Senior Program Manager

Most companies claim to have the best people. We say to them, "Keep dreaming." Our people are second to none. They set us apart with their entrepreneurial spirit and ambition. They come to us from the likes of Amazon, Microsoft, Nordstrom, Starbucks and the sports world, bringing energy, bold ideas and a willingness to dive into the unfamiliar. It's our people that make BDA the top global Merchandise Agency to work for.

Location: Hybrid, Dallas TX (4 days in office)

About the Role:

As a Senior Program Manager at BDA, you'll be at the forefront of delivering innovative products that captivate consumers and foster brand loyalty. Collaborating closely with our teams in China and locally, you'll orchestrate seamless project execution, ensuring adherence to budgets and timelines while upholding the highest quality standards. Your role is pivotal within our dynamic client team, where collective efforts drive exceptional products and services.

You will be a key part of a larger client team, ensuring that projects are run on-time, on-budget and on-quality. This is a collaborative role where, together you and the rest of the team, deliver best-in-class products and service to the client.

At BDA, we believe in blending professionalism with a vibrant company culture. Inspired by creative environments like Idea Planet, we emphasize teamwork and partnership, fostering a supportive and engaging workplace.

What You’ll Do:

Project and Team Management

• Lead project management team, ensuring all projects are running smoothly and each program manager is supported in project management and professional growth
• Develop and manage project schedules, ensuring all milestones are met by both internal and external stakeholders
• Lead daily communication with China team ensuring all projects are meeting cost, budget, and quality requirements
• Foresee project risks, providing recommendations and plans to best mitigate those risks
• Actively communicate key project updates to all stakeholders to ensure smooth project progression

Vendor and Client Management

• Negotiate with factory partners ensuring best possible project costs/timing

• Review all samples to ensure product meets agreed upon specifications and quality

• Maintain relationships as primary point of contact with client supply chain partners
• Periodically travel to domestic and international facilities to review compliance of current facilities and evaluate potential new facilities

Product Ideation and Development

• Work collaboratively with rest of team to develop product ideas that meet client’s needs
• Translate product ideas into detailed product specifications that can be used to accurately quote and mass produce custom products

• Demonstrated understanding of consumer/child product safety guidelines

Business Acumen and Technical Competence

• Strong financial acumen with an understanding of calculating financial data such as margins and sales projections to ensure profitable sales results
• Manage product development budgets to ensure margin goals are tracked and met/exceeded
• Exceptional organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, track timelines, prioritize tasks, proactively solve challenges and ensure smooth execution

What you Bring:

Job Skills and Traits

• Proven experience in being able to break down large projects into manageable, trackable steps
• Excellent negotiation skills
• Experience working with international teams, on product needs, around safety compliance/regulations.
• Keep abreast of industry trends and apply trends to help innovate new products
• Solid knowledge of Excel functions and data manipulation to create schedules, develop financial worksheets, share information and provide analyses

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or 10-12 years of proven experience in project management
• 5-7 years’ proven experience in project management
• Proficient in MS Office suite (Excel, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint)

Bonus Skills & Experience
*These skills or experiences will set candidates apart, but they are not required. If you have them, great! If not, we still encourage you to apply.

• PMP certification
• Familiarity with CPG supply chain management, inventory planning, and vendor negotiations.
• Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and Acrobat
• Ability to speak Mandarin (working with China team,