Program Manager - WP Studios

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We’re on a mission to deliver riveting storytelling for all of America. At The Washington Post, you’ll help reinvent news. Our work is driven by a deep investigative spirit and enhanced by innovation to bring audiences closer to the stories that matter most.

About Our Team

The Washington Post is powered by the passion and talent of our people. It takes all of us to reinvent news. Beyond our award-winning News and Opinions teams, we work across many departments, including Brand & Events, Communications, Customer Care, Engineering & Product, Finance, Human Resources, Legal, Marketing & Advertising, Print Operations, and Sales.

Why This Role Matters

The Washington Post’s WP Studios team is seeking a highly organized and strategic Program Manager to lead the execution and delivery of custom advertising programs, branded content initiatives, and event-based sponsorships across digital, experiential, live, and emerging platforms.

This client-facing role serves as the primary owner of program execution and fulfillment, overseeing production timelines, creative development, event logistics, stakeholder alignment, operational workflows, and delivery from kickoff through launch, live execution, and post-campaign wrap-up. With a particular focus on event-based programs, the Program Manager will serve as a trusted partner to sponsors while coordinating across internal teams, venues, production partners, and external vendors to bring complex campaigns and experiences to life.

The ideal candidate combines strong program and production management expertise with operational judgment, cross-functional leadership, and creative problem-solving. This individual thrives in fast-paced environments, independently manages complex initiatives, proactively identifies risks and opportunities, and continuously looks for ways to improve the quality, efficiency, and scalability of WP Studios programs.

What Motivates You

• Bringing complex, multi-platform ideas and live experiences to life through strong execution and collaboration.
• Leading high-impact programs independently while balancing multiple priorities, stakeholders, and deadlines.
• Building trusted relationships with clients, sponsors, agencies, and cross-functional partners.
• Solving operational, creative, and event-production challenges proactively and with confidence.
• Delivering innovative, high-quality advertising campaigns, branded content, and live or virtual experiences.
• Anticipating risks, removing blockers, and keeping complex programs and activations on track.
• Working collaboratively across creative, editorial, technical, event, and operational teams.
• Continuously improving processes and identifying scalable solutions that support efficiency, consistency, and business growth.
• Using data, automation, and AI-enabled tools thoughtfully to improve workflows and execution while maintaining strong human judgment and oversight.

How You'll Support the Mission

Program & Production Leadership

• Lead the end-to-end execution of custom advertising programs, branded content campaigns, and event activations across digital, experiential, live, and virtual platforms.
• Independently manage programs from kickoff and planning through production, launch, live execution, optimization, and post-campaign wrap-up.
• Translate sold programs into clear execution plans that align stakeholders, resources, timelines, deliverables, event logistics, and client expectations.
• Evaluate operational feasibility, resourcing needs, and executional tradeoffs and recommend solutions that balance quality, scalability, and business priorities.

Event & Sponsorship Execution

• Serve as the primary production point of contact for event and program sponsors, guiding them through onboarding, asset collection, approvals, fulfillment, and execution.
• Manage sponsor deliverables and branded integrations, including logos, speaking briefs, digital assets, event signage, marketing materials, and on-site or virtual activations.
• Partner with Events, Editorial, Marketing, Creative, Production, venues, and external vendors to deliver engaging live and virtual experiences.
• Manage event-related timelines, logistics, dependencies, and sponsor requirements to ensure activations are delivered on time and according to specifications.

Project Management & Operational Excellence

• Serve as a central point of coordination across Creative, Events, Editorial, Design, Development, Video, Audio, Ad Operations, Product, Marketing, and external partners.
• Develop and maintain detailed project timelines, workflows, status reporting, and delivery documentation across multiple concurrent programs.
• Proactively identify risks, dependencies, and executional gaps and implement mitigation plans to keep programs on track.
• Navigate competing priorities, evolving stakeholder needs, and shifting timelines while maintaining delivery quality and accountability.
• Identify and implement process improvements that increase operational efficiency, scalability, consistency, and program quality.

Client & Stakeholder Management

• Lead day-to-day client and sponsor communication related to production timelines, deliverables, approvals, requirements, and execution strategy in partnership with Sales and Account Management.
• Independently facilitate meetings and discussions with clients, agencies, sponsors, and internal stakeholders.
• Manage feedback and approval processes to maintain alignment between client expectations and execution realities.
• Serve as a trusted operational partner by communicating updates, risks, tradeoffs, and recommendations clearly and proactively.

Custom Product, Performance & Optimization

• Collaborate with Ad Operations and Product teams to implement custom advertising solutions and event programs across platforms, ensuring custom elements are built, tested, quality-checked, and launched according to specifications.
• Support social media, content distribution, promotional, and audience-engagement strategies in partnership with internal teams.
• Partner with Account Management and Performance teams to monitor campaign delivery, attendee engagement, sponsorship effectiveness, and other relevant performance indicators.
• Contribute production insights, custom metrics, event engagement data, and sponsor recap materials to post-campaign analysis and recommend opportunities to improve future execution and client outcomes.

Automation & Efficiency

• Use AI-enabled and automation tools where appropriate to improve project tracking, scheduling, status reporting, meeting documentation, production coordination, quality assurance, and launch validation.
• Explore opportunities to use emerging tools for audience insights, sponsorship reporting, risk identification, event planning, and activation support while maintaining strong human oversight, strategic judgment, and relationship management.

The Skills and Experience You Bring

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in program management, project management, production, account management, client services, or campaign execution within advertising, media, events, branded content, or related environments.
• Demonstrated experience independently managing complex, high-visibility, multi-stakeholder programs from initiation through delivery.
• Experience executing custom, branded, or native advertising campaigns, including live or virtual event activations and sponsor fulfillment.
• Strong understanding of digital media, content production, experiential logistics, advertising workflows, and integrated campaign execution.
• Demonstrated experience managing sponsor or client relationships and leading communications with clients, agencies, and senior stakeholders.
• Proven ability to manage multiple concurrent projects in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment while maintaining strong attention to detail.
• Strong organizational, prioritization, project planning, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to proactively identify risks and drive solutions.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across creative, editorial, technical, event production, and operational teams.
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, navigate ambiguity, and drive execution with minimal oversight.
• Proficiency in Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel, and project management platforms such as Asana, Jira, Prisma, or MediaOcean.
• Familiarity with AI-enabled productivity, workflow automation, collaboration, analytics, or reporting tools preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Media, Business, or a related field preferred.

 

Collaboration makes us stronger. That’s why our offices are designed with open layouts, modern technology, and easy access to transportation. With certain exceptions for newsgathering and business travel, we work on-site five days a week.

Compensation and Benefits

Wherever you are in your life or career, The Washington Post offers comprehensive and inclusive benefits for every step of your journey:

• Competitive medical, dental and vision coverage

• Company-paid pension and 401(k) match

• Three weeks of vacation and up to three weeks of paid sick leave

• Nine paid holidays and two personal days

• 20 weeks paid parental leave for any new parent

• Robust mental health resources

• Backup care and caregiver concierge services

• Gender affirming services

• Pet insurance

• Free Post digital subscription

• Leadership and career development programs

Benefits may vary based on the job, full-time or part-time schedule, location, and collectively bargained status.

The salary range for this position is:

$85,100 - $127,700 Annual

The actual salary within this range will depend on individual skills, experience, and qualifications as they relate to specific job requirements. This position may be eligible for a bonus or incentive program, and a member of the Talent Acquisition team will discuss bonus payment terms and conditions during the interview process.