Senior Project Manager

VML; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Career development

Job summary

VML in London seeks a strategic-thinking Senior Project Manager to lead creative digital ecosystems and manage multi-workstream programs. You will own projects from brief to final delivery, ensuring on-brief, on-time and on-budget outcomes while leading cross-functional teams.

With 5+ years in an agency setting, you will apply Agile/Scrum/Kanban knowledge, oversee budgets from £100k to £1m+, and mentor junior colleagues.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of proven project management experience in marketing/digital agency environments.
• Strong knowledge of delivery frameworks (Agile, Scrum, Kanban, Waterfall) in digital marketing and tech.
• Expert core project management skills: drafting artifacts, stakeholder management, forecasting, and metrics.
• Outstanding client-facing skills and ability to manage creative development, strategy, and production workflows.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and ability to work under pressure.

Responsibilities

• End-to-End Delivery: Scope, plan, and deliver multi-workstream projects.
• Team Leadership & Setup: Onboard and motivate multi-disciplined teams.
• Hands-on Problem Solving: Collaborate with teams to resolve complex issues.
• Agile Planning: Guide planning and prioritize work based on capacity.
• Risk & Issue Mitigation: Identify risks and propose actionable mitigations.
• Scoping & Proposals: Define scope and draft SoWs.
• Resource Allocation: Manage and coordinate resources.
• Supplier & Partner Coordination: Align with external partners for delivery.
• Financial Management: Track budgets, burn, margins, and cost controls.
• Project Documentation: Produce all project artifacts and roadmaps.
• Client & Stakeholder Collaboration: Align with client teams on objectives.
• Quality Assurance: Ensure deliverables meet high standards.
• Senior Reporting: Update leadership on status and risks.
• Mentorship: Guide junior PMs and coordinators.

Skills

Project management

Agile

Stakeholder management

Budgeting

Team leadership

Jira

Confluence

Miro

Communication

Tools

Jira

Confluence

Smartsheet

Miro

MS Office

Job description

Who We Are

VML is a global creative company that combines brand experience, customer experience, and commerce to create connected brands that drive growth. Guided by a Human First philosophy, VML is known for its innovative work for brands and consistently ranks among the world’s leading creative companies, including the WARC Creative 100. VML’s global network spans 55+ markets with principal offices in Buenos Aires, Kansas City, London, New York, São Paulo, Shanghai and Singapore.

VML is part of WPP, the trusted growth partner for the world's leading brands. Powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform WPP Open, WPP unites cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, creativity, production, enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel.

For more information, please visit www.vml.com and follow along on LinkedIn #WeAreVML.

The Role

We are seeking a strategic-thinking Senior Project Manager with proven experience delivering creative, engaging digital ecosystems, products, and services.

In this client-facing role, you will be responsible for the delivery of multiple workstreams and managing budgets (ranging from £100k to £1m+) across a variety of briefs. You will own projects from brief through to final delivery—ensuring client needs are met on brief, on time, on budget, and to the highest standards.

You will create a collaborative, inclusive environment for multi-disciplined teams to succeed. With a minimum of 5+ years' agency experience, you thrive in a supportive, fast-paced environment and relish the prospect of taking end-to-end ownership of major deliverables. You are a detail-obsessed project leader who loves creating great work.

What You Will Be Doing

• End-to-End Delivery: Scope, facilitate, and deliver end-to-end projects that create exceptional creative digital experiences and brand campaigns.
• Team Leadership & Setup: Onboard, motivate, and set up multi-disciplined project teams for success.
• Hands-on Problem Solving: Work shoulder-to-shoulder with your team, delving deep into the details to help problem-solve and collaboratively craft solutions.
• Agile Planning: Guide the dynamic planning process and delivery of projects, prioritizing work based on team capacity and capability.
• Risk & Issue Mitigation: Proactively identify warning signs of potential issues, provide actionable recommendations, and elevate appropriately to navigate delivery challenges.
• Scoping & Proposals: Accurately scope effort for projects to create robust proposals and Statements of Work (SoWs).
• Resource Allocation: Manage resources effectively, liaising with Resource Management on agency skill-set requirements.
• Supplier & Partner Coordination: Coordinate seamless delivery with third-party suppliers and external partners.
• Financial Management: Oversee project financials including budget tracking, time and cost reconciliations, burn rates, EAC, margins, and proactive risk mitigation.
• Project Documentation: Develop all key project artifacts including SoWs, program plans, and interactive roadmaps.
• Client & Stakeholder Collaboration: Work closely with brand and marketing client teams to ensure project objectives are met within agreed timelines and budgets.
• Quality Assurance: Ensure all project deliverables meet the agency's highest quality standards.
• Senior Reporting: Provide clear, regular updates to senior management on project status, key risks, and emerging issues.
• Mentorship: Act as a mentor, guiding junior project managers and coordinators within the Delivery department.

What We’re Looking For

• Experience: 5+ years of proven experience in Project Management—preferably within a marketing, advertising, or digital agency environment—leading complex, end-to-end integrated and digital projects.
• Methodologies: Strong working knowledge of various delivery frameworks (Agile, Scrum, Kanban, Waterfall) within digital marketing and technology.
• Core PM & Financial Skills: Expert core project management skills, including drafting project artifacts, managing external/internal stakeholders, resource forecasting, revenue forecasting, and financial metrics.
• Client Management: Exceptional client-facing skills with the ability to build strong, trusted relationships while managing creative development, strategy, and production workflows.
• Communication & Negotiation: Outstanding interpersonal, negotiation, and communication skills.
• Composure Under Pressure: Proven ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
• Tooling Expertise: Proficiency with industry tools such as Jira, Confluence, Smartsheet, Miro, and MS Office.
• Mindset & Ownership: Proactive, energetic, collaborative, and hungry to take ownership of significant pieces of business with strategic oversight.

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 an average of four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.

WPP (VML) is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to 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.