Senior Project Manager

vmlenterprisesolutions; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

WPP Enterprise Solutions is seeking a Project Manager with eCommerce experience to join our South Africa team. You will lead cross-functional delivery, manage budgets, and drive high-quality outcomes on complex programs.

You will work with stakeholders to ensure alignment with business goals, leveraging Agile or Waterfall methodologies, and mentor junior PMs as needed. This role is based in Johannesburg with a focus on delivering value for retail clients.

Qualifications

• Proven software development project management experience.
• eCommerce experience, ideally in retail.
• Solid understanding of the SDLC and release management.
• Ability to define, manage and deliver to customer expectations under deadlines.
• Ability to navigate ambiguity and adapt to change with critical thinking.
• Experience leading teams at different lifecycle stages.
• Strong communication skills in English.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex projects using Agile or Waterfall approaches.
• Coordinate multiple workstreams and manage interdependencies.
• Provide accurate status reports on milestones, risks and issues.
• Drive delivery quality and process improvements across teams.
• Collaborate with senior management and stakeholders to align on strategy.
• Support junior project managers and budget monitoring.
• Maintain client expectations and diplomatically resolve escalations.
• Keep up to date with industry practices and apply them.

Skills

Project Management

eCommerce

Agile delivery

Budgeting & finance

Stakeholder management

Leadership

Education

BA/BS degree in information management, marketing, communications, or business

Tools

MS Excel

MS PowerPoint

Job description

Who We Are

WPP Enterprise Solutions designs, builds, and operates the growth systems that competitive businesses rely on. In a world where Al is reshaping how companies drive growth, we lead clients in business transformation and marketing modernization, connecting strategy directly to execution. Our 12,000 experts in engineering and platforms, commerce, consulting, content transformation, CRM, and CX work within a unified global operating unit across 40+ markets. WPP Enterprise Solutions works alongside best-in-class partners including Adobe, AWS, Braze, Google, Microsoft, Salesforce, and Shopify, as well as innovators in AI, to deliver growth solutions tailored to the needs of our clients' businesses. VML, part of WPP, supports WPP Enterprise Solutions by helping brands activate transformation through creativity and experience.

At WPP Enterprise Solutions

WPP Enterprise Solutions designs, builds, and operates the growth systems that competitive businesses rely on. In a world where Al is reshaping how companies drive growth, we lead clients in business transformation and marketing modernisation, connect

The opportunity

Project Manager with Commerce experience and a technical background required to join our eCommerce Team in South Africa.

We look for an experienced Project Manager who leads teams to deliver high-quality, complex projects on budget and within a specified timeframe to achieve the potential benefits defined in the business case. You will work closely with the Programme Manager/Account Director to achieve productivity goals and contribute to the organisation's overall success.

What you’ll be doing

• Effectively run complex projects using Agile or Waterfall methodologies
• Support the efficient flow of work by providing solutions to issues and blockers
• Produce accurate status reporting regarding project milestones, deliverables, risks, and issues, communicating to various audiences including key stakeholders and sponsors
• Manage several workstreams successfully, ensuring the teams understand what is expected of them in terms of output and quality
• Manage the interdependencies between the various workstreams
• Inspire and lead teams with little Agile experience, suggesting process and practical improvements as appropriate
• Motivate teams to achieve individual and team objectives, to deliver high-quality outputs within agreed timeframes
• Focus on improving delivery processes
• Provide support to Junior Project Managers within your account
• Review and update the project resource plan on a regular basis, keeping tight control of project budgets
• Foster close relationships with senior management and business stakeholders, and be seen as a credible, reliable expert
• Develop customer confidence by understanding their needs and delivering first-class solutions
• Set and manage client expectations, including resolving client escalations with diplomacy
• Chair meetings/reviews with multiple stakeholder requirements
• Keep up to date with emerging industry practices

What we want from you

• Proven software development Project Management experience
• eCommerce experience, ideally within a retail environment
• A good understanding of the software development lifecycle (SDLC) and release management
• Ability to define, manage, and deliver to customer expectations within strict deadlines
• Ability to deal with ambiguity, embrace and react to change with enthusiasm and critical thinking
• Experience leading and managing teams at different stages of the team's lifecycle
• Experience with modern software development practices
• Strong understanding of agile delivery techniques and lean ways of working
• Experience managing people and financial budgets (including project budgeting, monitoring financials, reporting, etc.)
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Packages, especially MS Excel and MS PowerPoint
• Solid time management & organisational skills
• Excellent negotiation skills and an ability to handle sensitive issues with tact and diplomacy
• Relevant Project Management qualifications
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English

If you know some of this, even better

BA/BS degree with a major in information management, marketing, communications, business, or other closely related areas is an advantage.

What we can offer you

Alongside the opportunity to work with some of the most exciting brands around the world, we’ll also prioritise your career development and help you grow your skills. We’ll empower you to make a difference, allow you to be yourself, and respect who you are.

How we use AI in the recruitment process

To ensure more focused and engaging conversations, we leverage AI in our recruitment process exclusively for secure, objective note-taking , never for evaluative judgments. This allows our team to be fully present with you. You are always welcome to request a transcript of these notes or opt out of this feature at any time. Opting out will not impact the outcome of the interview process.