Director, Project Management — Lead Operational Excellence

ZENO Group; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 105,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental and vision insurance

Headspace mental health program

401(k) plan

Paid time off

Tuition assistance

Life insurance

Free financial coaching

Be Kind to Your Mind program

Job summary

Zeno Group, a fearless independent communications agency, seeks a Director, Project Management to lead complex client programs from planning through execution.

You will partner with account teams, finance and leadership to manage budgets, scopes and timelines, translate ambiguity into clear plans, and drive operational excellence across a diverse client portfolio.

This role rewards strategic thinking, hands-on delivery, and a collaborative approach to improve processes and client experiences.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of project management experience within a public relations, advertising, digital, marketing or similar agency environment.
• Experience managing integrated client programs, including project planning, budgeting, forecasting and resource management.
• Strong understanding of agency operations and the ability to collaborate effectively across cross-functional teams.
• Experience developing statements of work (SOWs), project estimates and program timelines.
• Strong financial acumen, including experience managing budgets, forecasting and identifying scope changes.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a strategic partner to account and practice leaders, helping ensure client programs are delivered on time, within scope and aligned with business objectives.
• Develop project estimates, timelines and resource plans while identifying risks and developing solutions.
• Partner across client teams, finance and resource management to align staffing, budgets and workflows across integrated programs.
• Support agency operations and new business planning by developing project estimates and scalable processes.

Skills

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Budgeting & forecasting

SOW development

Stakeholder management

Tools

Excel

Google Sheets

Smartsheet

Job description

Zeno Group, a fearless independent communications agency, seeks a Director, Project Management to lead complex client programs from planning through execution.

You will partner with account teams, finance and leadership to manage budgets, scopes and timelines, translate ambiguity into clear plans, and drive operational excellence across a diverse client portfolio.

This role rewards strategic thinking, hands-on delivery, and a collaborative approach to improve processes and client experiences.