Name: Jess Manganelli

Membership: Lead Member, Account Operations

Discipline: 14 years in Account Management

Location: Stroudsburg, PA

Joined: Lead Member Since 2024

Elevator Pitch: The best Account Managers move through each day looking after two businesses: the agency’s, and the client’s. With 15 years in Account leadership, I’ve seen time and time again that taking care of the internal team first is the best path to happy and healthy client-agency relationships. You know how they say someone can’t love and respect you if you don’t love and respect yourself first? Yeah. That applies to agencies, too. I love helping creative companies stand in their power. Let’s unlock new levels of creativity, growth, and effectiveness for you and your team.

Achievements: A non-exhaustive list of things I've nerded out on and would love to do more of:

  • Turning around low-performing teams and departments

  • Helping cross-functional teams unlock new levels of collaboration, creativity, and effectiveness

  • Increasing profitability and reducing complexity

  • Productizing agency offerings to put agencies back in a place of power

  • Defining agency strategy rooted in value, differentiation and product-market fit

  • Managing the delivery of complex campaigns across a wide range of industries

  • Determining ideal staffing and utilizations plans for agency teams

  • Teaching teams how to win organic business with ease

  • Providing a range of Learning & Development sessions for agency teams

  • Developing scopes, staff plans, benchmarks and more to make pricing new projects quicker, more consistent and more profitable"

SaaS tools of Choice: Anything that aids in workflows, and doesn’t bog us down. Lots of folks focus on the tools but miss the crucial part of establishing clear boundaries and use cases, so that the tools don’t become a burden over time. A well-run Slack group, and collaboration via Google Docs or iCloud are usually solid go-to’s for me!

Consulting Style: I always want to get to the root of the issue, so we can treat the underlying causes and not just the symptoms. I start by listening. Then asking a lot of questions. How everyone is experiencing their work? Where are our bright spots? What strengths can we build on? Usually there’s a lot of good that may be going unappreciated because the chokepoints are drawing all the focus. I believe that even the stickiest situations can be managed with optimism, curiosity, and great care for everyone involved.

Coaching Style: I’ll share a recommendation someone gave me that made me feel very seen for my coaching style! “Jess is a hands-on, ears-open kind of coach — she goes all-in to develop people so they can come into their best selves, in a way that serves both their personal and professional ambitions.

Secret Sauce: Listening, listening, listening. And being able to hear what’s going unsaid!

Spirit Animal: A meerkat. You know when they pop their heads up? Scanning the horizon, on the lookout for threats the rest of the group might not see yet? Did you know they also stand guard so others can play and be creative? Big Account leader energy right there.

Words To Live By: Work smarter, not harder, then take a nap

  • Jess has a magnetic personality. She combines her years of experience managing client expectations with an operations mindset that so many others might not! Her ability to understand what’s possible, what should be, what needs to be, and the impact of the way we manage clients sets her apart. She is the right partner to show your team how to service your clients in a way that both the client and the agency benefit. What’s more to ask?

    - Freddie Gotanco

  • Hello from the Creative team! Jess is the partner you want on the Account side of the house. She's able to take complex asks and feedback from the client and distill them into straightforward, actionable requests. She's always ready to battle (in the kindest sense of the word) for good creative that is on brief. You want her on the job because she's going to simplify things and try to get good work done that will make an impact. On top of all this, she's a pleasure to be around and keeps things fun by doing things like buying a poncho on every travel shoot. In short, she's the best.

    - Jeff Good, Creative Director

  • In nearly two decades in this industry, it’s safe to say I have yet to find another account & people leader that has made an impact on my career more. Jess brings a certain sparkle to any team she’s a part of that makes you see work as before & after your time with her. She has a natural gift to bring teams together to solve complex problems whether it be around internal process or challenging client dynamics while ensuring the strategic vision of the organization is always core to her solutions. Having Jess on your team means everyone will be truly heard, supported and leave time with her feeling empowered about how to move forward in their roles and any challenges that arise when she’s gone. From a people, process and developmental perspective I can’t recommend Jess enough.

    - Katie Kennedy, Account Director

  • Jess is a dedicated and talented people leader. In the time we worked together, it was blatantly evident that she's fueled by a passion for inspiring and developing people. She can lead disparate groups to come together and march purposefully to achieve a common goal, even when things get tough. She is a hands-on, ears-open kind of coach--she goes all-in to develop people so they can come into their best selves, but in a way that serves both their personal and professional ambitions. Jess has a knack for exploring all perspectives so she can take a measured, balanced approach to overcoming challenges. She also has a wicked sense of humor and a delightful presence. She's absolutely the kind of person you want in your corner when navigating complex leadership challenges.

    - Jess Lloyd, Head of Strategy

  • Working with Mangs was an absolute delight. She has a natural interest and instinct in communicating with people. I had the pleasure of collaborating with her on building a growth system for our team members. Mangs has a wonderful ability to be able to think about the big picture for the client and team member experience, as well as the skills to think through all the details. she leads with her heart, puts people first and truly is an asset and leader to any team she’s on.

    - Jennider Simotics, Head of Talent