Managing Director, Delivery

VML•Chicago, IL

2d•$100,000 - $230,000•Hybrid

About The Position

VML is hiring a Managing Director, Delivery to lead program delivery for a long-standing client in the military sector. The role oversees a complex, technology-first program spanning enterprise technology, product, and integrated creative, with delivery governed by rigorous government compliance requirements. This is a senior, client-facing leadership position at the center of a large, multi-disciplinary program. The Managing Director leads and develops the program management team, coordinates across program tracks, and partners with Account, Strategy, Product, and Enterprise Solutions leaders. The role owns cross-program dependencies, roadmaps, milestones, commitments, escalations, and recovery plans. It also leads the evolution of the program’s SAFe practice, turns strategy into governed execution, and applies AI where it can improve delivery and efficiency. The position provides leadership for scope planning during significant budget growth while navigating resource constraints. It is accountable for defensible estimates and pricing discipline, modeling the impact of scope changes on connected initiatives, and managing program profitability, resource allocation, burn rates, budgets, and reconciliations. The role is hybrid, with teams in the office an average of four days per week. The posted base salary range is $100,000–$230,000 USD. Compensation varies based on job-related factors, including location, business needs, responsibility, experience, and qualifications. VML states that it offers a competitive benefits package and provides a link to WPP Benefits for details.

Requirements

12+ years in delivery or program leadership, PMO, and/or client leadership.
Proven track record of standing up and leading successful program management teams.
Hands-on SAFe evolution experience, with demonstrated experience and certification at Large Solution and/or Full SAFe.
Ability to adapt the SAFe framework to a complex, multi-track program.
Experience leading large, multi-disciplinary enterprise or cross-track programs blending enterprise technology, product, and integrated creative, including digital and traditional work.
Familiarity with cloud migration, such as AWS, and regulated or federal compliance environments.
Ability to lead delivery against externally mandated deadlines.
Experience with defensible estimation, rate and scope discipline, profitability and utilization management, and defending costs under external scrutiny.
Partnership and vendor management experience across multiple technology and platform partners.
Strong PM operations skills, including meeting management, actionable next-step capture, prioritization, and operational rigor.
Familiarity with tools such as Smartsheet, Excel, Monday.com, Workday, and Jira.

Nice To Haves

Agency or consulting setting experience.
Direct government or defense experience.
Interest in AI and how to leverage it as a delivery tool.

Responsibilities

Lead, coach, and grow the Delivery capability and program management team; coordinate the team, coach proactive problem-solving, and champion the work and team.
Partner with Account, Strategy, Product, and Enterprise Solutions leads to maintain alignment across the broader program.
Own the enterprise, cross-track view of the program and identify and manage dependencies.
Inform roadmaps and milestones with a strategic lens and drive cross-track execution of planning commitments.
Surface delivery gaps early, drive necessary decisions and tradeoffs, and establish credible paths back to delivery.
Provide a clear escalation path for critical issues and drive progress with urgency.
Lead evolution of the SAFe practice from Essential to Large Solution or Full, adapted to program needs and delivery outcomes.
Convert strategy into an actionable plan with a timeline, defined roles, sequenced steps, governance, and follow-through.
Leverage AI where possible to optimize delivery and efficiency.
Lead scope planning during significant budget growth while navigating resource constraints.
Generate defensible estimates and maintain pricing discipline on rates, assumptions, and scope under close cost scrutiny.
Model the enterprise impact on connected initiatives as scope expands or contracts.
Manage program profitability, resource allocation, burn rates, budgets, and reconciliations.