Associate Technical Director

Job Description

Location: Pacific or Eastern time zones preferred. Will consider candidates in the EU time zone. Must be able to attend US-based calls until 12 PST.Type: Full-timeReports to: CTOWorks closely with: Creative, Production, and Clients

About Active Theory

Active Theory is a creative studio focused on design, technology, and storytelling. We work with global brands to build digital experiences that push craft and innovation. Our team is highly collaborative, deeply creative, and distributed.

The Role

We're looking for an Associate Technical Director to own the technical delivery of cutting-edge interactive web experiences for high-profile clients.

This role blends deep technical craft with strategic leadership — you'll architect and ship complex web experiences while serving as a trusted client partner, growing a team of developers, and contributing to how we build across the studio.

You'll be responsible for leading projects from discovery to launch, maintaining technical standards across client accounts, and ensuring every build meets our bar for performance, quality, and craft.

Core Responsibilities

Project Leadership & Delivery

• Lead end-to-end project delivery in close collaboration with producers and creative leads
• Own technical discovery: define approach, risks, estimates, resourcing, and integration requirements
• Manage and coordinate developer teams through production — planning, delegating, and unblocking
• Facilitate regular dev reviews and WIP sessions; keep delivery on track
• Provide technical oversight across multiple concurrent projects, ensuring quality and consistency

Client Partnership

• Serve as the primary day-to-day technical partner for clients
• Proactively communicate with client teams; support producers on technical and build questions
• Maintain technical standards aligned to specific client accounts and infrastructure requirements
• Present builds, technical direction, and progress to clients and stakeholders
• Evaluate incoming projects with New Business on feasibility, scoping, and required skills

Engineering & Technical Standards

• Develop and maintain web platforms using JavaScript, Vue, Node.js, and studio-standard technologies
• Gain deep expertise in Hydra (Active Theory's internal framework) to extend and maintain projects
• Work with GCP, AWS, APIs, and third-party integrations as needed
• Ensure quality across performance, analytics, SEO, security, and accessibility (WCAG)
• Produce clear technical documentation, architecture diagrams, and information architecture
• Explore and apply AI tools and workflows to improve craft and efficiency without sacrificing quality

Team Development & Culture

• Manage 2–3 direct reports through regular 1:1s, performance feedback, and development plans
• Mentor developers through examples of smooth delivery, client partnership, and technical presentation
• Cultivate a positive, productive culture; introduce and steward developer initiatives

What We’re Looking For

• 3–8 years of full-stack engineering experience
• 2+ years in a technical management or team lead role
• Strong systems design and architecture skills for large, multi-stakeholder programs
• Proven client-facing communication: requirements facilitation, workshops, roadmap and risk framing
• Accurate scoping, estimation, and capacity planning
• Clear communicator who can translate complex technical concepts for non-technical stakeholders
• Accountable, proactive, and calm under pressure especially on high-priority issue

Nice to Have

• Experience in a digital agency or creative studio environment
• Familiarity with Vue.js, Node.js, GCP, or AWS
• Experience building or scaling developer tooling, internal frameworks, or platform infrastructure
• Comfort presenting to senior client stakeholders and executive audiences

Why Active Theory?

• Work alongside a highly talented, thoughtful, and creative team
• High trust, autonomy, and ownership over how you work and how projects get built
• Opportunity to shape technical direction and developer culture at a growing studio
• Build experiences for some of the world's most recognized brands
• A role with real impact on client outcomes, team health, and studio-wide craft