Program Director Marketing Technology

Job Description

Seeking a Director Level Program Manager with strong consulting and modern program management/agile expertise and experience for large and cross matrixed projects. This individual will report into to the Program Management Office within Data Management but work directly with the Technology Strategy teams to help translate the technology roadmap initiatives into actual projects. The Program Manager will manage the successful implementations of those projects from a program level. As most organizations are agile savvy, this individual must know how to drive program management in an agile fashion. The programs managed could be technology, analytics, Digital Experience, strategy related, or other projects. Therefore, this individual should have a strong background in broad spectrum of implementations across a variety of client industry verticals. The Program Manager is responsible for all aspects of the Program Management Office (PMO) operations. Responsibilities may include but are not limited to:

· Direct integration with the Technology Strategy teams to help translate the technology roadmap initiatives into actual projects.

· Client relationship management to aide in driving the technology roadmap initiative projects with the client and associated client teams/stakeholders.

· Program level oversight, management, and mentorship of projects and associated project managers.

· Agile management of overall program level strategy and scope.

· Relationship management of internal/external key stakeholders and third-party partners.

· Program level single point of contact for overall risk management and mitigation including solution planning, cost management, and program communications.

· Financial management oversight working with the project managers who facilitate the tactical day to day operations, revenue planning, budget forecasting, tracking, and team resource allocation pacing (where applicable).

· Overall accountability for deliverables and success measure across program workstreams.

· Overall Program level project status at all levels within and outside the organization.

· Accountable for successful overall program level solution acceptance and transition activities.

· Onboarding, and deliverable management spanning multiple work tracks consisting of governance, marketing strategy, Web experience development, and CRM.

The role will be supported by the Technology Strategy teams and associated program workstream level project managers, client services, strategy, analytics, creative, content, Web experience design, campaign, web, ecommerce, affinity partners, and CRM technology subject matter experts, on-shore and off-shore development resources.

This role requires a mixture of skills including strong client consultation, agile program management, , financial acumen, diplomacy, implementation of delivery best practices, program management of a group of high-performance multi-discipline players delivering enterprise scale marketing and sales enablement digital transformation initiatives on time, on budget and with the highest degree of quality.

• Work directly with the Technology Strategy teams to help translate the technology roadmap initiatives into actual projects.
• Program manage the selected projects in an agile fashion.
• Navigate a highly matrixed and consensus driven client organizations to manage competing needs and possible multiple agency delivery teams across functional areas supporting the overall solution.
• Work closely with customers, implementation team members, and sales personnel to help scope solution and to resolve issues in advance associated with the program.
• Maintain program level contact and communication ensuring conformance with the solution deliverables and client user expectations.
• Create, maintain, and foster strong, resilient relationships with individuals at a variety of levels at the customer company and project team.
• Create and maintain program level risk management plan.
• Recommend course of action regarding program level issues/concerns, implement mitigation plans, then escalate risks and issues as necessary.
• Displays mature judgment regarding how and when to escalate client or internal issues. Listens effectively to team members and clients both for fact-finding purposes and to ensure those constituencies feel heard and understood.
• Develop and own program level agile plans that can be shared with client leadership at all levels.
• Manage Program Management Operations (PMO) and delivery efforts working with distributed on-shore and/or off-shore teams across multiple agency service-lines, operating units, work track level project managers and client stakeholders to achieve defined digital transformation business objectives where applicable.
• Manage overall program level financials including program budget, retained team allocation commitments, program performance reporting and budget burndown reporting in conjunction with work track level project managers
• Effectively work across international time zones to ensure deliverables and overall success measures (when applicable).
• Adhere to Merkle Finance processes and procedures related to solution delivery.
• Adhere to Merkle Legal processes and procedures related to solutions delivery

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree preferred in a technical field preferred
• Excellent attention to detail, process, deadlines, and quality results
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Self-starter and results driven
• Professional client presence online and offline.
• 7-10 years working directly with stakeholders: customers, end-users, clients, and executives.
• Ability to take initiative and work effectively in a rapidly changing environment
• 7-10+years’ Proven track record of managing large scale technology programs through agile methodology.
• Experience managing in an environment with multi-country/cultural teams
• Ability to thrive in a highly remote matrixed and geographically dispersed team and client environment on multiple interdependent work tracks and priorities under pressure
• Demonstrated history of working with external clients or internal business partners
• Ability to speak and present at the executive level (e.g. VP, SVP, COO, CEO)
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills, including ability to present to large groups
• Proficient in MS Word, MS PowerPoint, and MS Excel, MS Project, Jira and Confluence
• Ability to travel in the US and internationally when necessary up to 25% of time

Additional Information

At Merkle, we believe that a diverse environment improves us as a community and as a business. We want to foster an environment of growth, where all ideas and contributions are encouraged. We need this culture of courage to continue to thrive in our fast-paced industry. We embrace differences of opinion. We value diversity of experience and thought, which help us to challenge and define industry-leading solutions, and support our goal of being a great place to work.

Merkle

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

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