Associate Director, Program Manager

About R/GA

In our 40-year history, we’ve changed a lot—from a culture-defining film title studio (Superman, Alien, Ghostbusters); to an interactive advertising agency; to an award-winning product and marketing agency with design, technology, communications, ventures and IP practices. We like change, and like to navigate our clients through it too.

Our approach to work is always human first. This unwavering focus helps us create meaningful and memorable experiences that live across digital platforms and often blur the line between the digital and real worlds. We believe disruptive thinking happens when you collide experts in design, technology and culture.

About the Role

As an Associate Director, Program Management, you’ll take ownership of some of R/GA’s most complex programs, setting the pace for teams and delivering world-class work from kickoff through final delivery. You’ll lead multidisciplinary teams, establish project plans and budgets, guide client engagements, and ensure delivery aligns with scope, strategy, and business goals.

This role is both strategic and operational. You’ll work closely with clients and internal leads to define how we work and what we deliver—balancing quality, profitability, and team health. You’ll set the standard for collaboration, communication, and clarity, while mentoring junior team members and helping drive growth across your portfolio.

Here’s what you should know if you want to be an Associate Director, Program Management at R/GA: 

On any given day you might 

• Partner with clients to define project scope, including goals, deliverables, timelines, and budget
• Lead the authoring and negotiation of SOWs and PCNs, confidently presenting rationale and ensuring alignment throughout.
• Identify and lead new and organic business opportunities by vetting RFPs, aligning internal capabilities, and crafting strategic proposals that drive sustained client growth
• Manage mid- to large-size teams to execute complex and often simultaneous projects
• Maintain project momentum through task management, issue tracking, and clear documentation
• Communicate regularly with teams and clients, providing status updates and escalating risks as needed
• Mentor junior team members, fostering accountability and guiding problem solving, ownership, and engagement
• Build strong client partnerships by deeply understanding their strategy, delivering high-quality work and consistently communicating key project updates
• Maintain client satisfaction and confidentiality, proactively sharing feedback with internal teams while demonstrating a strong commitment to service and trust
• Define success metrics with clients and analyze performance against KPIs, ensuring objectives are clear and ROI targets are met 
• Develop achievable budgets, schedules, SOWs & PCNs, ensuring all financials are documented and aligned to scope
• Track and report weekly on project financial health including Estimates at Completion (EAC), surfacing risks early and resolving overburns through budget reallocation, PCNs, and rescoping
• Partner with Finance to manage OOP costs and Accounts Receivable and non-billable budgets aligned with account targets 
• Champion cost-efficient ways of working by identifying alternative vendors, tools, processes that can increase profitability or reduce client spend. 
• Protect profitability by defending against unnecessary discounting and scope compromises, and continuously look for opportunities to improve margins 
• Support Talent Management and Craft leads in the curation and casting of the most appropriate team for each project 
• Collaborate with Business Leadership and Talent Management to assemble cross-office teams, prioritize resourcing, and forecast future needs for effective pipelining.
• Foster a positive, motivated team culture through flexibility, curiosity, and strong day-to-day leadership
• Delegate effectively, making balanced decisions that support great work, team health, and business goals

The ideal person 

• Has a sharp eye for detail and polish across all deliverables 
• Fosters a constructive learning environment while pushing for the highest quality output 
• Embodies purpose, tenacity, intelligence, resourcefulness, collaboration and enthusiasm
• Stays up to date on industry trends and client developments
• Demonstrates emerging thought leadership through ideas, initiative, and point of view
• Approaches challenges with thoughtful, solutions-oriented thinking
• Seeks guidance when needed and addresses issues with openness and accountability

You Bring 

• 6-10 years of experience in a digital or integrated agency environment
• Proven ability to lead multiple projects within a client portfolio valued at $2M - $3M 
• Experience in project flighting and estimation, with an ability to draw from past work to inform early planning and resource modeling
• 2+ years authoring SOWs and building scopes from the ground up. 
• Deep experience with innovative production models, spanning social-first content, large-scale brand systems, and emerging technology activations.
• Proven ability to lead integrated, tech-enabled campaigns, including AI-powered solutions, talent/influencer partnerships, and co-creation with platforms or vendors.
• RFP and pitch experience, with the ability to evaluate opportunities, identify talent needs, and develop compelling go-to-market approaches.
• Experience mentoring junior team members and supporting their development