Senior Program Director

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 hiring a Senior Program Director to oversee social and commerce program delivery for a large CPG company in a client‑facing capacity. You will lead a large scale integration of Agile across client teams and partner agencies. You ideally have commerce expertise and a proven track record of standing up commerce clients across various retailers. Your breadth of account and PM experience enables you to lead large, multi‑disciplinary teams to successfully deliver fast‑paced client solutions.

What You’ll Do:

• People | Manage 3‑4 direct reports from our Chicago office. Partner with Account and Operations leads to provide ongoing client satisfaction. Oversee the development of integrated project and program deliverables across IAT teams and agency partners, handling concurrent work streams for multiple retailers across North America.

• Process | Establish and maintain project and program communications. Oversee project estimations and staffing recommendations, while implementing new processes across large work streams. Ensure calendars and deployment schedules are maintained for multiple operating units globally. Leverage AI where possible to optimize delivery and efficiency.

• Financials | Responsible for project profitability. Plan, track, and approve project expenses, billing, and invoices. Partner with the finance team to develop a consistent profitability and utilization view across all work streams. Manage resource allocation on an ongoing, weekly basis, and monitor project burn rates, budgets, and reconciliations.

• Work | Manage a large‑scale roll out of Agile project management methodologies and principals. Drive projects forward from point A to point B, ensuring excellent and timely delivery. Provide purpose, direction, and motivation to the team. Champion the work and internal project team by taking notes, following up, building timelines and plans, etc. Build slides, create compelling stories, and manage comprehensive documentation.

Who You Are:

• A builder | Process‑oriented and an innovator with a strong point of view and distinct voice. You have experience standing up new commerce clients and establishing streamlined operations.

• Open and collaborative | Comfortable with ambiguity and a champion of team environments that encourage collaboration. You thrive in client‑facing roles, with an innate ability to understand client problems and provide tailored solutions.

• Optimistic and resilient | You dig in and work around challenges, providing the balance and stamina needed to keep the team motivated and positive.

• Ego‑less | Willing to wear multiple hats to contribute to the team’s success, regardless of the task.

What You’ll Need:

• 10‑12 years of experience in PMO leadership and delivery management, ideally within an agency setting. CSM certification a plus.

• Proven change‑management expertise leading an Agile methodology integration across agencies and clients.

• Social and Commerce/Shopper Marketing experience preferred, with a background in CPG brands and omnichannel programs desired.

• Proven track record of standing up successful project management teams and rolling out large scale systems integrations.

• Experience working with integrated agency teams and external partner agencies.

• Familiarity with Smartsheet, Excel, , Workday, and Jira.

Experience with Workfront or…