Director, Project Management

Walk the halls of SSW and you'll find a rather spirited and passionate group of people. It's a stimulating assembly of professionals—writers, managers, strategists, art directors, planners, analysts and developers.  

We believe the only way to move people to live healthier, happier lives is to create ideas that move them emotionally. Never powered by reason alone, people – whether they’re consumers, caregivers, doctors or payers – are motivated to take action by emotion. Only when people feel something will they be willing to do something.  

For decades, Saatchi & Saatchi Wellness has provided consumer and professional marketing, strategic consulting and medical education to pharmaceutical and wellness brands. Today, we're dedicated to continuing that legacy by raising the bar and crafting award- winning work online, on-air, in print and in-office. Going beyond addressing simply the absence of illness, our vision is to inspire a healthier, happier world. Together, we strive to help brands thrive in today’s culture of wellbeing by leveraging the power of Wellness IntelligenceSM. 

About the Role:  

The Director is an account team’s production lead, ultimately responsible for the delivery of high-quality deliverables that power client satisfaction, meet business requirements, and balance client and agency economics. The Director leads a multi-skill (i.e. online and offline) team of project managers. This person owns project definition, scope monitoring, budgeting & timing at the account level. Career-manages a team of direct reports.    

Knowledge  

• PM Approach: Ensures that the PM Team utilizes a flexible 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 an expert 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 fostering 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 manage 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. Strong understanding of today’s digital technologies   

Strategy  

• Resource allocation: Reviews all projects across account to determine 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 identifies opportunities to adjust processes for efficiencies  

• Quality Control: Structures and leads project status reviews; leads cross-team post-mortem sessions  

• Informing: 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 

• You’re comfortable being client facing  

• You have strong conflict management skills 

• You have knowledge in Microsoft Office including Excel 

• You have advanced knowledge of digital projects 

• If you have knowledge of broadcast/video production it’s a plus! 

• If you have knowledge of digital project routing systems it’s a plus! 

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