Engagement Manager I

Role Description

One North is seeking an Engagement Manager I to support complex digital and creative engagements, and serve as the key liaison to internal and external stakeholders. The ideal candidate is client-facing, highly organized, and experienced managing digital and creative engagements, including project budgets and resourcing. They perform well in fast-paced, multidisciplinary environments, manage multiple priorities effectively, and approach challenges with a problem-solving mindset. Strong communication skills, sound judgment, and a positive, results-driven attitude are essential. This role may evolve based on business and client needs. The Engagement Manager I will ideally be based in the Chicago area, but we are open to remote locations across the U.S. and Canada.

Responsibilities

Engagement & Delivery Management:

Ensure a clear understanding of statements of work, team responsibilities, deliverables, and technical requirements to support smooth execution.

Collaborate with team members to manage risk and deliver work in alignment with contractual terms and conditions.

Manage project burn, budgets, and financial performance across engagements.

Oversee engagement resourcing, including contractor candidate selection, onboarding, capacity planning, and performance management.

Lead routine status check-ins with contractor resources to maintain visibility into progress, challenges, and opportunities.

Collect and act on feedback from client stakeholders regarding consultant performance and service delivery.

Regularly review engagements to identify workflow or tool optimizations, improve team performance, and uncover opportunities to expand client relationships.

Contribute to the development of qualitative and quantitative methodologies to assess delivery effectiveness and outcomes.

Support engagements across delivery functions as needed, including:

Initial project setup and detailed engagement onboarding

Team member onboarding and offboarding

Financial setup and oversight (budget creation, system updates, financial reviews, invoice validation)

Development and delivery of status updates and business review presentations

Regular check-ins with contractor resources and client stakeholders

Partnering with internal teams to identify, troubleshoot, and mitigate project risks

Account Management:

Serve as the primary point of contact for key internal and client stakeholders.

Plan and lead regular business reviews in partnership with operations, sales, and practice teams to review progress and align on future objectives.

Contribute to the development and execution of account growth strategies.

Maintain awareness of broader One North and TEKsystems offerings and best practices that may add value to active engagements.

Conduct both formal and informal client satisfaction assessments.

Qualifications

4 or more years of experience in digital or creative project management within an agency or comparable production environment

Proven experience estimating project scope, managing budgets, and tracking project burn

Strong business acumen with the ability to gather, translate, and communicate internal and client requirements

Experience managing or mentoring junior team members, including providing feedback and training

Excellent written and verbal communication skills; comfortable presenting to clients and senior leaders

Highly detail-oriented, deadline-driven, and able to manage multiple projects concurrently

Strong time management and problem-solving skills; able to work independently with professionalism and calm

Comfortable operating in a test-and-learn environment

Self-aware, open to feedback, and committed to continuous learning and improvement

Requirements

This is a Permanent position based out of Chicago, IL.

Benefits

Medical, dental & vision

401(k)/Roth

Insurance (Basic/Supplemental Life & AD&D)

Short and long-term disability

Health & Dependent Care Spending Accounts (HSA & DCFSA)

Transportation benefits

Employee Assistance Program

Tuition Assistance

Time Off/Leave (PTO, Paid Family Leave)