Associate Director, PMO

EVERSANA INTOUCH•Chicago, IL

About The Position

The Associate Director, PMO is a frontline manager for the project management team, supervising staff responsible for managing projects aligned with a specific program. The role primarily focuses on strategic program management and managing the project pipeline for a client or large brand. Associate Directors are versed in project delivery processes for technology and strategy projects and PMO standards. They are responsible for developing their team and ensuring successful project delivery. The position also manages program health, staffing, workload, risks, escalations, reporting, and process adherence, while coaching and mentoring team members and collaborating with portfolio stakeholders on client road maps and improvement plans.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent education plus professional experience.
At least 7 years of relevant experience.
Experience delivering and managing strategic projects and programs in an advertising agency environment.
Ability to recognize when to step in and lead high-complexity or high-visibility projects.
Program management knowledge and experience.
Expert knowledge of executing all project types.
Experience working with ambiguity and ability to mentor others in ambiguous situations.
Advanced risk management skills.
Advanced stakeholder management skills.
Advanced reporting and program-level financial management skills.
Ability to pitch work and develop high-risk or complex estimates and timelines quickly with limited information, as delegated.
Team-building skills.
Strong mentoring and coaching skills.
Delegation skills.
Emotional intelligence and flexibility.
Escalation management skills.
Problem-solving skills.
Ability to hold crucial conversations.
Ability to form strategic partnerships with stakeholders.

Responsibilities

Deliver and manage creative and strategic projects and programs.
Develop and manage program- and client-level staffing plans.
Provide program and client reporting on health, status, risks, and key milestones.
Develop issue mitigation plans and ensure onboarding plans are defined and implemented.
Manage billability for the project management team.
Conduct performance evaluations and goal setting for Project Coordinators, Project Managers, and Senior Project Managers.
Perform issue and escalation root-cause analysis.
Facilitate retrospectives and share results with relevant stakeholders.
Collaborate with the portfolio team on client road maps and improvement plans.
Develop direct reports and coach and mentor across the team.
Enforce process adherence and actively manage resistance.
Monitor successes and challenges and propose process and standards improvements.
Review project work output and provide feedback.
Manage and prioritize team workload.
Manage team-level goals and objectives to support successful client and project outcomes.
Manage team escalations and proactively identify program-level risks.
Oversee program health, including budget, scope, and timeline.
Demonstrate commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through continued development, inclusive behavior, and proactive bias management.
Perform other duties as assigned.