Full-Time

Senior Director

Program Management, Life Sciences Marketing

Posted on 9/6/2025

MERGE

MERGE

1-10 employees

Full-service marketing and advertising agency

Compensation Overview

$114k - $138k/yr

No H1B Sponsorship

Kansas City, MO, USA

Hybrid

Hybrid work arrangement.

Category
Biology & Biotech (2)
,
Required Skills
Agile
Risk Management
Marketing
Requirements
  • 9 -11 years of experience in project management within a marketing, advertising, consulting, environment, with a focus on external client projects
  • Recent experience working with clients in the pharmaceutical or life sciences sector
  • Proven leadership experience managing junior and mid-level project managers to ensure successful program delivery
  • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience
  • Experience using both Waterfall and Agile methodologies
  • Strong Project Management skills - the ability to monitor and report on project status, budgets, schedules, and resource management
  • Understanding of user experience and best practices
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills, enabling effective interaction with stakeholders across multiple levels and disciplines.
  • Strong adaptability to thrive in a constantly changing environment, demonstrating resilience and flexibility in response to new challenges.
  • Experience managing multi-tier projects is a plus
Responsibilities
  • Drive the strategic vision for the Program Management department in alignment with the overall organizational goals
  • Formulate and implement strategies to optimize project delivery efficiency and client satisfaction
  • Provide strategic guidance to the executive team on emerging trends in project management and potential areas for improvement
  • Demonstrate a clear understanding of how the Program Management department impacts the organization's success
  • Identify opportunities for cross-functional collaboration and integration to enhance overall business performance
  • Actively contribute to organizational decision-making processes at a senior management level
  • Collaborate with C-level executives to align program management strategies with the company's overall business strategy
  • Participate in executive-level discussions and contribute insights on resource planning, risk management, and strategic initiative
  • Mentor and coach the leadership team on industry best practices and innovative project management methodologies
  • Take a proactive approach to identify potential risks and develop strategies to mitigate them
  • Lead the resolution of escalated issues and guide critical problem-solving, demonstrating a high level of decision-making ability
  • Develop and implement resource allocation strategies to ensure optimal utilization of talent across project
  • Continuously assess and enhance resource management processes to align with evolving project demands
  • Play a key role in financial planning, budgeting, and forecasting for the Program Management department
  • Provide strategic financial insights to senior management, ensuring the department's financial goals align with overall company objectives
  • Implement a robust talent development program, including mentorship, training, and professional growth opportunities for Program Managers
  • Foster a culture of continuous improvement and innovation within the Program Management team
  • Act as a strategic partner with clients, ensuring their needs are not only met but exceeded, and contribute to the development of long-term client relationships
Desired Qualifications
  • Experience managing multi-tier projects is a plus

MERGE is a full-service marketing and advertising agency focused on healthcare, life sciences, financial services, consumer goods, and retail. It offers digital marketing, creative design, brand strategy, media planning, CRM, public relations, communications, web development, and marketing technology to create tailored campaigns that blend storytelling with data and tools across major markets. The company differentiates itself by targeting specific sectors, combining narrative-driven creative with advanced marketing technology and analytics, and delivering a coordinated, measurable, full-service platform. Its goal is to help clients grow their brands and deepen customer relationships through effective, data-backed campaigns that drive solid business results.

Company Size

1-10

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

Chicago, Illinois

Founded

2004

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Perkuto acquisition enhances analytics and omnichannel performance marketing systems.
  • Expanded to Denver, Los Angeles, and Raleigh, strengthening national footprint.
  • Healthcare trends favor AI personalization, aligning with Predictive Decision Engine.

What critics are saying

  • WPP's VML erodes 20% healthcare revenue via superior AI integrations.
  • Publicis Epsilon poaches 700 CRM specialists from uncompetitive offices.
  • FTC guidelines force Predictive Decision Engine overhaul, halting 15% projects.

What makes MERGE unique

  • Humanity Suite balances AI automation with human-centered creativity across six offerings.
  • Acquired Blazer for strategic consulting and Zee Jay Digital for Adobe Workfront expertise.
  • Appointed Stacey Hawes as Chief Performance and Data Officer to lead data services.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

401(k) Retirement Plan

401(k) Company Match

Flexible Work Hours

Paid Holidays

Company News

The Associated Press
Apr 7th, 2026
MERGE launches Humanity Suite operating model for AI-empowered marketing agencies

MERGE, a Chicago-based marketing and technology agency, has launched the Humanity Suite, a new operating model comprising six integrated offerings designed for AI-first marketing. The system aims to balance automation with human-centred creativity and empathy. The suite includes three foundation offerings: MarTech Contextual Platform for unified data architecture, Adaptive Creative System for personalised content at scale, and Predictive Decision Engine for proactive customer relationship management. Three impact offerings focus on strategic planning, experience orchestration and AI implementation with ethical oversight. The launch responds to growing demand for personalisation whilst addressing concerns about over-automation. MERGE, which employs over 700 specialists across eight US cities, works with brands including Abbott, American Express and T-Mobile. The suite integrates with platforms like Adobe, Google, Salesforce and Sitecore.

Business Wire
Jun 3rd, 2025
MERGE Expands Integrated Capabilities with Blazer Acquisition to Accelerate Next Growth Phase

MERGE, a leading marketing and technology agency, today announced it has acquired Blazer, a strategic consulting firm, as part of its ongoing growth trajecto...

TechCrunch
Nov 2nd, 2023
Payroll Integrations Grabs $20M To Build Employee Financial Wellness Tools

Employers are increasingly offering perks and benefits to satisfy and retain employees, and it’s widely known that helping with financial wellness is near the top of the list. Rising interest rates and inflation are putting a strain on people, and companies, for example Amazon and Delta, are developing financial wellness programs to aid employees.Payroll Integrations is one of the startups providing ways for employers to support their employees’ financial wellness. The San Diego-based company was founded by Doug Sabella and Andrew Hallengren in 2016.Hallengren was previously a registered investment advisor working in the benefits space and noticed there was lack of automation in the sector. He reached out to his old friend Sabella, who was working at Salesforce at the time, to see where the gaps were. Payroll Integrations came from continued discussions, Sabella told TechCrunch.Over the past seven years, the pair built integrations with the largest payroll companies in the U.S. to provide a direct two-way connection between payroll and benefits automation as an integration platform-as-a-service (iPaaS).Payroll Integrations’ proprietary technology ingests employee census and payroll data from those payroll companies

Business Wire
Oct 5th, 2023
MERGE Acquires Zee Jay Digital to Orchestrate the Content Supply Chain for Superior CX

MERGE, a premium storytelling technology company that promotes health, wealth and happiness, announced today the acquisition of the Adobe Workfront pl

Google
Aug 7th, 2023
MERGE Recognized as an "Independent Agency Finalist of the Year"' and "Best Disease Education Campaign Finalist" by Medical Marketing + Media Awards for 2023

MERGE is being recognized for outstanding work in the categories of Disease Education Campaign and for the second consecutive year as an Independent Agency with Private Equity Backing.

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