Associate Director, Project Management

About the role

Under the direction of the SVP, Account Services, and working closely with the Account Services, Editorial and Medical Services, and Creative Services departments, the Associate Director, Project Management, supervises and facilitates day-to-day operations of the Project Management team. The Associate Director provides support for Project Managers in the development of marketing and promotional materials/activities; assesses workflow and resources to efficiently allocate responsibilities; and provides input to and ensures adherence to processes and procedures to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the department. The Associate Director takes a proactive approach to problem-solving to assist Project Managers in implementing tactics according to predetermined timelines and budgets. Job Duties Project Management Provide leadership support for Project Managers in the development of educational and promotional materials/activities Perform all Project Manager duties for assigned accounts and provide oversight/support in these areas for department personnel. These areas include but are not limited to: Develop and execute project timelines, budgets, and billing checklists Drive weekly internal and client status, new project kick-off, and post-project meetings Communicate with assigned clients regarding project status when applicable Fulfill lead role in resource allocation, scheduling, and prioritization based on business unit objectives defined by Account Services Assess workflow and resources in the department to efficiently allocate responsibilities Maintain high-level knowledge of the project status, billing status, and timelines to support execution for all projects across product teams Review pre-/post-project documentation, and approve when appropriate Assume/allocate/arrange coverage for temporary responsibilities for out-of-office team members Assist Project Managers in problem-solving and prioritization to ensure timely execution of deliverables Assist Project Managers with coordination of vendor/freelance selection Review proposals and statements of work (SOWs) with Account Managers to ensure accuracy regarding department resources, allocated hours, and timelines Assess and continually monitor projects for maintenance of budget and scope as detailed in SOW; recommend change of scope or modification of internal process as needed Assist the Account Services team in the fulfillment and delivery of RFI/RFP (new-business) opportunities SOP and Systems Development and Implementation Assess, improve, and ensure adherence to processes, procedures, and systems to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the department Train direct reports and other department staff, as required, on the use of department procedures and systems/software Quality and Risk Control Ensure that all quality control measures (eg, editorial review, graphics review) are completed as designated in the department procedures Review detail reports with Project Managers to identify incorrectly recorded project hours, potential performance issues, and potentially out-of-specification/scope project hours Analyze potential out-of-specification/scope hours and make corrective recommendations to the team Project Billing and Reconciliation Serve as the primary Project Management team contact with Finance department Ensure that submission of all reconciliations and invoices is timely and is occurring at appropriate project milestones Key Competencies Professional behavior and confidence Ability to manage outcomes to win-win resolution Experience managing cross-functional teams Proactive, solution-oriented approach to project management High level of integrity, confidentiality, and accountability Well-developed professional communication skills, including written and interpersonal Well-defined sense of diplomacy, including solid negotiation, conflict resolution, and management skills Highly developed organizational skills and attention to detail and timelines Ability to coordinate and execute multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment to serve many therapeutic teams and meet project goals Ability to identify key issues; creatively and strategically overcome challenges or obstacles Sound analytical thinking, planning, prioritization, and execution skills Strong presentation and persuasion skills: Can develop a clear point of view and tell a meaningful "story"; is effective in a variety of settings and group sizes with clients, peers, subordinates, and management; confidently expresses both data/facts and more controversial topics; commands attention and can manage group dynamics Proficiency in Microsoft (MS) Word, Excel, and PowerPoint applications Ability to master various electronic project management systems Desire to meet professional goals and acquire new skills Requirements 5 years' related experience in project management at a medical communications-related agency Experience managing >$3m annual brand marketing budgets Ability to a