Senior Program Manager

Job Description
A Razorfish Senior Program Manager expertly manages small to medium scale data and technology projects with several parallel tracks of work from end-to-end. They demonstrate ability to manage risks and issue proactively, rather than reactively. Senior Program Managers also embody strong people skills, enabling the ability to motivate the team, support the team to resolve conflict, and support re-negotiation with the client on missed expectations. They are advanced users of the tools and methodologies required to deliver the work, and they support new business pursuits by generating case study content and presenting material relative to the PM domain.
This is a hybrid role, requiring working onsite 3 days per week in our Plano, Texas office, and 2 days remotely.
Responsibilities:
Monitoring &
Controlling
General ManagementAbility to run a small to medium scale fast-paced data and technology projects with several tracks of work or a small program with multiple projects;
works with resource management and discipline leads to ensure projects are appropriately staffed.
Works with data and technology interdisciplinary teams to manage schedules, deliverables, and team capacity;
clarifies and communicates project objectives and success criteria;
troubleshoots internal issues and determines corrective action.
Ability to plan, organize and control the activities of other Razorfish disciplines (specifically data and technology) with little to no oversight.
Has as an understanding of Paid Media, CRM and website data infrastructure workflows and how that data impacts client business objectives.
Creates interdisciplinary workback schedules, establishes progress tracking processes and produces effective reports to communicate progress to clients and senior stakeholders.
Ability to proactively identify and mitigate risk from the project plan, manages and controls project scope and the change control process to ensure that projects are completed according to schedule and within budget.
Drives project delivery through effective use of internal and client meetings.
Knowledge of the project inputs / documentation required for defining acceptance criteria, e.G. stories and use cases.
Effectively organizes and uses internal tools (Smartsheet’s, Adobe Workfront, Confluence, JIRA, Box, MS Teams, etc.) to meet project and client requirements.
Tracks and manages team permissions and processes within the client's ecosystems as well as Razorfish’s.
Knowledge of our standard data deliverables (integrated marketing campaign performance reporting, key KPI’s, measurement plans, audience targeting and testing) and ability to conduct regular reviews of project deliverables with key team members/client, works with senior delivery team members to develop/implement plans to resolve any issues.
Methodology &
ApproachUnderstands thebasics of the different delivery methodologies with their pros and cons and their applicability;
(Agile, Waterfall, Hybrid, Scrum, Kanban).
Ability to explain to team members all of the roles and corresponding responsibilities for each methodology.
Ability to provide feedback to team members related to how well they are executing their roles and responsibilities.
Ability to select and proficiently use Razorfish tools according to chosen delivery methodology.
Communication &
ConsultingAbility to frame messages correctly through context or purpose and articulate messages with clarity and simplicity.
Ability to effectively communicate complex situations through providing additional context or insight.
Ability to apply effective basic and advanced communication skills (e.G. active listening, motivational skills, team building skills, teamwork skillsor interpersonal skills) and identify the right media for communication (e.G. meeting, video conferencing, emails, offline tools).
Ability to set up and facilitate a wide range of meetings and interactions, including:
internally focused, meetings with clients, with suppliers or partners, or within a local or global delivery team on a day-to-day basis.
Ability to prepare for a facilitated meeting including adapting sessions/structure depending on the size of audience and the audience’s goals, engaging the participants in advance (e.G. ramp-up call, pre-work/review, interviews), developing a plan B and C in addition to plan A.
Knowledge of and ability to use key facilitation tools such as, session opening and closing, timekeeping and flexing (what is must have / what is nice to have), or main/break-out sessions (sub-groups).
Ability to use facilitations techniques to accomplish basic goals, e.G.:
ice breakers / energizers, issues and risks session, walking clients or team through a plan, scoping exercise;
Or post mortem).
Ability to successfully negotiate with clients in regards to workplace policy.
Ability to hold others accountable for meeting workplace expectations for ‘others’ (team) including:
Or Ability to model collaborative team work and set the tone for working as one team
Or Knowledge of how to onboard team members
Or Ability to create formal onboarding processes and documentation
Or Ability to drive formal onboarding processes with new team members
Or Ability to communicate professional conduct expectations to team members
Or Ability to address expectation gaps with team members
Or Ability to lead expectation discussions with team
Or Ability to collaborate with clients to establish and enforce expectations with teams.
TeamManagementAbility to distinguish project management hard skills from leadership soft (people) skills.
Knowledge of emotional intelligence and the importance of this practice and self-awareness in both professional and personal interactions.
Ability to model the way and set good examples for people to follow in every day actions and self-management.
Challenge the process by asking hard questions and leading others into confronting realities.
Encourages a positive mindset and energy even when facing challenges.
Ability to 'read the room' and determine how an audience of listeners might be feeling in reaction to what is being said.
Team Leadership
Strategic LeadershipAbility to engage the team in a collaborative manner and effectively drive cross-functional team member participation.
Ability to drive internal kick-off meetings.
Ability to garner appropriate participation of all required team members to ensure successful kick-off.
Monitors the project team to ensure understanding of project requirements and goals.
Ability to garner agreement on ways of working.
CoachingAbility to manage team conflict with help.
Ensures that the challenge and requirements are understood by the team, and participates in the solution developed by the team.
Ability to collaborate with discipline leads and client services lead on delivering the project.
Ability to deal with staffing challenges.
Ability to apply key facilitation skills such as:
Or Strong questioning techniques
Or Active listening vs. talking
Or Assertiveness
Ability to manage basic ‘difficult behaviors,’ e.G. side conversations.
Ability to (through effective facilitation):
Guide the participants/team through a process towards a simple shared goal.
Drive specific results in a structured and accelerated manner.
Support, guide and ‘orchestrate’ smaller teams.
Enhance team productivity and efficiency.
Provide a sense of comfort that things are under control.
Foster an energized, open, and comfortable atmosphere.
Ensure continuous movement and clarity of ownership.
Manage attendees and ensure everyone understands the objectives.
Manage team expectations.
Ability to confront a team member that does not meet expectations (e.G. does not follow process, personal hygiene, dress code)
Conflict ResolutionKnowledge of the different types of conflicts that might arise within a team.
Ability to escalate to project leadership when conflict situations become critical / require urgent resolution.
Client Exposure
Client ManagementAbility to communicate planning outputs to senior team members and clients, as appropriate.
Confidently present kick-off materials to client and stakeholders, under the guidance of a Senior Manager.
Ability to agree on ways of working (internally and with the client).
Relationship ManagementWorks with the daily client contact to assure that the solution is understood and addresses the customer’s business requirements;
discussions on project issues and risk.
Ensures that key decisions and next steps are clearly captured and quickly communicated to clients;
ensures they're addressed by the team.
Able to apologize and work with the client or stakeholder toward a solution, including partial solutions if original client expectation cannot be met.
Ability to (with little guidance) develop working relationships with select members of the business stakeholders.
Ability to manage the stakeholder relationship with support of the client service team.
Able to establish and effectively manage client expectations.
Ability to manage client escalations within the client escalation hierarchy (with guidance).