Engagement Lead

The Engagement Lead is a holistic systems thinker, empathetic team driver, and proactive problem solver. They are able to take in many diverse inputs and perspectives and determine the best path forward for their projects and teams (internal and external). They easily oscillate between the big picture, and the details to ensure each project is a success. They’re good at building trust within teams, developing client partnerships, and driving both structured and ambiguous processes forward with confidence.

The Engagement Lead can drive their own projects with their cross-functional team but also supports larger client initiatives. In this role, they need to be able to structure an engagement from scratch in partnership with their strategy and design leads, understand inputs and how to get the best outputs for the client, and know how to navigate undefined territory and difficult situations. 

They coordinate teams and workflow, manage the business operations of a project, and liaise with third parties as needed for content delivery. They have a keen sense of understanding client perspectives and realities, lead day-to-day client conversations, and are the voice of client perspectives in internal conversations. 

Partnering closely with strategy, design, and client team members, the Engagement Lead sets up successful project plans, creates a collaborative environment, and understands the SYLVAIN craft in order to speak to clients through any conversation at any given moment.

TYPICAL ACTIVITIES + RESPONSIBILITIES:

Project Management

• Fluent in SYLVAIN’s strategy and creative craft—showing the ability to seamlessly track and engage with the ideas behind the work 
• Are critical listeners, with the ability to capture, distill, and communicate key information and details in a timely, efficient manner
• Sets up successful project plans with strategy and design teams across multi-week and multi-month engagements, ensuring efficient and empathetic work plans
• Designs and manages the creative strategic process and workflow, anticipating, communicating and adjusting for team needs, developing strong cadences for collaborative moments, and proactively re-steering when adjustments must be made
• Autonomously handles research management, coordinating with partners and ensuring the right people see discussion guides, recruits, etc. at the right time
• Stewards for effective meetings. Help set up and close all meetings, facilitating discussions towards meeting objectives, and/or outcomes
• Facilitates strong working relationships within project teams, and ensures full understanding of objectives, roles, feedback, responsibilities, and timeframes for deliveries
• Master communicators who can adjust communication styles to fit different contexts, situations, and audiences 
• Attuned to team dynamics and needs, with optimism and an eye on morale

Client Partnership

• Cultivates a positive and productive working relationship with a range of clients, acting as their partner in a collaborative team effort
• In tune with and has an understanding of clients’ general temperature, needs, and desires in the work and process
• Constantly provides that “client lens” or POV during all stages of the work development
• Manages project scopes and negotiates solutions with a balance of client empathy and business-mindedness
• Understands how to navigate speed bumps in the process and proactively has recommendations, but also knows when they have to go back to the team to consult on bigger challenges
• Manages client relationships either as the lead on the project or in support of a larger team

Business Operations

• Tracks and manages project data and finances, with a drive toward compliance and profitability
• Owns and tracks project profitability, managing budgets and resources, anticipating and recommending adjustments as needed
• Stewards of efficiency and “essentialism,” without sacrificing quality or care
• Fluent with legal and financial terms as well as SYLVAIN operating business in order to support with project estimates, negotiations, and legal counsel
• Well-versed in research and/or production logistics and external partner management. Manages all third-party contracting, onboarding, and management with an eye toward fostering great relationships that support our industry reputation and bolster our operations
• Collaborates with team members to build tools and processes to facilitate the Engagement discipline
• Fully comprehends how the fundamentals of resourcing, pricing, utilization, and timelines all impact our profitability. Understands when to flag concerns and how to offer solutions.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate will be a(n)... 

• Empathetic leader
• Strategic multi-tasker
• Relationship builder
• Flexible collaborator
• Optimistic problem solver
• Impeccable organizer
• Ruthless prioritizer
• Clear communicator
• Cultural contributor

Other requirements:

• 6-10 years of experience in a similar role and setting
• Experience in Strategy, Design, and Campaign projects
• Mastery of G Suite (Google Drive) and MS Office Suite
• A knowledge of the Adobe suite of products
• Must be willing to work in the office part-time

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

The base salary for this position at the time of posting ranges by region, outlined below. Individual compensation may vary based on business needs, experience, responsibility level, and qualifications. Not all applicants’ experience will match the qualifications of this role, in which case an alternative role or level may be suggested. 

New York City: $115,000 - $135,000 per year; Richmond Virginia: $95,000 - $110,000 per year

The role is eligible for annual review and a discretionary annual bonus. We offer Open PTO and a robust benefits package which can be viewed here. 

We currently offer a flexible working schedule, including ‘Work from Anywhere’ benefits throughout the year. Candidates must be willing to work from the office 2-3 days a week, most weeks.

ABOUT SYLVAIN 

SYLVAIN is a strategy and design company that makes new human and business value for the Now, Novel, and Next. Dissatisfied with the status quo, we collect unorthodox perspectives and uncommon ways of framing the future. By seeking better answers, and pushing for more purpose, we’re solving the most consequential business challenges of our time—always inspiring, inciting, and provoking progress. 

Founded in
 2010, SYLVAIN is a member of kyu Collective, a group of independently-led companies that share a similar mission. We have offices in New York City; Richmond, VA; Los Angeles, CA; and Amsterdam, NL.

Learn more about us at our website, or follow us on Instagram. And check out more of our thinking on our weekly newsletter: Progress Report, and our podcast: Critical Nonsense.

DIVERSITY AT SYLVAIN

SYLVAIN is committed to building and sustaining a culture that celebrates our diversity and is rooted in community. We recognize that the collective sum of individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, innovation, self-expression, and talent that our employees invest in their work represents a significant part of not only our culture, but our reputation and company’s achievement.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we embrace and encourage our employees’ differences in age, race, ethnicity, disability, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, language, natural origin, religion, socio-economic status, veteran status, and other characteristics that make our employees unique. Lending such an array of qualities to our work ensures a human-centered approach to our way of doing things and treatment of each other.