Program Manager

About the Role  

Our Program Managers bring value to our clients by passionately and professionally representing the agency on a day-to-day basis.  They are the trusted partner and point of contact for mid-level clients partnering with account leadership to deliver operational discipline and delivery excellence, speed to market, resource optimization, and profitability management to their business(es). Program Managers are efficient operators, who demonstrate strong commercial abilities and business and financial acumen. They are highly organized and accountable account leaders, who are able to build relationships and collaborate with/draw on the expertise of all Ogilvy’s capabilities. Program Managers add value by interrogating every client brief and assignment, and striving to solve our client’s larger business problems, not just the immediate request at hand. They act courageously and with conviction and collaborate with/draw on the expertise of all Ogilvy’s capabilities.

What You’ll Do 

• The key day-to-day project contact with lower to mid-level clients, creative teams and other agency partners  
• Managing client objectives, expectations and timelines and communicating changes/directions to internal team members
• Working integrally with all internal team members to facilitate the process of developing effective strategies and briefs that lead to great work on brief
• Influencing the efficiency and quality of work and advocating for the agency/client relationship 
• Mobilizing and driving the integrated team towards forward progress, action and results
• Effectively presenting work from a delivery standpoint
• Understanding staffing and scoping requirements 
• Owning the client budget to manage costs and deliverables as well as staffing resources
• Owning project management/workflow system data entry and reporting
• Identifying potential project risks and developing contingency plans
• Developing and maintaining high levels of team effectiveness (trust, communication, collaboration, productivity, diversity, engagement)
• Understanding & respecting every department’s role in delivering great work and building relationships
• Manage freelancer/partner/vendor relations as relates to product launches, media, research, events and other program initiatives

What You’ll Need  

• 2-4 years of related, client facing industry experience managing “the making” or delivery of great work
• Ideally, several different account experiences delivering programs in at least 3 different capabilities (B2C, B2B, retail, CPG, digital, tech, PR & influence, etc.)
• Demonstrable knowledge of client and Agency operations and working knowledge of Ogilvy’s capabilities
• Strong background in the strategy and development of PR programs and provide strategic/solid thinking to clients
• Curious, a lifelong learner
• Proven negotiation skills 
• Experience forming strong client relationships at the lower-to-mid-levels 
• Demonstrated capability to get things done on budget and on time
• Developing commercial abilities & business & financial acumen 
• An understanding of the dynamics and workings of the agency’s process as it relates to the client’s business
• Strong internal relationships (particularly with creative team)
• A good listener, someone who reads people and those in a room well (and adapts their style and response accordingly)
• Accountability and calm, confident presence