Director of Agency Operations

American Express•New York, NY

49d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Agency Operations is a critical leadership position within OnBrand, American Express' in-house creative agency. Reporting directly to the VP, Operations & Production, this role drives operational excellence, technology enablement, and workforce velocity to ensure OnBrand operates as a best-in-class creative partner to business units across the enterprise. This leader partners cross-functionally with Account Management, Strategy, Project Management, Creative, Engineering and Production teams to ensure efficient delivery, optimal capacity planning, and future-ready operations through innovation, data, and emerging technologies - including AI-driven process optimization and digital workflow automation.

Requirements

10+ years of experience in advertising or marketing operations within an agency or in-house creative environment.
Strong background in digital operations, technology strategy, and enablement.
Demonstrated experience implementing AI or automation tools to improve workflow efficiency and creative delivery.
Proven ability to lead capacity planning, resource forecasting, and velocity optimization for creative and production teams.
Financial acumen with experience managing operational budgets and vendor negotiations.
Advanced analytical and visualization skills (e.g., Power BI, Tableau).
Proficiency with project management and collaboration platforms (e.g., Workfront, Asana, Monday.com).
Exceptional communication and leadership skills; able to influence cross-functionally and drive adoption of change.

Responsibilities

Operational Leadership: Lead the end-to-end operational framework for OnBrand, ensuring scalability, efficiency, and alignment with enterprise goals.
Technology Strategy & Enablement: Drive the strategic adoption and optimization of technology platforms that enhance delivery speed, collaboration, and decision-making.
Partner with Technology, Data, and Digital Product teams to evaluate, implement, and enable new tools (including AI-based solutions) that improve creative and production workflows.
Develop and maintain a roadmap for platform enhancements that unlock operational efficiencies.
AI Integration: Champion the use of AI and automation to increase content production velocity, resource optimization, and data-driven insights.
Collaborate with data and analytics partners to operationalize AI for forecasting, resourcing, and workflow efficiency.
Capacity Velocity & Resource Management: Establish dynamic capacity planning models to optimize workload distribution and forecasting accuracy.
Oversee utilization reporting and staffing strategies to ensure agility and responsiveness to changing priorities.
Performance Reporting & Insights: Drive agency performance reporting and analytics - including KPIs such as utilization, pipeline tracking, forecasting, and budget adherence - translating data into actionable insights.
Ensure visualization of operational metrics that inform leadership decision-making.
Leadership & Team Development: Manage and mentor a team of Sr. Managers, Managers, and Analysts, fostering growth, innovation, and operational excellence.
Lead continuous learning initiatives that build technical and leadership capabilities within the agency.
Governance & Vendor Management: Oversee vendor relationships, equipment contracts, and compliance with financial and operational controls.
Ensure adherence to enterprise best practices and process governance standards.

Benefits

Competitive base salaries
Bonus incentives
6% Company Match on retirement savings plan
Free financial coaching and financial well-being support
Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and disability benefits
Flexible working model with hybrid, onsite or virtual arrangements depending on role and business need
20+ weeks paid parental leave for all parents, regardless of gender, offered for pregnancy, adoption or surrogacy
Free access to global on-site wellness centers staffed with nurses and doctors (depending on location)
Free and confidential counseling support through our Healthy Minds program
Career development and training opportunities