

The Global Bridge (Operational Leadership)

  • Transatlantic Orchestration: You are the connective tissue between the US and EMEA. You will capture feedback and decisions during the US workday and translate them into clear briefs for the EMEA team before their day starts.
  • Autonomy & Decision Making: You will need to make calculated calls to keep the project moving while the delivery team is offline, protecting the team from chaotic scope creep while ensuring client responsiveness.
  • Blocker Removal: Take ownership of US centric operational hurdles (e.g., securing IT access, chasing legal approvals, budget codes) that often stall remote engineering teams.
  • Workstream Connectivity: Work closely with wider teams across other service lines to share progress as well as identify new opportunities to deliver Data / AI programmes and applications, solving challenges and building growth opportunities outside of the main AI acceleration work streams. 

Commercial Growth & Program Steering

  • Drive Adoption: Ensure the AI accelerators and tools we build are actually adopted by the client teams. You will gather live feedback and ensure efficiency metrics are tracked to prove value against the clients business objectives.
  • Future Growth: Partner with the Growth Director to prepare the groundwork for future opportunity growth. You will identify adjacent opportunities within eBay where our data/AI solutions can solve problems, helping to secure the long term roadmap.

WHAT YOU BRING:

  • Senior Client Leadership: 12+ years of experience in Client Services or Account Management within a digital agency or consultancy environment. You have a track record of managing large, complex enterprise accounts.
  • Tech Fluent, Not Tech Heavy: You do not need to be an AI engineer, but you must have experience managing technical or platform build projects (e.g., MarTech, Web Builds, Digital Transformation). You need to be comfortable speaking the language of engineers and translating it for marketers.
  • Diplomatic Agility: You have high EQ and political savvy. You can read the room, manage conflicting stakeholder demands, and push back on clients constructively to protect the work and the team.
  • Operational Resilience: You are organized and calm under pressure. You can manage your own workload autonomously and act as a stabilizing force between two time zones.
  • Proactive Problem Solver: You don’t wait for permission to unblock a project. You can galvanize internal teams and client stakeholders to resolve challenges swiftly.

WHAT DO WE OFFER?

We are a collaborative, open-door, best-idea-wins environment that fosters personal and company growth and has fun doing it. Here is a snapshot of our  benefits package:

  • Healthcare, Dental, and Vision coverage
  • 401k plan, plus matching
  • PTO
  • Paid Company Holidays
  • Parental Leave

WE SUPPORT YOU BEING YOU: 

DEPT® is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). We believe our work is its best when our people feel safe and free to be themselves. We’re committed to an inclusive and barrier-free recruitment and selection process and workplace, regardless of anyone’s identity, background, beliefs, lifestyle or disabilities. So tell us about any accommodations you need. It’s totally confidential and only used to make sure you feel fully supported at every step. 

DEPT® participates in E-Verify, meaning your Form I-9 information will be sent to the federal government to confirm you are authorized to work in the U.S. 

We are a B Corp-certified company passionate about purpose-driven work.  Our hope is that you can feel good about the contributions DEPT® is making to the world and we always have an open door for your ideas in making the world a better place. 

DEPT® is a Growth Invention company built to help the world’s most ambitious brands grow faster. Operating at the intersection of technology and marketing, our 4,000+ specialists deliver growth invention across Brand & Media, Experience, Commerce, CRM, and Technology & Data. We’re 50|50 tech and marketing, partner-led, and first to move. Clients include Google, Lufthansa, Coach, eBay, and OpenAI.

Learn more about DEPT®

 

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & INCLUSION

At DEPT®, we take pride in creating an inclusive workplace where everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive. We actively seek to recruit, develop, nurture, and retain talented individuals from diverse backgrounds, with varying skills and perspectives.

Not sure you meet all qualifications? Apply, and let us decide! Research shows that women and members of underrepresented groups tend not to apply for jobs when they think they may not meet every requirement, when in fact they do. We believe in giving everyone a fair chance to shine. 

We also encourage you  to reach out to us and discuss any reasonable adjustments we can make to support you throughout the recruitment process and your time with us.

Want to know more about our dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion? Check out our efforts here.

#LI-Remote

The anticipated salary range for this position is listed below. Salary is based on a range of factors that include relevant experience, expertise, physical location, and organizational impact. This is based on a 40-hour workweek and leveling. Keep in mind, we’re flexible.

US Remote Range

$150,000 - $200,000 USD

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