Project Manager (Project Execution Lead) - Microsoft

Who We Are

VML, part of WPP, 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 human first, award-winning work for blue chip client partners including AstraZeneca, Colgate-Palmolive, Dell, Ford, Microsoft, Nestlé, The Coca-Cola Company, and Wendy's. The agency is recognized by the Forrester Wave™ Reports, as a Leader among Marketing Creative and Content Service Providers, Commerce Services, Global Digital Experience Services, Global Marketing Services and, most recently, Marketing Measurement & Optimization. In addition, VML’s specialist health network, VML Health, is one of the world’s largest and most awarded health agencies. VML’s global network is powered by 26,000 talented people across 55+ markets, with principal offices in Kansas City, New York, Detroit, London, São Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, and Sydney.

About WPP

WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. We unite cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, world-class creativity, next-generation production, transformative enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel in a single company – powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform, WPP Open, to help our clients navigate change, capture opportunity and deliver transformational growth. For more information, visit WPP.com.

MC Program

VML Marketing Coordinator Program is a large global community of approx. 400 employees sitting at the intersection of Microsoft Marketing and agencies teams.

We coordinate campaigns across Microsoft internal stakeholders, VML global Service Delivery Hub teams,and third-party agencies. Campaigns generate sales leads Microsoft then scores and processes according to their sales strategy. Project Execution Leads are group of client-facing roles that co-ordinate intake of requests from MS stakeholders (marketers) on one side and MC Program delivery across multiple disciplines on the other.

Purpose of the job

Project Execution Lead acts between the Event, Commercial, Social, and Data & Insights MCs and the Microsoft stakeholders. In this role Project Execution Lead plays a key role in receiving full briefings for Marketing Projects, advising stakeholders on MC Program services, processes, SLAs, KPIs and tools, and in co-ordination of the MC delivery.

Responsibilities

Planning & Set-up

Support marketers in developing an integrated and feasible marketing demand generation plan that connects local marketing execution (demand generation) with automated demand generation

Understand global and local governance for planning, setup and measurement of marketing demand generation activities

Advise stakeholders on overall MC Program execution processes, SLA, KPIs, tools & services

Understand targeting criteria and options relative to local marketing priorities, including working with pre-defined target lists

Ensure past learnings and experiences are documented and incorporated into on-going commercial marketing planning and execution

Execution & Project Management

• Act as the single point of contact for MS marketing projects execution and for operational commercial marketing activities that involve multiple MC Program disciplines
• CreateMarketing Projects & Service Requests in the intake tool on behalf of the Microsoft marketer
• Develop the project plan and coordinate marketing execution with all parties involved in an activity – VML and Microsoft stakeholders, and third parties
• Deploy tracking tools to track the execution progress & ensure accurate spend attribution
• Inform stakeholders on progress and resolve issues
• Support Microsoft stakeholders in organizing cadence meetings, share meeting documentation &follow-up on action points related to MC Program activities

Measurement & Reporting

Ensure measurement plans reflect reporting requirements provided by marketers

Support marketer's business objectives by providing standard marketing measurement and reporting plans

Ensure business leads are uploaded in a timely manner to Marketo when needed

Use reporting provided by Marketing Services teams to provide specific views/information to stakeholders

Regularly review Marketing Services performance dashboards to understand campaigns performance and lead stage conversions with increased focused on Marketing outcomes and business results

Look across multiple marketing activities to find patterns, best practices and alignment/efficiencies

Support marketing governance, requests, reviews performance of locally created emails using provided dashboards.

Subject Matter Expertise

• Focus on deployment of standard marketing projects; also able to support local non-standard marketing campaigns
• Actas ambassador on global commercial marketing tools & services
• Educate local stakeholders on modern marketing services and tool capabilities
• Attend Modern Marketing Meet-Ups to ensure up to date knowledge
• Bring MC Program discipline expertise into campaigns planning and execution when requested or needed

Required skills & competencies

2+ years experience in client-facing project and/or account management role

High level of compliance with company rules & processes, e. g. personal data protection or brand guidelines

Proven project management skills & experience, readiness to assume responsibility for own KPIs, track activities progress and meet critical deadlines

Solid skills in Microsoft tools and software: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams

Solid command skills and ability to share often complex information in structured way

Comfort in dealing with senior client's and third-party stakeholders

Ability to simultaneously manage multiple events and activities, and ability to prioritize urgent and important tasks

A strong team player with ability to establish working relations with culturally diverse internal and external partners

Strong problem solving skills and orientation to detail

Fluent English is essential

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.

VML is a WPP Agency. For more information, please visit our website, and follow VML on our social channels via Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.

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