Program Director

Full Time Chicago, IL, United States of America
75,000 - 180,000 (Yearly) Added 3 weeks ago
Summary

LOCATION

Global (150+ offices in 64 markets)

QUALIFICATIONS

8-10 years of project management experience, preferably in an agency environment, with strong interpersonal and communication skills, adaptability, and the ability to manage multiple projects effectively.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Lead multiple projects, manage financial performance, provide strategic direction, maintain relationships with clients, support scoping and estimation exercises, and ensure successful project deliveries.

INDUSTRY

Creative Agency/Consultancy

SHORT DESCRIPTION

VML seeks a proactive Program Director to oversee a large CPG business project, focusing on team leadership, strategic optimization, and successful client engagement.

Who We Are:

At VML, we are a beacon of innovation and growth in an ever-evolving world. Our heritage is built upon a century of combined expertise, where creativity meets technology, and diverse perspectives ignite inspiration. With the merger of VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson, we have forged a new path as a growth partner that is part creative agency, part consultancy, and part technology powerhouse.

Our global family now encompasses over 30,000 employees across 150+ offices in 64 markets, each contributing to a culture that values connection, belonging, and the power of differences. Our expertise spans the entire customer journey, offering deep insights in communications, commerce, consultancy, CRM, CX, data, production, and technology. We deliver end-to-end solutions that result in revolutionary work.

Who we are looking for:

VML is seeking a Program Director to support a large CPG new business win. The Program Director is expected to manage against defined processes throughout a client engagement as well as identify strategic opportunities for optimizations and new work within our client's environments. This individual is also responsible for building, coaching and leading internal teams against said process to ensure successful deliveries. VML needs individuals who are proactive problem solvers that can manage team dynamics, manage project financial performance, clearly communicate status, and drive progression towards dates.

What you'll do:

  • Lead multiple projects under several brands within dedicated client
  • Manages projects against variances in profitability, burn and efficiency
  • Support/provide strategic direction related to processes and resolution paths
  • Understand the requirements of the organization to create efficient solutions within the SOWs of projects
  • Provide well researched POV documents on a variety of solutions related to project work
  • Maintain direct relationships with client project owners and client management leadership
  • Support scoping and estimation exercises with Client Engagement teams
  • Support organizational resourcing based on Client needs (communicating, managing, executing)

Who you are:

  • Proactive, adaptable, and flexible
  • Strong attention to detail
  • Demonstrable ability to operate under tight deadline with complex business/technical solutions
  • Ability to manage workload with minimal supervision
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills

What you'll need:

  • 8-10 years experience working in Project Management, agency experience required
  • Experience working on large clients with robust inter agency teams and cross functional departments
  • Ability to provide proactive and assertive leadership in problem solving, managing financial success of projects, maintaining timelines, and reducing waste
  • Strong interpersonal skills and able to resolve conflict with productive outcomes
  • Ability to manage multiple work-streams (projects) effectively and efficiently.
  • Ability to view problems in context at the system and organization and align solutions with the strategic direction of our clients and company

What we offer:

  • Passionate, driven people | We champion a culture of people that do extraordinary work.
  • Consciously cultivated culture | We aim to embody the behaviors to build an inclusive community that is in it together, bringing both positivity and active listening into the workplace as we simultaneously strive to empower creative bravery.
  • Competitive benefits | What we offer full time hires ranges from the full spectrum of group health coverage options (medical, dental, vision) to a generous 401k match (100% dollar-for-dollar match, up to 5% of salary contribution), and a variety of paid time off offerings that reflect our investment in all aspects of your overall life balance and wellness.
  • Growth-minded opportunities | We aim to nurture a culture of real-time feedback, growth-oriented mindset, and plenty of training opportunities through VML and WPP, so you can continue to grow personally and professionally.

VML is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion or belief, sex, age, national origin, citizenship status, marital status, military/veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability, or other protected group status. We believe in creating a dynamic work environment that values diversity and inclusion and strives to recruit a diverse slate of candidates to help us achieve that goal.

At VML, we are committed to fostering an all-inclusive work environment that is both rewarding and career-forward. Our Inclusion, Equity & Belonging initiatives, alongside the VML Foundation, reflect our dedication to giving back and making a positive impact in our communities and beyond. Our people are the heartbeat of our organization—creators, doers, innovators, makers, and thinkers—who drive not just marketing, but meaningful experiences that resonate in every action and interaction.

VML is a WPP Agency. For more information, please visit our website, and follow VML on our social channels via Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.

When you click "Submit Application", this will send any information you add below to VML. Before you do this, we think it's a good idea to read through our Recruitment Privacy Policy. California residents should read our California Recruitment Privacy Notice. This explains what we do with your personal data when you apply for a role with us, and, how you can update the information you have provided us with or how to remove it.


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