Head of Operations (Director or Sr Director)

AIP Connect•Toronto, ON

About The Position

Our client is a premier North American experiential marketing agency that brings bold ideas to life for world-class brands in the luxury hospitality, premium spirits, entertainment and diversified consumer goods. They specialize in large-scale activations, music festivals, and high-stakes VIP events that demand flawless execution. We are seeking a Head of Operations to be the operational backbone of the agency—to bridge the gap between creative vision and logistical reality. This is a leadership role designed for an internal systems-thinker who can scale processes, manage a multi-disciplinary team across North America and hold teams accountable for leveraging established SOPs. The ideal candidate is someone who can translate visionary ideas into actionable plans. You are likely a seasoned agency veteran who has lived through the organized chaos of 24/7 event cycles and is now passionate about building the infrastructure that prevents burnout. You are responsible for protecting profit margins by understanding the bill rates of both talent and vendors to sure that all projects are profitable. You don't just fix problems; you build the systems and lead teams to that ensure those problems don't happen. If you are an astute operations & delivery leader with agency experience, we want to hear to from you!

Requirements

10+ years in a senior role (Director of Ops, Head of Production, or VP) specifically within the Integrated marketing agency space.
Previous experiential marketing agency background is a huge asset but not mandatory.
A proven track record of moving an agency toward a centralized operating system.
Deep expertise in internal logistical operations—handling cross-border equipment movement, US/Canada labor nuances, and strict compliance for highly regulated industries.
You possess an expert-level grasp of Agency Math (tracking daily billable rates, hours tracking and ensure equitable workload distribution)
You can analyze resource utilization to prevent burnout, protect margins on complex multi-city builds, and report on P&L health to the executive team.
Experience acting as the ultimate "Safety Officer" for warehouse operations, large-scale public builds and festivals.
You understand the implications of permitting, structural engineering, and risk mitigation for high-capacity events.
You have experience negotiating national MSAs and curating a "preferred" list of partners across North America to ensure quality and priority pricing.
A natural "Player-Coach" who can jump into a complex staffing grid in the morning and lead a board-level strategic session in the afternoon.
You are a leader who commands respect through competence rather than title, possessing the natural gravitas that inspires teams to follow their lead.

Responsibilities

Bridge the gap between leadership’s vision and day-to-day execution, ensuring the agency’s internal engine runs smoothly as it scales across North America.
Audit, implement, and oversee agency-wide SOPs and project management tools (e.g., Monday.com) to improve transparency and efficiency.
Drive agency-wide adoption of a central operating system.
Oversee the "Master Calendar," managing staff allocation and bandwidth to maximize capacity while effectively managing resources and protecting team wellness.
National vendor strategy oversight
Oversee that department leads are building a preferred and diversified vendor list to ensure the agency gets priority pricing and consistent quality (especially during busy festival season).
Oversee MSAs and high-level vendor negotiations to optimize costs and mitigate risk across multiple jurisdictions.
Partner with Account Leads to oversee project budgets, ensure healthy margins, and manage the agency’s overall P&L.
Make sure that if a project's budget changes, it’s reflected everywhere instantly i.e: "single source of truth"
Provide senior-level guidance on complex builds, from international shipping and permitting to health and safety protocols for large-scale festivals.
Maintain the agency's standards ensuring every activation (from a boutique pop-up to a 50,000-person event) is executed with obsessive attention to detail and contingency plans.
Act as the ultimate problem-solver and escalation point for the Production and Account teams when creative goals clash with internal logistical or budgetary constraints.
Directly mentor and manage the Director of production infrastructure as well as the IT Manager and the National Field Operations Manager.
Develop cross-functional talent and foster a culture of accountability, professional growth, and mentorship.
Collaborate with the VP, Client Services and the Senior Leadership Team at the agency (President, CFO) to identify talent gaps.
Navigate the complexities of highly regulated sectors ensuring all activations meet strict legal, safety, and insurance standards.
Risk Mitigation and structural/safety compliance for large-scale public builds.