At AKQA (part of WPP), we believe in the imaginative application of art and science to create beautiful ideas, products and services. With an entrepreneurial and collaborative approach, we design adaptive digital services and applications that capture the imagination, delivering impressive returns for our clients.
Program Directors at AKQA are essential figures in delivering and managing complex, portfolio-level client engagements. They bring extensive experience structuring and leading multi-million dollar programs with parallel workstreams, spanning design, development, campaign, social, media, and marketing. Equally focused on the big picture and the details that make it real, they serve as the senior tactical hub of the delivery organization, partnering with project managers and cross-functional leads to ensure every track of work moves with clarity, accountability, and momentum.
We are seeking an experienced Freelance Program Director to support one of the most recognizable financial institutions in the country, a brand celebrated not only for its scale but for its standout, culturally resonant advertising and marketing work. This is a high-visibility engagement where campaign excellence and disciplined multi-track delivery leadership are equally important. You will be responsible for bringing structure, strategic oversight, and clear communication to a fast-moving, creatively ambitious body of work that spans multiple simultaneous workstreams and teams.
ROLE REQUIREMENTS
- Lead and manage a large-scale, multi-million dollar client engagement with multiple concurrent project tracks, teams, and deliverables running in parallel
- Bring proven campaign delivery experience to the work, ensuring creative and production timelines are managed with rigor and an understanding of how great advertising gets made
- Serve as the senior point of delivery leadership across the engagement, partnering closely with Project Managers, discipline leads, and client stakeholders to maintain alignment and momentum
- Manage client expectations with confidence and clarity, ensuring all parties are informed, aligned, and satisfied across the lifecycle of the work
- Demonstrate a strong intuitive understanding of web and application development, design operations, and the creative process
- Oversee contractual and commercial elements of the engagement, including SOWs, MSAs, and partner agreements
- Assess and manage risk and change across the program, escalating and resolving issues before they impact delivery or relationships
- Mentor and actively develop the project management talent working alongside you, leading by example and investing in the growth of the team
- Collaborate across disciplines to bring definition to ambiguous opportunities, articulate unknowns, and guide teams toward clear, well-reasoned solutions
- Maintain oversight of program performance and agency accountability, keeping senior leadership informed with clear, organized, and succinct reporting
QUALITIES AND CHARACTERISTICS
- 12+ years of experience managing and launching large-scale, innovative digital, creative, and integrated projects within an agency environment
- Campaign experience is essential; you bring a deep familiarity with how creative and campaign work is developed, produced, and delivered at a high level
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple tracks of work simultaneously, with the organizational rigor and composure to keep complex programs on course
- Strong knowledge of account and project management principles, methods, and techniques, across both agile and waterfall approaches
- Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, one-on-one and in large groups, with the ability to organize information quickly and summarize succinctly
- Rigorous, detail-oriented, and solutions-focused at every level of a project
- Collaborative by nature, with a track record of building trust across disciplines and stakeholder groups
- Excellent analytical and financial skills, with comfort managing program budgets and forecasting
- Passionate about producing ambitious, culturally resonant work across all channels and media
Location & Commitment
- Remote with occasional onsite presence as needed; must be East Coast based
- June 10, 2026 through September 30, 2026
- 40 hours/week
- Expected compensation: $3,600 to $4,400 per week
We believe great work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach including required in-office days. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.
AKQA 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.
About WPP
WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. We unite cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, world-class creativity, next-generation production, transformative enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel in a single company – powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform, WPP Open, to help our clients navigate change, capture opportunity and deliver transformational growth. For more information, visit WPP.com.
Skills Required
- 12+ years managing large-scale digital, creative, and integrated agency projects
- Proven campaign delivery experience (creative and production timelines)
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent workstreams and teams
- Strong knowledge of account and project management principles across agile and waterfall
- Experience overseeing SOWs, MSAs, partner agreements and commercial/contractual elements
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, able to summarize succinctly for senior stakeholders
- Strong analytical and financial skills; comfortable managing program budgets and forecasting
- Demonstrated risk and change management experience on complex programs
- Understanding of web and application development and design operations
- Experience mentoring and developing project management talent
- East Coast based and able to be onsite occasionally as needed
- Availability for contract period June 10, 2026 through September 30, 2026 at 40 hours/week (freelance)
AKQA Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about AKQA and has not been reviewed or approved by AKQA.
-
Parental & Family Support — Policies include fully paid parental leave for all parents, adoption support, and family leave for caregiving needs. Additional supports such as subsidized backup childcare and regional enhancements reinforce family care.
-
Healthcare Strength — Health coverage offers multiple plan options with full preventive care, mental‑health resources, and dental and vision coverage. Some regions provide 24/7 virtual doctor access and supplementary healthcare budgets for services not covered by insurance.
-
Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time‑away provisions include generous paid holidays with increases over tenure and a companywide year‑end closure. Special, study, and event‑based leave (e.g., weddings, moving) broaden the range of available time off.
AKQA Insights
What We Do
The imaginative application of art and science. AKQA is a design and communications company that employs 2,200 professionals in 29 studios across five continents. Awarded two Cannes Lion Grand Prix’s in 2019, and recently named by Gartner and Forrester as one of the world’s leading experience design and innovation agencies.
