Director; Prototyping Client Operations

Kaleidoscope•Chicago, IL

4h•$90,000 - $100,000

About The Position

About This Role at Kaleidoscope: At Kaleidoscope, our work is grounded in four core pillars: People First We build strong internal partnerships and long-term client relationships Client Services plays a central role in fostering trust, collaboration, and accountability across Sales, Production, and Design Financial Success Client Services is responsible for accurate scope definition, estimate integrity, and protecting profitability while supporting revenue expansion What We Do Best We set the benchmark for creativity and execution in packaging and prototyping Client Services ensures client expectations are clearly translated into executable production plans Learning & Development We promote continuous improvement in our processes, tools, and team capabilities This role contributes to improving workflow efficiency, reducing rework, and elevating service standards across the organization Role Summary The Client Services Director – Prototyping leads the Prototyping Client Services team and is responsible for client relationship management, estimate creation, operational execution, and margin performance within the Prototyping division This role manages Prototyping CSMs and the Client Operations Manager while personally servicing key accounts. The Manager and all Prototyping CSMs serve as the primary liaison between clients and Production and act as strategic partners to Client Growth Managers (CGMs) The position balances revenue growth with margin protection and production feasibility, ensuring all client commitments are executable, documented, and profitable

Requirements

7+ years of experience in client services, estimating, or production-driven environments
3+ years of leadership experience
Demonstrated experience building detailed production-based estimates
Strong financial literacy and margin management capability
Ability to manage high-volume, deadline-driven workflows
Willingness to travel for client meetings and business development activities

Nice To Haves

Experience in prototyping, packaging, manufacturing, or fast-turn production preferred

Responsibilities

Department Leadership:
Lead, coach, and manage Prototyping CSMs and the Client Operations Manager
Establish clear performance standards and measurable KPIs
Conduct regular 1:1 meetings, quarterly check-ins, and annual reviews
Ensure consistent adherence to SOPs, workflow systems, and documentation standards
Address performance issues and capability gaps promptly
Support hiring and onboarding as business needs evolve
Estimate Creation & Pricing Accountability:
The Client Services Manager and all Prototyping CSMs are responsible for creating accurate, production-based estimates that are provided to CGMs for client presentation
Responsibilities include:
Defining and documenting scope before pricing
Confirming feasibility with Production prior to finalizing estimates
Building estimates that account for labor, materials, complexity, and risk
Protecting target margins while remaining competitive
Updating estimates when scope changes occur
Capturing and documenting change orders for billing
Ensuring alignment between estimate, production execution, and final invoicing
The Director ensures consistency, pricing discipline, and margin protection across all estimates
Liaison Between Clients & Production:
The Client Services Manager and all CSMs serve as the primary bridge between clients and Prototyping Production
Responsibilities include:
Translating client objectives into clear production requirements
Communicating feasibility, cost, and timeline realities to clients and CGMs
Confirming scope clarity before work enters production
Managing expectation resets when constraints arise
Escalating risks early to prevent delays or margin erosion
Reducing rework through structured intake and documentation
The Director serves as escalation point for complex or high-risk projects
Partnership with Client Growth Managers (CGMs):
Operate as an extension of CGMs to support account growth
Participate in client meetings, business reviews, and travel as required
Provide operational input during opportunity scoping
Ensure commitments made during sales discussions are realistic and profitable
Maintain shared accountability for account revenue and retention
Direct Client Management:
Personally manage a portfolio of key or strategic Prototyping accounts
Maintain strong client relationships through proactive communication
Serve as senior escalation contact when needed
Model disciplined client management for the team
Financial & Performance Accountability:
Accountable for:
Estimate accuracy and margin realization
Account-level profitability
Revenue growth (in partnership with CGMs)
On-time delivery
Reduction in rework and scope creep
Accurate scope change capture
Forecast visibility and reliability
Team performance and development
Quality Control Oversight:
Establish and enforce quality control standards across all Prototyping client projects to ensure deliverables meet defined scope, production specifications, and client expectations
Conduct structured quality reviews in collaboration with Production and Client Services to confirm accuracy prior to release or shipment
Implement preventative controls to reduce rework, margin erosion, and scope misalignment
Monitor quality performance metrics and address recurring issues through process refinement and accountability
Ensure documentation standards support traceability, change management, and audit readiness