Program Manager

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Director of People, Talent Operations at Havas

Program Manager

Do you like structure and organization in your life? Does the idea of defining a vision for programs and overseeing its execution excite you? Can you multitask?! As a Program Manager at Havas CX you have the opportunity to be involved in the management of multiple projects, across multiple brands or clients, supported by a team of project managers. You will ensure the overall health of the projects in their portfolio (financials, resources, risks, relationships), or oversee one large portfolio-sized account.

Do you want to be the "Lead" on large client accounts? Responsibility and accountability are key for the delivery management team's organization, operational efficiencies, and health within their assigned accounts. You will be the 'go to' person for team members and will interface heavily with senior creative, technical, and executive management within the client environment to assure that the solution is understood and addresses the customer's business requirements.

Accurate financial management of the accounts/brands to which you are assigned will be important too. Can you deliver improved account margins and mitigate risk? In addition to the project responsibilities, you can also participate in the exciting business development process and will be a key member of the business development team where appropriate.

Requirements: Candidates must be available to work in the downtown Toronto office 2 days per week.

Responsibilities

Planning

• Has a deep understanding of the client's business needs, expectations and requirements
• Leads the project team in determining the approach, deliverables, schedule, and tools to deliver multiple projects streams within established constraints
• Works with client team as well as members of the assigned project team to estimate costs and timing for tasks such as project strategy, functional design, visual design, technology requirements, etc., utilizing established estimating process and tools.
• Ensures the feasibility of project delivery given scope, time and budget constraints.

Execution

• Coordinates activities of the project management team and has overall responsibility for quality output
• Performs timely review, and approval of invoices and timesheets
• Leads the creation and delivery of SOWs and CRs
• Ensure that the Program meets and exceeds the company's internal project delivery standards
• Ensures that the project management team is handling core functions of the PM role, such as scheduling and facilitating project-related team meetings (i.e. kick-offs, status, internal/client reviews, etc.), communicating action steps to the team, and delivering weekly status reports to project team, the client and management
• Helps update processes and standards for project documentation and ensures that the project management team is developing, maintaining, reviewing and/or disseminating all project documentation
• Is a contributor to the content and presentation of key client deliverables as required to ensure relevancy, strategy, quality, and timeliness

Monitoring - Scheduling, Financials and Risk Management

• Ensures adherence to processes for scope management and change control
• Oversees project management team to ensure that projects in the assigned accounts are completed according to schedule and within budget
• Responsible for accuracy and overall financial health throughout the project lifecycle including estimates, revenue forecasts, invoicing, payables, receivables, etc.
• Responsible for delivering work with sold margins
• Responsible for identifying and driving solutions to project risk challenges at the account and project levels
• Is also responsible for developing and adhering to processes for project and account financial management
• Is the point of contact for all team and client escalations

Client Communication

• Establishes relationships with key client team members and owns all client communications
• Champion a client focused culture to deepen client relationships and leverage broader company relationships, systems and knowledge.

Team Management

• Works closely with direct reports to ensure they understand expectations of their performance and helps them identify commitments; providing direction and feedback via regular meetings and as needed
• Champions a high-performance environment and contributes to an inclusive work environment.
• Builds team expertise by mentoring junior team members and offering training in relevant methodologies, techniques, frameworks, etc.
• Works with the Discipline lead, Solution Leads, Practice Leads and other team members to develop and/or promote best practices for the discipline

Experience

• 8+ years' experience managing multiple large, complex and cross-functional interactive projects, preferably in an agency environment
• Solid understanding of agile best practices is required
• Certification in an agile methodology is a bonus
• Excellent understanding and application of project delivery best practices including budgets, scope and timelines
• Expert knowledge of one or more of the following: software development life cycles, web/mobile technologies, web/mobile development processes and the delivery of solutions with creative and engineering components, digital strategy projects
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent organizational and time management skills
• Experience in working closely with Creative and UX teams
• Preferably have a background or understanding of IT
• Expert understanding of project management methodology including the ability to identify and resolve issues, manage risk, develop detailed work plans and specifications, perform resource allocations and run team meetings
• Ability to work on multiple projects and manage multiple project managers and/or senior project managers at one time
• Demonstrated ability to motivate staff/project/account team, inspire teamwork and take a leadership role
• Ability to solve complex account-wide problems with keen instincts and organizational experience
• Must be able to simultaneously focus on the big picture, details, and driving results
• 3-5 years of people management experience

Seniority Level

• Mid-Senior level

Employment Type

• Full-time

Job Function

• Management and Project Management
• Industries: Marketing Services, Advertising Services, and Technology, Information and Media