Program Manager

WPP is the creative transformation company. We use the power of creativity to build better futures for our people, planet, clients, and communities.

Working at WPP means being part of a global network of more than 100,000 talented people dedicated to doing extraordinary work for our clients. We operate in over 100 countries, with corporate headquarters in New York, London and Singapore.

WPP is a world leader in marketing services, with deep AI, data and technology capabilities, global presence and unrivalled creative talent. Our clients include many of the biggest companies and advertisers in the world, including approximately 300 of the Fortune Global 500.

Our people are the key to our success. We're committed to fostering a culture of creativity, belonging and continuous learning, attracting and developing the brightest talent, and providing exciting career opportunities that help our people grow. 

The North America Shared Services team is seeking a Program Manager to lead key strategic SSC projects required to deliver the established transformation journey over the next 3-5 years. As Program Manager, you will work cross-functionally with a wide network of sponsors and stakeholders, across the global WPP network. You will have the opportunity to drive complex initiatives from conception to implementation, ensuring a seamless experience for all parties and successful execution of programs and projects.  You must be an excellent collaborator, with a natural aptitude for details and investigating, asking the right questions, of the right stakeholder and at the right time. You must be able to thrive amid ambiguity, with an eye on team productivity, as well as ensuring the team has what they need to succeed.   

 This role will report directly into the Director, Accounting and Reporting, North America Shared Service Center (SSC) and will be working with teams of Finance, Accounting, IT, HR, and Operational Functional Specialists internal and external to the SSC with expertise in Record to Report (RTR), Procure to Pay (PTP), Order to Cash (OTC) and Treasury. The main goal of the role is to lead and deliver complex technical and operational SSC projects to agreed timelines and milestones.  This is a key position for the NA SSC organization, and the individual will be a valued and integral member of the SSC leadership team.

Key Responsibilities : 

• Lead project management activities for the NA SSC resulting from: the design and deployment of a new ERP tool, Workday, across WPP in North America; and the WPP transformation program.  

• Responsible for developing and managing plans, deadlines, deliverables and ongoing reporting for NA SSC initiatives; works with other Functional Leads to define, prioritize, and develop projects and programs; build and maintain overall roadmap planning and tracking  

• Display meticulous program management capabilities by owning project plans, milestone tracking, and status reporting, managing dependencies, delivery timelines and implementation plans  

• You will actively manage, report on and escalate risks and issues while developing mitigation plans to address  

• You will work diligently to ensure dependencies are met and actions are assigned, agreed, and closed on time; attention to details is key  

• Optimize or use a standard program delivery methodology for delivering program goals (e.g., agile, waterfall, iterative)  

• Pro-actively investigate pain points to identify opportunities that contribute to moving the needle in direction of program objectives  

• Drive collaboration and accountability across the organization, multiple stakeholders, and wider teams to ensure delivery of program goals as well as efficient and on-time program implementation  

Skill Requirements : 

• Experience in successfully managing ambitious, strategic, and operationally complex programs/projects with internal and external cross-functional teams  

• Highly organized and detail oriented, with a bias for action; exceptional written and verbal communication skills 

• Experience leading / motivating/ influencing globally dispersed teams and senior level stakeholders; holding business partners accountable while building strong relationships 

• Minimum 5 years’ experience in a similar role: Finance, complex, large-scale transformation projects, communication, and change management activities  

• Successful track record of designing and implementing a Project Management function within a complex finance organization 

• Ability to recognize and resolve dependencies across projects, processes, functions, technology & people  

• Experience and skill in recognizing/communicating/ actioning risks to controls, quality and timeliness of project delivery 

• Strong control of the detail, with excellent issue resolution skills. 
• Lead with positive intent; highly motivated team player with best-in-class attitude, high initiative, and willingness to learn and challenge the status quo.

Desired Qualifications:  

• PMP Certification  

• Experience operating within a multi-national company 

• Experience in ERP and Process deployment  

• Knowledge of financial processes and functions 

#LI-Onsite

We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office around four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.

WPP is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to particular characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.

Please read our Privacy Notice (https://www.wpp.com/en/careers/wpp-privacy-policy-for-recruitment) for more information on how we process the information you provide.