Senior Project Manager

Job Overview: 

The Senior Project Manager (SPM) serves as a key driver of project success, ensuring projects are strategically planned, expertly coordinated, and flawlessly executed. This role requires hands-on leadership across multiple projects, ranging from short-term, discreet initiatives to complex, long-term programs. The SPM is responsible for delivering projects on time and within scope and budget, while consistently exceeding internal and client expectations. The ideal candidate is an experienced, results-oriented project manager who thrives in a fast-paced, dynamic environment. 

Key Responsibilities, including but not limited to: 

Tactical Plans, Implementation & Project Facilitation 

• Develop and maintain detailed tactical plans across assigned projects, ensuring proactive activation and efficient execution. 

• Own project facilitation throughout the lifecycle, expertly navigating ambiguous or complex challenges and driving to clear resolutions and next steps. 

• Anticipate risks, identify issues, and determine when escalation is needed; act as an escalation point for PMs. 

• Support PMs in their project planning, execution, and facilitation responsibilities. 

Project Schedule, Scope, Budget, Forecasting & Resourcing Health 

• Ensure all assigned projects are appropriately scheduled, resourced, and forecasted; escalate risks promptly and provide solutions when delivery is at risk. 

• Prepare estimates, change orders, and support the estimating process for complex annual scopes of work. 

• Own budget management from start to finish—aligning initial estimates to project plans, updating budgets to align with changes in scope, and partnering with finance through revenue reconciliation processes. 

• Analyze project health, identifying risks and actionable solutions. 

• Support PMs in project health best practices and issue resolution. 

Internal Team Relationships & Communication 

• Champion collaboration and build trust across cross-functional teams, fostering optimism and empathy, particularly in challenging situations. 

• Adapt communication effectively based on the audience, individual, or situation, ensuring clarity and alignment. 

• Mentor PMs through team relationship and communication challenges. 

Client Relationships 

• Serve as a trusted day-to-day client contact for project-related communication, ensuring accurate and timely updates. 

• Contribute to building client trust by facilitating project execution and supporting project-related presentations or discussions. 

• Support PMs in strengthening client communication and relationship management. 

Process & Efficiencies 

• Apply established processes, templates, and tools consistently across projects, ensuring alignment with departmental standards. 

• Act as a process champion and internal resource, supporting process improvement initiatives in partnership with department leadership. 

Project Management Team Leadership 

• Support onboarding, mentoring, and training of PMs, sharing expertise in tactical planning and execution. 

• Consistently model expected professional behaviors, maturity, and collaboration. 

• May manage direct reports. 

Requirements

• Required Skills & Experience 
• 4+ years of experience in agency and/or project management at an integrated advertising agency. 
• Experience working with AOR or D/AOR clients within pharma strongly preferred. 
• Multi-channel marketing experience, including media planning and execution preferred. 
• Financial responsibility for up to $3M in revenue and oversight for up to 6M. 
• Proven ability to lead complex projects, integrated campaigns, and large-scale product launches. 
• Collaborative and solution-oriented, with the ability to juggle multiple projects while maintaining professionalism, humor, and tact. 
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to engage stakeholders at all levels, inspire teamwork, and lead with confidence. 
• Strong organizational and prioritization skills, breaking down work into clear, actionable steps. 
• Proactive problem-solver, skilled at anticipating roadblocks, mitigating risks, and driving solutions—especially in fast-paced, high-stakes environments. 
• Experience with project management tools and methodologies, including risk management, scope management, and change management. 
• Skilled in meeting management and facilitation, keeping discussi