Freelance Account Director- CPG

A global creative constellation built for what's next—uniting the human vision of the Leo Burnett network with the innovation of Publicis Worldwide.

Leo is HI × AI: Human Insight, Human Ideas, Human Impact—supercharged by the data and technology to move faster, go further, and deliver everywhere.

Leo brings together 15,000+ people across 90 countries, combining global scale with creative firepower to drive outsized impact for brands.

Overview

Freelance Account Director - CPG

We're seeking a Freelance Account Director to join our Chicago team (Hybrid - 4 days in-office) on a fixed-term contract, with the possibility of extension or conversion to full-time based on business needs and performance.

This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who thrives in fast-moving CPG environments, enjoys partnering closely with clients and creatives and can step in quickly to lead integrated work at scale.

Responsibilities

What You'll Be Doing

• Lead the day-to-day stewardship of a major CPG brand across brand, promotional, seasonal, social and digital work.
• Act as a trusted client partner, confidently guiding senior stakeholders.
• Partner closely with an SVP, Account Director to grow the business in a competitive landscape.
• Translate business objectives into clear briefs, strong strategic direction and actionable feedback.
• Oversee scopes, timelines, budgets and cross-functional workstreams.
• Collaborate seamlessly with creative, strategy, media, production and analytics teams.
• Mentor and support mid-level and junior talent while keeping work moving efficiently and on time.

Qualifications

What We're Looking For

• Proven leadership on large, complex CPG accounts with heavy production demands.
• Deep experience delivering integrated campaigns across broadcast, digital video, social, print and OOH.
• Comfort using data, performance insights, and retail considerations to inform creative decisions.
• Polished communicator with strong client presence and sound judgment.
• Calm, solution-oriented leader who thrives in fast-paced environments.
• Strong financial stewardship across scopes, burn, forecasting and staffing.

Bonus Points If You Bring

• A fresh strategic or cultural perspective that elevates audience relevance.
• Strong storytelling and creative-evaluation instincts within retail environments.
• Experience with high-volume social content, talent-driven work or creator ecosystems.
• A track record of introducing smarter processes or efficiencies.

Why Contract Talent Love This Role

• Clear scope & real impact — step into meaningful leadership, not a stopgap role.
• Senior partnership — work closely with SVP leadership and integrated teams.
• Full-time focus — 40 hrs/week with clear expectations and priorities.
• Hybrid rhythm — consistent in-office collaboration without full-time remote ambiguity.
• Upside potential — opportunity to extend or convert based on business needs.

Our Publicis Groupe motto "Viva La Différence" means we're better together, and we believe that our differences make us stronger. It means we honor and celebrate all identities, across all facets of intersectionality, and it underpins all that we do as an organization. We are focused on fostering belonging and creating equitable & inclusive experiences for all talent.

Publicis Groupe provides robust and inclusive benefit programs and policies to support the evolving and diverse needs of our talent and enable every person to grow and thrive. Our benefits package includes medical coverage, dental, vision, disability, 401K, as well as parental and family care leave, family forming assistance, tuition reimbursement, and flexible time off.

If you require accommodation or assistance with the application or onboarding process specifically, please contact USMTTACompliance@publicis.com.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.