Project Director

FIRST is a leading global brand experience agency serving clients in various industries, including financial services, technology, new & traditional media, aerospace, healthcare, and professional services. FIRST has received numerous accolades, including being listed among the 2025 Most Innovative Marketing Agencies of the Year by Chief Marketer, named Top Agency of the Year 2024 by Event Marketer, highlighted as a Global Agency of the Year, over 100 Employees by C&IT, and listed among the "200 Top Marketing Agencies" in 2024, 2023, & 2022 by Chief Marketer.

The Project Director will serve as the strategic and operational lead for a strategic global client while also supporting a small portfolio of additional accounts. The role builds trust and collaboration to strengthen client relationships, drive account growth, and ensure long‑term commitment. The Project Director will oversee budgets to balance client satisfaction with profitability and manage supplier and partner relationships to deliver high‑quality experiences.

They will also act as the primary intake point for new client requests—scoping project needs and partnering with global delivery teams to determine appropriate staffing models. While the role does not currently include direct people management, the Project Director will mentor team members and support their development across the client account.

Client Relationship & Account Management

• Build and maintain trusted client relationships, with a primary focus on one global, strategic account, understanding their business and brand to deliver tailored event solutions.
• Serve as the primary operational liaison for this strategic client while also maintaining oversight of up to 1‑4 cross‑functional accounts, ensuring service delivery meets client expectations and reflects FIRST’s high standards.
• Provide overall project direction, ensuring all team members adapt workflows, communication styles, and delivery approaches to align with the client’s specific preferences and vision.
• Act as the main point of intake for new business from the client, assessing requirements, scoping project needs, and partnering with global delivery leads to secure appropriate staffing.
• Engage with senior clients, demonstrating industry expertise and a proactive, solutions‑driven approach across multiple projects.
• Oversee account budget management, tracking revenue, forecasting future needs, and maximizing cost efficiencies.
• Identify and develop new business opportunities, assisting with proposals, pitches, and account growth strategies.
• Create and maintain account plans, collaborating with internal and external stakeholders to drive tailored solutions and consistent delivery.
• Monitor client contracts, SLAs, and KPIs, providing performance insights to operations leadership and identifying opportunities for improvement.
• Continuously assess and enhance service offerings by gathering feedback, identifying trends, and implementing process improvements.
• Optimize efficiency and service quality by streamlining processes and applying best practices.

Event Delivery & Budget Management

• Lead event delivery on complex or high‑visibility projects as needed based on business priorities.
• Manage multiple key events from initial brief to final reconciliation, ensuring effective team leadership and adherence to SOPs and standards.
• Capture key intelligence to drive future performance improvements and share knowledge across the team.
• Guide teams to adjust delivery strategies to meet the unique expectations of this specific client, ensuring consistency across regions.
• Conduct and participate in global site visits and onsite execution, serving as the senior project presence for the client across their international event portfolio.
• Manage global travel needs aligned to the client’s portfolio of events, including site visits, onsite execution, and in‑person meetings in locations outside New York.
• Collaborate with Client Services to align on project briefs, build internal teams, and deliver successful events.
• Act as the escalation point for both clients and internal teams, anticipating needs and proactively managing resources.
• Maintain accurate financial…