VP, Program Management

POSITION SUMMARY:

Novus is seeking a strategic and operationally exceptional Vice President of Program Management to establish and scale an enterprise-level PMO that ensures our most critical programs—ranging from Media buying and planning, new product/services development, personalization, measurement, and optimization initiatives—are executed with discipline, clarity, and measurable success.

The VP of Program Management will be the central orchestrator who drives cross-functional alignment, manages risks, oversees budgets, and ensures quality delivery across complex, multi-channel media programs.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Program & Project Leadership

• Lead end-to-end program planning, governance, and execution for all media buying, planning, tech, data, measurement, and product initiatives.
• Build and maintain program long term client roadmaps for optimization and continuity.
• Ensure all projects have clearly defined requirements, timelines, KPIs, and success criteria.

Operational Excellence & PMO Development

• Mature the agency’s Program Management Office, by leveraging and evolving current processes, methodologies, templates, and standards.
• Implement best-in-class project tracking systems, communication frameworks, and risk mitigation practices.
• Drive consistency, accountability, and predictability across teams and workstreams.

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Partner closely with Integrated Client Solutions, Investments, Data & Insights, and Tech Offering leaders to deliver integrated media solutions.
• Serve as the connective tissue between technical and non-technical stakeholders, ensuring clarity, transparency, and shared understanding.
• Support change management efforts to ensure organization-wide adoption of new tools, workflows, and capabilities.

Budgeting, Resource Planning & Vendor Oversight

• Own program budgets, resource allocation, and forecasting across concurrent initiatives.
• Ensure staffing, capacity planning, and vendor partnerships align with delivery timelines and quality expectations.
• Oversee SOWs, partner deliverables, and cross-functional financial discipline.

Risk Management & Quality Assurance

• Proactively identify, communicate, and mitigate risks across all programs.
• Implement quality assurance practices to ensure deliverables meet functional, technical, and usability standards.
• Drive issue resolution, escalate blockers, and maintain momentum on mission-critical initiatives.

Communication & Reporting

• Provide clear, concise, and executive-ready communication on program status, milestones, impacts, and risks.
• Facilitate alignment meetings, steering committees, and leadership updates.
• Champion transparency and information flow across teams, clients, and executive leadership.
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor or department head

REQUIREMENTS:

• 10+ years of experience in program management, PMO leadership, product delivery, or operations, ideally within marketing, media, technology, consulting, or data-driven organizations.
• Proven track record managing complex, multi-disciplinary programs involving technology, data, analytics, measurement, and platform development.
• Exceptional communication, stakeholder management, and presentation skills.
• Experience leading large-scale organizational transformation or product rollout initiatives.
• Strong budgeting, forecasting, and resource management capability.
• Expertise with agile, hybrid, or enterprise-level program management frameworks.
• Experience working with AdTech/MarTech ecosystems, data platforms, cloud technologies, or measurement/attribution systems.
• Hands-on experience with program management tools (Jira, Asana, Smartsheet, Microsoft Project, Monday.com).
• Familiarity with data governance, privacy, identity resolution, or customer experience personalization.

Please Note: While this role is listed as in-person, we offer a hybrid work model that provides flexibility to work remotely most the time. The specifics of the hybrid schedule will be discussed during the interview process, but candidates should anticipate being in the office as needed to collaborate with the team and meet role-specific needs.

We are only looking for candidates in/around the Chicago Metro Area and do not offer relocation assistance.

WHY WORK AT NOVUS:

We Bring Brands To Where People Live Their Lives.

NOVUS is an independent local media planning and buying agency. We are focused on local media of all types including video, audio, OOH, digital, and print. We have carved out a unique position in the marketplace; with comprehensive data sets, proprietary tools and some of the best strategists in the industry, NOVUS builds and executes plans that achieve remarkable results.

NOVUS provides a collaborative work environment, with career advancement potential and offers an array of benefits as well as considerable time off allowances. Additionally, as a mid-sized agency, team members have direct exposure to senior management on a regular basis and they get the opportunity to work on a range of assignments with significant responsibilities. By joining one of the premier media companies in the industry, you'll be part of a team that is passionate, engaged, forward-thinking and seizing opportunities daily.

Position Salary

We are committed to providing salary ranges for all open positions. Please note that the specific compensation for this role will be determined based on your experience, qualifications, location, and internal equity considerations. The salary range for this position is: $150,000 - $175,000. This range reflects the base salary for this position.

NOVUS Benefits

NOVUS offers a full array of health care and wellness benefits, which currently includes medical, prescription, dental, vision, life and accidental death & dismemberment insurances, short and long-term disability, pre-tax flexible spending accounts, a health savings account, legal services, identity theft protection and an employee assistance program. Eligible employees are those that are full-time salaried or part-time salaried employees working 30 hours per week or more, as well as those whose eligibility is required by applicable state law. A group retirement savings plan is also available to all salaried employees. While the Company continually seeks to improve upon and add to its current benefits suite, it believes you will find the benefit programs as comprehensive as any in the industry.

A Word on Diversity

Novus Media is committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity and will not discriminate against and applicant or employee of the Company, on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, marital or family status, age, gender identity or expression, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law. Our agency is committed to creating a workplace where every employee feels welcomed, respected, and valued. We embrace diversity in all its forms, and we strongly encourage people from a variety of backgrounds to apply.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.