Programme Manager - Commerce (Contract)

Who We AreVML, part of WPP, is a leading creative company that combines brand experience, customer experience, and commerce, creating connected brands to drive growth. VML is celebrated for its innovative and human first, award-winning work for blue chip client partners including AstraZeneca, Colgate-Palmolive, Dell, Ford, Microsoft, Nestlé, The Coca-Cola Company, and Wendy's. The agency is recognized by the Forrester Wave Reports, as a Leader among Marketing Creative and Content Service Providers, Commerce Services, Global Digital Experience Services, Global Marketing Services and, most recently, Marketing Measurement & Optimization. In addition, VML’s specialist health network, VML Health, is one of the world’s largest and most awarded health agencies. VML’s global network is powered by 26,000 talented people across 55+ markets, with principal offices in Kansas City, New York, Detroit, London, São Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, and Sydney.About WPPWPP 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.Programme Manager with extensive experience including experience managing small programmes of work needed to join our teamThis is a London based Contract role The opportunity:You lead teams to deliver high quality, complex project(s) on budget and within a specified timeframe to achieve the potential benefits defined in the business case. You work closely with the Account Director to achieve productivity goals and contribute to the organisation’s overall success.What you’ll be doing:Accountable for all delivery across the programmeAnalyse, evaluate, and overcome programme risks, and produce accurate programme reports for management and stakeholdersMaintain organisational standards of satisfaction, quality, and performance, including the creation and implementation of ways of working at the start of a programmeCreate and implement effective ways of working at the start of the programme and ensure these are adhered to throughout the project lifecycleTrack and manage dependencies between projects and workstreams, creating programme level plans to ensure these are addressedEnsure programme goals are reached by keeping the workstreams updated on progress and any changes that need to be made.Provide support and guidance to project managers within your account and line management for several project managers outside of your account.Maintain a resource plan showing resource commitment across the projects and keep track of potential end dates in association with functional lead personnelTrack resource requests and manage fulfilment of these requests internally or externally as appropriateDevelop strong relationships with WTC team members and client stakeholders at all levelsWork with the client to understand their vision and plan the programme of work to successfully achieve that vision to the greatest effectDefine and implement programme level governance in conjunction with the clientManage third party vendors on behalf of the clientWhat we want from you:Experience in managing multiple teams across different workstreams. As a minimum, if in a team management role, this should be at least 20 peopleA good understanding of the software development lifecycle & release managementProven track record in the successful delivery of an ecommerce migration/Re-platformStrong stakeholder management skillsExcellent negotiation skills & an ability to handle sensitive issues with tact & diplomacyExposure to medium to large scale fixed price project deliveryExperience in multi-vendor managementExperience of managing people and financial budgets (including programme budgeting, monitoring financials etc.) ideally in an eCommerce environmentExperience of overseeing 3rd partiesExcellent risk management skillsMinimum of three years’ experience working in an Agile environmentProven track record of working with organisations moving from Waterfall to Agile delivery approachesWorking knowledge of Agile frameworks, Scrum and KanbanEffective leadership skills with experience of managing other project managers.Strong time management & organisational skills.Excellent communication and relationship management skillsGood commercial knowledge, experience of contract negotiations would be advantageous.Software Application Development related Project management experience (min 6 years) .Proficient with Microsoft Office Packages, especially MS Excel and MS PowerPointExcellent verbal and written communication skills in EnglishMinimum BA/BS degree with a major in information management, marketing, communications, business or other closely-related areas is an advantageWhat 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.Our culture thrives on our core values, designed for impact-driven individuals: Heart, Brains and Courage.We lead with Heart, fostering empathy and trust where genuine connections and human-centric work flourish.We empower your Brains for innovation, valuing relentless curiosity and collaborative intelligence to solve complex challenges.And we champion Courage, inspiring you to speak up, embrace experimentation, and advocate for bold solutions that push our thinking to be better than yesterday.AT VML Enterprise SolutionsOur Enterprise Solutions division houses strategic consultants, creative and technical architects and skilled developers and operators that together help some of the world’s leading organisations to deliver outstanding digital experiences across all major routes to market worldwide: marketplaces, online retailers, D2C, B2B and social platforms. With over 4,200 experts in 55 operational centres across 34 countries, our capabilities span the entire buying journey from customer acquisition, through engagement, to conversion and loyalty, driving multi-channel growth for world-leading brands.We work with some of the most exciting brands such as The Coca-Cola Company, EY, Bosch, Unilever, Ford, DFS, Mercedes-Benz, Johnson & Johnson, Nestlé, Sainsbury’s, Selfridges, Shell and Tiffany & Co. We’ve built over 500 platforms for brands and retailers and generate in excess of $29bn annually for our clients and work with over 50 strategic partners including Adobe, SAP, Salesforce, HCL, Shopify, Sitecore, BigCommerce, commerce tools and Acquia. Our reputation is based on our people, and we believe we have some of the best in the business.As our business grows internationally, we’re looking for new people to join us on our journey to inspire and take a key role in shaping some of the best commerce solutions, services, and websites in the world. Working as a team, no problem is insurmountable; we share in our client’s successes and believe that anyone can show creative bravery no matter what their role is in the team.#LI-EMEAWe believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office an average of four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.WPP (VML) is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to 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. VML is a WPP agency (NYSE: WPP). For more information, please visit , and follow along on Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.When you click "Submit Application", this will send any information you add below to VML. Before you do this, we think it's a good idea to read through our Recruitment Privacy Policy. California residents should read our California Recruitment Privacy Notice. This explains what we do with your personal data when you apply for a role with us, and, how you can update the information you have provided us with or how to remove it.