Managing Director, Delivery at VML in Chicago, IL

Who We Are

VML is a leading creative company that combines brand experience, customer experience, and commerce, creating connected brands to drive growth. VML is celebrated for its innovative and award-winning human-first work for clients including AstraZeneca, Colgate-Palmolive, Dell, Ford, Microsoft, Nestlé, The Coca-Cola Company, and Wendy's. In 2026, VML was named Campaign’s Global Network of the Year and ranked #2 Creative Network of the Year at Cannes Lions. VML’s global network spans 55+ markets with principal offices in Buenos Aires, Kansas City, London, New York, São Paulo, Shanghai and Singapore.

VML is part of WPP, the trusted growth partner for the world's leading brands. Powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform WPP Open, WPP unites cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, creativity, production, enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel.

For more information, please visit www.vml.com and follow along on  LinkedIn #WeAreVML.

Who We Are Looking For:

VML is seeking a strategic, highly operational Managing Director of Delivery to lead project management across a large national client in the CPG food space. This executive leadership role serves as the architect and steward of the account operating model, ensuring seamless execution across Brand Experience, Commerce, Retail Activation, Experiential, and emerging growth opportunities.

As the senior-most Delivery leader on the business, this individual is responsible for creating a scalable, connected delivery ecosystem that enables growth, operational excellence, talent development, and client confidence. The role balances day-to-day operational rigor with long-term transformation, ensuring the organization can effectively support a complex portfolio of brands, capabilities, and workstreams. The MD acts as the connective tissue across Client Leadership, Delivery, Strategy, Creative, Commerce, Analytics, Media, and WPP partners to drive business outcomes and accelerate growth. This individual embodies the vision of being the client's "One Call" partner, bringing clarity, accountability, calmness under pressure, and operational leadership across the entire portfolio.

What You'll Do:

Business Leadership & Operating Model | Lead the overall Delivery and Operations function. Own governance, prioritization, resource strategy, workflow optimization, and operational health of the business. Ensure successful implementation and evolution of operating model. Establish clear ownership, accountability, decision rights, and escalation paths across all workstreams. Partner with senior account leadership to identify operational opportunities and areas for transformation. Act as a key member of the client's leadership team, contributing to business strategy and growth planning.

Business & Delivery Oversight | Oversee delivery across all brands, and client business units for VML. Ensure programs are delivered on time, on budget, and at the highest standards of quality. Balance competing priorities across brand, commerce, retail activation, experiential, and innovation initiatives. Proactively identify risks, dependencies, and capacity constraints before they impact client outcomes. Drive consistency and best practices across project delivery methodologies, governance processes, and operational standards.

Resource Management & Talent Leadership | Own overall workforce planning and talent deployment strategy. Manage capacity planning across dedicated teams and shared resource pools. Reduce key-person dependency risk through succession planning and capability development. Build and develop a high-performing delivery organization. Coach and mentor Delivery leaders, fostering future leadership talent and discipline excellence. Partner with People and Finance teams on talent planning, hiring strategy, and organizational design.

Client & Partner Leadership | Serve as a trusted operational advisor to senior stakeholders. Build strong relationships across client leadership, agency partners, and cross-functional teams. Lead difficult operational conversations with confidence, transparency, and a solutions-oriented mindset. Represent operational health, delivery performance, and transformation initiatives at executive leadership forums.

Financial & Commercial Management | Own delivery P&L performance and operational financial health. Drive profitability through efficient staffing models, scope management, and operational discipline. Partner with Client Leadership on forecasting, revenue planning, and growth opportunities. Monitor utilization, resource efficiency, margins, and investment decisions. Support business development efforts, including organic growth, expansion opportunities, and new work onboarding.

Transformation & Continuous Improvement | Lead initiatives that increase scalability, simplify operations, and improve delivery effectiveness. Establish metrics and reporting that provide visibility into business performance. Introduce new ways of working that improve team collaboration and client outcomes. Champion a culture of accountability, operational excellence, and continual improvement. Ensure the organization evolves from siloed execution toward connected, integrated delivery across all capabilities.

Who You Are:

• A builder | Process-oriented and an innovator with a strong point of view and distinct voice. You have experience standing up new commerce clients and establishing streamlined operations.
• Open and collaborative | Comfortable with ambiguity and a champion of team environments that encourage collaboration. You thrive in client-facing roles, with an innate ability to understand client problems and provide tailored solutions.
• Optimistic and resilient | You dig in and work around challenges, providing the balance and stamina needed to keep the team motivated and positive.
• Ego-less | Willing to wear multiple hats to contribute to the team's success, regardless of the task.

What You'll Need:

• 15+ years leading large-scale agency, consulting, marketing, digital, commerce, or transformation organizations.
• Experience managing complex, matrixed businesses exceeding $15M+ in annual revenue.
• Demonstrated success leading large, multidisciplinary teams.
• Deep expertise in operational leadership, delivery management, organizational design, and transformation.
• Experience with brand, commerce, retail activation, agentic workflows, integrated marketing, and digital ecosystems.
• Strong commercial acumen with proven financial management experience.
• Exceptional executive presence and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to influence across multiple organizations and leadership levels.

The base salary range for this position at the time of this posting is indicated below. Individual compensation varies based on job-related factors, including location, business needs, level of responsibility, experience, and qualifications. We offer a competitive benefits package, click WPP Benefitsfor more details. _

$100,000—$230,000 USD

We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office an average of four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.

WPP (VML) is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.

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