Director, Project Management

Company Description

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

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.

The Director, Project Management is both an owner of their account(s), but also a leader across the Project Management team and the agency ponsibilities include managing overall account health along with individual projects, detailed timeline creation and upkeep in our PPM tool, accurate scope creation and tracking, forecasting and managing workflow, as well as optimizing processes, ways of working and resources.

Additionally, the Director, PM may be accountable for internal and new business initiatives, project management / agency process optimization, thought leadership, mentorship and management of other Project Managers and strong collaboration across all agency departments.

The Director, PM is an analytical thinker and creative problem solver, seeking efficiencies across accounts and teams ,and thinking expansively and strategically. They lead by doing, modeling rigor in ownership and calm execution under pressure. They are a key leader - seeking not only to elevate the work, but also the way it gets delivered. The Director, PM is proactive, engaged and forward-thinking, always with an eye towards progress.

• Portfolio ownership & hands-on delivery
  • Owns the end-to-end delivery of a portfolio of complex integrated accounts and programs, directly managing initiatives from intake and planning through execution, launch and post-delivery evaluation.
  • Serves as the primary owner of project plans, timelines, scopes, budgets, risks and dependencies, staying closely involved in all details.
  • Actively manages day-to-day delivery across owned projects, stepping in wherever needed to keep work moving forward.
  • Anticipates issues before they escalated and addresses challenges related to scope, resourcing, finances or timelines through direct action.
  • Translates ambiguity into clear actionable plans that align teams around objectives, milestones and success criteria.
  • Leads retrospectives / post-mortems, and applies learnings immediately to improve future delivery.
• Workflow & process excellence
  • Creates and maintains detailed project plans, schedules and workflows.
  • Establishes and evolves project management methodologies, tools, templates and standards while remaining flexible to meet client and business needs.
  • Ensures disciplined application of project management best practices through direct use, not just oversight.
  • Drives clear communication across teams and stakeholders through status updates, documentation and proactive alignment.
  • Leverages data, KPIs and historical insights to guide decisions, forecast outcomes and improve delivery performance.
• Financial, scope & resource management
  • Leads scope definition including Statements of Work, estimates, staffing plans and change management.
  • Owns financial stewardship, including forecasting burn, tracking and profitability management.
  • Closely monitors budgets and timelines on active projects and takes corrective action when needed.
  • Identifies scope risks and opportunities, and proactively partners with Business Leadership and discipline leads to manage change.
  • Works directly with Resource Management and discipline leads to plan, allocate and adjust resources across active and future work.
  • Ensures accurate time tracking, financial reporting and accountability for delivery decisions.
• People leadership & talent development (Not every Director, PM will have direct reports, but this role has the potential for direct reports should the need arise. Regardless of managing direct reports, the Director, PM acts as a leader on the PM team and at the agency, influencing ways of working, best practices, innovation and outcomes.)
  • Leads, mentors and develops Project Managers through hands-on coaching and leading by example.
  • Sets clear expectations around quality, accountability and execution while supporting growth and career development.
  • Conducts regular 1:1s,…