Co-Managing Director (San Francisco Hub)

At IDEO, we use design to create new products, services, experiences; tangible strategies; and creative capabilities.

We are seeking a Co-Hub MD for IDEO San Francisco. In this role, you will be responsible for co-driving the overall success of the SF Hub, with a dual focus on operational excellence and creative leadership. You will lead with a blend of strong business management capabilities and design acumen, ensuring commercial growth, effective people leadership and a thriving creative community. This role calls for someone who balances human-centricity and systems savvy,, with a deep understanding of inclusive leadership and operational efficiency. You must be an inspiring leader who has deep design expertise and the passion to mentor and develop future leaders.

In collaboration with the Global Executive Team, your fellow Hub Managing Director and the hub leadership team, you will shape and execute the strategy for creative excellence, commercial success, organizational health, and people development. You will shape the hub strategy, in the context of IDEO’s overall company strategy.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategy, Operational Excellence & Business Management:

Work closely with the hub leadership team to craft a winning hub strategy that balances creative excellence, commercial success and people development.
Collaborate with the Global Executive Team to ensure the Hub’s strategy is aligned with IDEO’s broader business objectives, contributing to both short-term successes and long-term sustainability.
Ensure that the SF Hub meets or exceeds financial performance targets, driving profitability and operational efficiency.
Analyze and refine internal processes, implementing data-driven improvements to optimize workflows, increase productivity, and ensure the quality of deliverables.
Establish and maintain systems for tracking key performance metrics related to revenue, billability, and the quality of work, ensuring alignment with company goals.

Process Improvement & Systems Thinking:

Lead initiatives aimed at streamlining business operations, enhancing team efficiency, and improving overall effectiveness across projects and departments.
Use data to identify opportunities for process optimization, resource allocation, and scaling operations while maintaining IDEO’s high standards of design excellence.
Partner with teams to build systems and frameworks that support a high-performance culture, enabling teams to deliver impactful work at scale, on time, and within budget.

Creative Leadership & Design Excellence:

Create the conditions for the designers and leaders in your community to do their best work, clearing obstacles and inspiring innovation.
Inspire and mentor teams of interdisciplinary designers, guiding them to elevate the craft and quality of work across a variety of complex and high-profile projects.
Lead by example as a designer with a passion for creativity and innovation, fostering an environment that encourages experimentation, learning, and growth.
Ensure that all work meets IDEO’s high standards of creative excellence, delivering value to clients while pushing the boundaries of design.

Community Leadership and Business Development:

Define and implement strategies to engage with the local design and business community, increasing IDEO’s brand awareness and driving a pipeline of local work.
Work with global and Hub leadership to develop rituals and practices that celebrate great work and foster a sense of community within the Hub.
Identify and mitigate risks while identifying growth opportunities for the SF Hub and IDEO as a whole, contributing to long-term organizational success.

Leverage your existing network and relationships to generate new business opportunities for the SF Hub.
Actively pursue new business by identifying opportunities, building connections, and presenting IDEO’s offerings to potential clients.
Create and execute a strategy to build and grow client portfolios, contributing to both local and global market expansion.
Maintain senior-level client relationships, acting as a key point of contact and building trust and long-term partnerships.
Identify new market opportunities and proactively position IDEO within relevant industries and sectors to drive business growth.
Collaborate with internal teams to craft compelling proposals, ensuring that IDEO remains competitive and relevant in the market.

People Development & Inclusive Leadership:

Co-lead a high-performing leadership team, ensuring the creative and operational success of the Hub through both client work and internal initiatives.
Serve as a mentor and coach, helping to develop future leaders within the organization.
Collaborate with global talent teams to develop a comprehensive talent strategy that includes recruiting, retention, succession planning, and fostering a culture of inclusion and belonging.
Demonstrate inclusive leadership by holding yourself and others accountable for creating equitable and inclusive work environments, and championing diversity across the organization.

Key Focus Areas for Success:

Achieve financial and creative success by driving revenue, improving operational processes, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
Build and maintain a robust portfolio of work that advances IDEO’s global strategy while ensuring strong financial success.
Lead with a systems-oriented mindset, focusing on process improvement, data-driven decision-making, and operational scalability.
Inspire and mentor teams, ensuring a balance between operational rigor and creative freedom, while developing the next generation of leaders.
Strengthen IDEO’s presence within the SF design and business community through thought leadership, engagement, and strategic partnerships.

Application Requirements and Instructions:

This application will remain open until November 8th, 2024. Applications received after this date will be considered on a rolling basis.

Salary & Benefits

IDEO is committed to paying its employees equitably, regardless of gender identity or race/ethnicity/cultural identity. We support the holistic well-being of our community by providing a thoughtfully designed benefits package.

The salary range for this role is $180,000 - $250,000 USD. This range is influenced by a wide range of factors considered in compensation decisions at IDEO. This includes, but is not limited to: skills, industry knowledge, and experience. Final offers may vary from the amount listed based on geography, candidate experience & expertise, and other factors.

In addition to base compensation, IDEO offers a rich benefits package including the following:

Health Benefits: Vision, Dental, Healthcare

Financial Benefits: 401K matching

Family & Caregiving: Parental Leave, Adoption Assistance, Fertility Assistance, Transgender Medical Assistance, Breastmilk shipment, Back-up/Dependent Care, Pet Insurance

Other Benefits: Flexible Work, Flexible Time Off, Paid Holidays, Annual Education Stipend, Home Office Stipend

Commitment to Diversity

At IDEO, we are committed to the work of advancing diversity, equity and inclusion within our organization and in the world. Our purpose of having disproportionate, world-changing impact through design is directly connected to our ability to bring many different perspectives to the table. This applies to our candidates, the people we hire, the clients and customers we serve, and the communities we learn from in our research.

As a human-centered organization, we are committed to working with and designing for people of every race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, socio-economic status, physical ability or attribute, religion, national origin, or political belief. We recognize that this commitment requires ongoing work and sustained attention, as well as adaptation to new insights and best practices. We keep our diversity data public for the sake of accountability and transparency. These commitments will also be part of your journey at IDEO, so please feel free to read more about them here.

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