Director, Project Management

Company Description

Leo Burnett is a communications agency powered by its HumanKind operating system, with the belief that creativity, data and technology work together to transform human behavior and drive prosperity for clients.

Part of Publicis Communications, Leo Burnett Worldwide is one of the world's largest agency networks with 85 offices and more than 8,000 employees. The global agency works with some of the world's most valued brands including Aldi, Bank of America, Campbell's, Dunkin, Firestone, Jim Beam, Kellogg's, Nintendo, Tillamook and UnitedHealthcare among others.

Job Description

We are hiring a Director, Project Management to join our Leo Chicago team. This is a hybrid, on-site role (3 days/week) at our 35 W. Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL office.

The Director is ultimately responsible for the delivery of high-quality deliverables that power client satisfaction, meet business requirements, and balance client and agency economics. The Director owns project definition, scope monitoring, budgeting & timing at the account level.

Responsibilities

Knowledge

• PM Approach: Ensures that the project management team utilizes a flexible project management approach
• PM Technical Skills: Leads large teams to drive complex programs/campaigns to completion based on scope and budget. Well-versed in production needs; considered a specialist in multiple channels and understands other mediums well enough to be a strategic problem solver
• Talent Selection: Demonstrates the ability to hire and retain highly capable people while cultivating diversity and career development
• SOWs: Accountable for the accuracy of all team SOWs
• Problem Solving: Team's chief problem solver and talent choreographer
• Agency process: Develops key operational tools (i.e. team or brand specific processes)
• Growing Talent: Demonstrated ability to grow mid-level producer talent; able to effectively handle performance issues
• Client finances: Collaborates (with Business Manager if available) to provide accurate and realistic cost-to-complete estimates and forecasts for assigned projects
• Technology: Continuously learning technology. Advanced Microsoft Project and Excel ability. Solid understanding of today's digital technologies

Strategy

• Resource allocation: Reviews all projects across account to resolve resource and skill requirements; drives resource allocation management; ensures the right resources are cast to the need
• Project Plans: Accountable for account-level master project plan creation and management.
• Process improvement: Proactively sees opportunities to adjust processes for efficiencies
• Quality Control: Structures and leads project status reviews; leads cross-team post-mortem sessions
• Advising: Partners with account/ marketing team to provide appropriate and consistent communication directly to client(s) in an effort to clearly manage expectations
• Risk Management: Leads large teams to develop and manage risk mitigation plans

Tactics and Execution

• Agency Cost Management: Vigilantly seeks to optimize both agency services and internal resources
• Internal Relationships and Team Leadership: Collaborative business partner to team capability leads
• Management: Responsible for the career development of others
• Execution: Prioritizes work in progress (WIP) with production and account teams to pull work forward and break bottlenecks
• Vendors: Point of escalation for vendor management concerns
• Scope Definition: Scopes and estimates complex, multi-channel engagements

Client Relationship

• Relationship: Client-facing lead on issues related to production and project management
• Client knowledge: Understands the client's business and plans projects accordingly
• Passion: Demonstrates passion for the brands and our work
• Accountability: Owns vendor/partner relationships
• Problem Solving: Able to drive difficult or complex production discussions with client and facilitate resolution
• New Business: Production lead on new business pitches; identifies upsell opportunities
• Communication and Writing: Uses advanced interpersonal and listening skills. Solid written and presentation skills

Qualifications

• Professional presentation and client facing skills
• Dynamic negotiation and conflict management skills
• Exhibits Integrity and Trust
• Demonstrates progression in level of responsibility within a professional project management environment
• Agency experience required
• Outstanding planning, coordination, management, and communication skills are required
• Experience with risk management, change management, communications management

Additional Information

Our Publicis Groupe motto "Viva La Diffrence" means we're better together, and we believe that our differences make us stronger. It means we honor and celebrate all identities, across all facets of intersectionality, and it underpins all that we do as an organization. We are focused on fostering belonging and creating equitable & inclusive experiences for all talent.

Publicis Groupe provides robust and inclusive benefit programs and policies to support the evolving and diverse needs of our talent and enable every person to grow and thrive. Our benefits package includes medical coverage, dental, vision, disability, 401K, as well as parental and family care leave, family forming assistance, tuition reimbursement, and flexible time off.

If you require accommodation or assistance with the application or onboarding process specifically, please contact USMSTACompliance@publicis.com.

Compensation Range: $119,510 - $171,675 annually. This is the pay range the Company believes it will pay for this position at the time of this posting. Consistent with applicable law, compensation will be determined based on the skills, qualifications, and experience of the applicant along with the requirements of the position, and the Company reserves the right to modify this pay range at any time. Temporary roles may be eligible to participate in our freelancer/temporary employee medical plan through a third-party benefits administration system once certain criteria have been met. Temporary roles may also qualify for participation in our 401(k) plan after eligibility criteria have been met. For regular roles, the Company will offer medical coverage, dental, vision, disability, 401k, and paid time off. The Company anticipates the application deadline for this job posting will be 05/31/2025.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

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