Director, Operations

WPP Media•New York, NY

7d•$100,000 - $230,000•Hybrid

About The Position

As an Operations, Director at WPP Unite, you will play a critical role in ensuring the seamless, efficient, and profitable delivery of complex marketing solutions. This role is responsible for driving both the day-to-day execution and operational rigor across a client account or portfolio, with a focus on delivery excellence, workflow consistency, with an eye towards financial performance. Reporting into the Operations capability, you will partner closely with the Account Leads and cross-functional discipline teams to manage projects end-to-end, ensuring alignment to defined processes, timelines, and ways of working. You will be responsible for translating business needs into structured plans and workflows, proactively managing risks, and maintaining visibility across all workstreams. In addition to delivery, you will support the rollout and adoption of new workflows, tools, and operating models—helping teams embed more consistent, scalable ways of working. Your experience in fast-paced environments will enable you to navigate complexity, drive accountability, and continuously improve how work is executed.

Requirements

8–10+ years of experience in Project Management or Operations, with a proven track record of managing complex, multi-disciplinary projects in a fast-paced agency environment
Understanding of project financials, including scope, resourcing.
Experience managing digital projects across media, creative, or integrated marketing, with an interest in how tools and technology are evolving ways of working
Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret project data and communicate insights clearly to internal teams and stakeholders
Proficiency in project management methodologies (e.g., Agile, Waterfall, Hybrid), with the ability to apply them in practical, flexible ways
Experience using project management tools (e.g., Wrike preferred, Asana, Jira, Monday.com), along with collaboration tools (Slack, Microsoft Teams) and G Suite/O365
Strong interpersonal and relationship management skills, with the ability to work effectively across teams and build trust with stakeholders at all levels
Ability to collaborate across cross-functional teams and positively influence outcomes, driving alignment and accountability within project teams
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly convey project updates, risks, and complex information to stakeholders
Proactive and solutions-oriented, with the ability to identify issues, navigate ambiguity, and support effective decision-making
Highly organized, with the ability to manage multiple workstreams, prioritize effectively, and keep projects on track
Demonstrates curiosity and a willingness to learn, with a focus on improving processes, workflows, and ways of working

Responsibilities

Manage the full lifecycle delivery of business-critical projects across U.S.-based teams, from initial intake through execution and closeout
Support the development of clear project scopes, timelines, and plans. Translate business needs into structured, actionable workflows that align with established processes
Partner with cross-discipline teams (e.g., Strategy, Media, Creative, Analytics) to ensure alignment on timelines, deliverables, and dependencies, helping teams stay on track to meet milestones
Proactively identify risks and issues, escalating as needed and working with stakeholders to resolve challenges quickly and effectively
Maintain clear and consistent communication across stakeholders, ensuring visibility into progress, timelines, and key decisions
Support adherence to defined processes and workflows, helping to reinforce consistency and quality in how work is delivered. Provide feedback to improve ways of working over time
Develop a strong understanding of workflows and operating models across disciplines. Identify opportunities to improve efficiency and work quality, and support the implementation of process enhancements within your projects
Provide day-to-day guidance to team members on workflows, tools, and ways of working. Reinforce best practices and support teams in delivering high-quality, consistent work
Help ensure internal teams, clients, and external partners understand and follow established processes and workflows, supporting effective collaboration across teams
Build a strong understanding of the client business, project goals, and broader market context to ensure work is delivered effectively and aligned to objectives
Leverage project data, delivery learnings, and team feedback to surface insights and opportunities for improvement
Identify gaps, inefficiencies, or risks within projects and workflows, and escalate or recommend solutions to the appropriate stakeholders
Support the profitable delivery of work across assigned projects by managing scope, timelines with an eye toward resource management
Assist in maintaining project scopes, estimates, and forecasts
Monitor project financials (e.g., burn, utilization, pacing), flag risks or variances, and communicate updates to stakeholders in a timely manner
Help ensure teams are working within defined scope and timelines, escalating risks and supporting course correction when needed
Contribute to maintaining high standards of work quality by reinforcing best practices, workflows, and consistency across projects
Foster a collaborative and positive team environment
Stay connected to broader Operations initiatives and help ensure alignment to shared processes, tools, and standards