Senior Program Manager

Responsibilities

• Project Management & Execution: 
• Lead and manage integrated advertising programs from pre-sale through post-sale.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for clients and agencies, ensuring all deliverables are on track, within scope, and aligned with client objectives.
• Develop project scopes, timelines, budgets, and staffing plans in partnership with cross-functional teams and external vendors.
• Oversee production workflows for branded content, digital, print, audio, experiential, and live event campaigns.
• Build and maintain project delivery trackers, proof-of-delivery documents, and campaign recaps.
• Manage project budgets in collaboration with Revenue Operations, ensuring healthy margins and timely billing.
• Identify and mitigate potential risks to projects or the business.
• Client & Stakeholder Management:
• Build and maintain strong client relationships through clear communication, effective meeting leadership, and thoughtful problem-solving.
• Partner with Sales, Strategy, and Creative teams to translate client objectives into actionable, executable plans.
• Advocate internally for client needs and ensure obligations are met.
• Provide strategic and consultative advice to clients throughout the campaign lifecycle.
• Leadership & Process Improvement:
• Act as the go-to resource for all production-related matters on assigned programs.
• Ensure consistent adoption and use of project management tools across teams.
• Share learnings and best practices from past programs to improve future work.
• Collaborate with leadership to refine processes, optimize workflows, and scale operations.
• Align production resources, balancing quality standards with budget requirements.
• Creative & Strategic Partnership:
• Engage in early-stage concepting with creative and strategy teams to shape ideas that are both innovative and executable within budget and timeline constraints.
• Recommend production approaches that maximize impact while meeting project requirements.

Requirements

• BA/BS degree in a related field or equivalent work experience.
• 5–7+ years of relevant program management experience, preferably in a media or publishing environment with significant pre-sale involvement.
• Proven track record managing integrated advertising programs from concept through delivery.
• Experience collaborating with content studios on custom branded content campaigns.
• Strong understanding of creative production processes for digital, video, audio, print, experiential, and live events.
• Ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
• Skilled in budget management, contract negotiation, and vendor coordination.
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills.
• Extreme attention to detail and quality.
• Passion for sports and The Athletic’s mission.