Vice President, Project Director – (192114)
Program Directors are Edelman’s most experienced day to day managers of integrated work. They have proven end to end experience of delivering work through each of Edelman’s specialisms. They play an oversight role on large programs but might be the sole assigned PM on complex, sensitive or high-profile work. The purpose of this role is to lead the Definition and Delivery for assigned integrated projects. This is an important role responsible for managing multiple complex and high profile Integrated, Digital, Social and Creative programs from strategy to through to distribution as per an agreed schedule, budget and level of quality. This role must understand the end to end project lifecycle, the processes of each Edelman’s specialists and the people, processes and mechanisms required to deliver work through a complex cross-practice matrix reporting and P&L structure.
Key Responsibilities:
1. New Business and Project Definition
- Defines delivery strategies for assigned project and pitch work using knowledge of PM best practices, experience of PM methodologies and the specific needs of clients and projects.
- Manages or oversees the management of pitches for new business in the form of task management of a predefined pitch process.
- Produces accurate budgets using designated Project Management tools. This is for new biz investments, indicative pitch budgets and finalized budgets for integrated project work.
- Can chair whiteboard scoping sessions to provide full end to end structure and definition for proposals.
- Retrieves and documents scope detail in robust and effective SOWs and reviews scopes produced by more junior members of the Project Management Team.
- For projects being managed; plans, estimates and controls cost ensuring accurate tracking of spend.
- Provides project reports and status reports ensuring regular communication with the client and internal teams.
- Produces and maintains accurate and realistic timelines for assigned project work for the duration of the project lifecycle.
- Ensures the identification of risk and mitigation planning for all assigned projects.
- Ensures that roles and responsibilities are clearly defined and communicated for all identified stakeholders and resources on both a project and program level.
- Identifies resource needs on assigned projects, utilizing an accurate understanding of the specialisms required to deliver strong strategic, creative, social and digital work.
2. Project Delivery and Closure
- Manages the change management processes for assigned project work ensuring that changes are properly defined, impact assessed and approved.
- Manages more junior project management specialists to execute work packages as per defined project scope and best practice.
- Partners with Client Service specialists to communicate directly with clients on points of project delivery.
- Ensures regular status reports and communications are produced and distributed for identified stakeholders and resources according to a communications plan.
- Briefs production resources (Creative, Video/ Content Production, EXD, Tech and QA) on defined work both at the start of assigned projects and at the point of engagement.
- Responsible for engaging and managing external suppliers, from both a procurement and a delivery perspective.
- Ensures that all assigned work undergoes quality assurance process.
- Partners with Client Service professionals to manage stakeholder needs and expectations throughout the project life cycle.
- Reports on project progress, risks and issues to senior management.
- Ensures all project meetings remain on point with clear agendas and actions which are followed up and tracked.
- Is a point of escalation for all project management resources and stakeholders on assigned program’s/ accounts.
3. Management & Leadership
- Identifies resource needs on assigned projects, utilizing an accurate understanding of the specialisms required to deliver strong strategic, creative, social and digital work.
- Tracks project level spend, profitability and status.
- Is a solutions focused leader who can encourage and justify best practice and can ensure process and project controls are followed unless there is adequate justification for an exception.
- Can inspire and facilitate the professional development of direct reports to help them progress in their careers and with their performance against their job description.
- Ensures that all direct reports (and team members) have clear objective and regular weekly 121s.
- Encourages positive thinking and considers client and business needs in decision making.
- Builds and encourages strong relationships with specialist leads.
Required Experience
- Previous experience of project management (at least 8 years)
- Experience of working in a digital / creative / communications / ad agency on large integrated accounts (at least 8 years)
- Previous delivery experience of projects such as: community management, digital/ social strategy, mobile app development, website development, experiential, events, earned media, creative for web and print, app/ games build.
- Experience of at least one project management methodology (qualification a bonus).
- SCRUM management experience.
- Experience and knowledge to deploy waterfall or agile methodologies as appropriate.
- Previous managerial experience.
Required Skills
- Computer literate on either Windows or iOS.
- Working knowledge of at least one software tool for the management of each of the following; task management, timeline management, test management, collaboration, budgeting, word processing, presentation delivery.
- Proficiency in MS Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Project.
- Understanding of the difference between Waterfall and Agile methodologies, and when both are appropriate.
- Understanding of what is required to manage social campaigns through appropriate social media channels.
- Understanding of what is required to deliver creative ideas as well as creative production.
- Understanding of what is required to deliver complex (direct and cross agency) programs of work across Planning, UX, EXD, Creative, Design Technical Development, Quality Assurance.
- Able to represent the best interests of the managing practice when engaging cross practice, taking time to explain and justify required steps when push back is received.
Required Attributes:
- Strong personality and able to mediate, facilitate and speak-up when required to deliver assigned project work.
- Ability to remain calm under pressure.
- Ability to lead and inspire project teams to deliver great work.
- Not easily fazed or overwhelmed by client changes or production obstacles.
- A positive ‘can do’ solutions focused attitude.
- Ability to effectively manage time and the time of direct reports
- Ability to manage meetings effectively to track and manage actions
- Ability to juggle a varied work load and prioritize effectively.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Confident enough to ask for clarity when something is not clear.
- Willingness to learn and develop knowledge.
About Us
Edelman is a global communications firm that partners with businesses and organizations to evolve, promote and protect their brands and reputations. Our 6,000 people in more than 60 offices deliver communications strategies that give our clients the confidence to lead and act with certainty, earning the trust of their stakeholders. Our honors include the Cannes Lions Grand Prix for PR; Advertising Age’s 2019 A-List; the Holmes Report’s 2018 Global Digital Agency of the Year; and, five times, Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work. Since our founding in 1952, we have remained an independent, family-run business. Edelman owns specialty companies Edelman Intelligence (research) and United Entertainment Group (entertainment, sports, lifestyle).
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Edelman is an equal opportunity employer of all protected classes, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.
Job Creative and Content
Primary Location United States-New York
Job Type Experienced
Schedule Full-time
Job Posting Nov 13, 2019, 9:46:05 AM
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