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. 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.

If you are an astute operations & delivery leader with agency experience, we want to hear to from you! Audit, implement, and oversee agency-wide SOPs and project management tools (e.g., 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.

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. 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. 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. ~ You possess an expert-level grasp of Agency Math (tracking daily billable rates, hours tracking and ensure equitable workload distribution) ~ 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. ~ Our recruitment consultants are committed to inclusive recruitment and selection practices and will not discriminate based on age, colour, ability, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation.

Posted Salary: Actual compensation within this range will be determined based on job-related skills, relevant experience, education, and training. This range reflects base salary only and does not include eligibility for bonus program or other perks. For the most accurate and up-to-date details on this role, please refer directly to AIP Connect’s careers page, as third-party sites may not reflect current information. #

📌 Head of Operations (Director or Sr Director) (Toronto)
🏢 AIP Connect
📍 Toronto