Who we are looking for: 

VML is seeking an Executive Director of Delivery over one of our largest client relationships at VML and WPP. You will be responsible for the management and continuous improvement of the Delivery function as a standalone practice, while ensuring that our work is scoped accurately, delivered on time, and within budget. You are skilled in operational excellence, ruthlessly process-driven, organized, analytical, and able to manage teams with diverse objectives. You are comfortable driving revenue projections, managing resource requirements and utilization, and supporting scope development and budget allocation. 

What you’ll do:  

Lead | Oversee delivery of multiple concurrent projects in service of a global client, from initiation to completion. Develop the required governance of the Delivery function to ensure best practices and proactively improve the program and project management tools, systems, and processes used by the team. Support the development of career and succession plans for the Delivery team.  

Pursue | Govern the adoption and application of business and operational processes and policies to optimize real-time insights into current delivery and performance, pipelining potential needs. Ensure the full portfolio of project plans is correctly phased and planned to provide sufficient insight into forward-looking capacity and resource requirements. These plans also inform our business revenue forecasts.  

Workflow | Review and regroup at the required cadence to ensure the teams deliver as per scope for the full portfolio of projects managed by the NA Delivery team. Escalate any major risks or resourcing constraints early and to the relevant stakeholders.  

Develop | Build and socialize reports that inform performance and drive adoption across the relevant stakeholders. Ensure that programs are properly scoped, resourced, and delivered upon, and that client expectations are managed and met across all programs. Communicate | Support the business development and client teams with Delivery input when completing business development activities by assisting with scope definition, project plans, costing, and providing insight into resources and availability. For large joint delivery across VML opcos, be the interface between us and the other teams. 

Who you are: 

A builder and unifier | Entrepreneurial attitude coupled with a strong business acumen. Ability and appetite to bring people together. Trains, mentors, and grows teams with versatile backgrounds and skillsets. A self-starter with sound foresight and insight.

Open and collaborative | Our team is close-knit and supportive and we’re working with a lot of unknowns. You must champion a team, creating an environment that is comfortable and encouraging, but focused on a high level of performance.  

A trusted partner | A close collaborator in partnership with business leads, operations and finance to constantly optimize, refine and evolve our working model to fuel team satisfaction, strengthen the work and provide increased value. 

Optimistic and resilient | A can-do attitude and an entrepreneurial approach, balancing rigor and process with the need to create the best work for our clients.  

Ego-less Player/Coach Mentality | We all wear the hats that need wearing. You are willing to take on tasks that may seem too junior to your role from time to time in the interest of the team and the business. You are passionate about developing others and experienced at leading cross-functional teams. 

What you’ll need:  

• 10-15+ years of experience working in both Creative agency, Commerce and CX/Tech-driven agency environments.  
• Leadership experience within a Delivery function at scale, with strong commercial understanding. Global client experience a plus.  
• Demonstrated practice leadership in Delivery Management in comparably sized markets, with proven experience with industry best practices of workflow implementations across project scoping, revenue forecasting, resource, budget, and risk management.  
• Well versed in organizational change management with an understanding of how to reshape ways of working, team structures and consider new partnerships to align with the changing needs of the business. 
• Proven experience leading Agile and hybrid-Agile project teams with ability to train those new to Agile.  
• Preferred knowledge of online marketing technologies and their integration into broader IT infrastructure. 
• A systematic thinker with a proven track record of overseeing complex, cross-functional projects and leading Delivery teams across shopper. marketing, digital products and services, CX practices, website redesigns, platform builds, and emerging tech solutions.
• Preferred experience in scaling a business group or facilitating organizational growth.  
• Ability to engage and effectively communicate with Delivery and Production teams to help them look at things through a business lens.  
• Credible leader who wins the confidence of employees and pioneers new ways of thinking for our clients and our organization.  
• Holds a recognized project/program management certification or has completed formal training in project/program management (preferred but not required).