Global Director, Programme & Project Management

About Us The Financial Times is one of the world’s leading news organisations, globally recognised for its authority, integrity and accuracy, with a mission to deliver quality information and services worldwide. At the FT, curiosity thrives and ambitious thinking is rewarded. Here, you’re given the chance to reach millions, create work that matters and deliver impartial journalism in a polarised world. In our warm, collaborative culture, you’ll connect with a diverse community of experts who support your growth, career aspirations and wellbeing. Your future at the FT will be filled with opportunities that challenge and inspire you. With no fixed path, you’ll discover new skills and forge a career that can take you anywhere. Build a newsworthy career at the FT. Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion We believe in the power of unique perspectives and want all voices in our organisation to be heard, respected and valued. A supportive workplace is one where employees feel they can be themselves and operate to their full potential. We are committed to removing barriers for everyone, with a focus on addressing those faced by underrepresented groups. The Role Commercial Client Group (CCG) Leadership Profile We are at an exciting stage in the evolution of the Commercial Client Group, with the coming together of our two content businesses, creative agency FT Studio (formerly Alpha Grid) and thought leadership consultancy FT Longitude, into one business unit. We have also brought together the Programme and Project Management teams of both business areas into one combined team, which will help to drive excellent campaign delivery through the combined content business unit. We are seeking a commercially and operationally minded leader for this Programme and Project Management function, to evolve the team into a unified operation which delivers excellence for our clients and a great experience for our content delivery teams. We firmly believe that PMs are the centre of successful client relationships and excellence in content delivery - and that the team is therefore a hugely important lever for client satisfaction and retention, as well as efficiency and best-in-class content operations. The successful candidate will have a proven track record of building and leading high-performing programme and project management teams. They will combine strategic thinking with operational excellence and possess the ability to navigate complexity, align diverse stakeholder groups, and deliver exceptional client outcomes at scale. They will be interested in the detail of delivering projects and programmes, as well as the strategic impact that excellent project delivery has on the business and on client relationships. They will have a passion for and experience of managing teams which deliver content products (video, digital, text reports, audio) in a commercial environment. Role Purpose The Global Programme & Project Management Director is responsible for leading the successful delivery of client campaigns across content products, globally. The role exists to ensure that all commercial campaigns are delivered to the highest standards, growing client relationships through exceptional delivery and client experience. The Director is accountable for delivery throughout the client lifecycle, from pre-sale and contract, through to execution, reporting, and renewal. As a senior leader, the role acts as a bridge across the Commercial Client Group and the wider organisation, bringing together Sales, Client Solutions, Content, Performance Marketing, and Finance teams to ensure seamless delivery and alignment around client success. Key Responsibilities Define and Implement a New Programme & Project Management Model The role will lead two different PM teams, one from FT Longitude and the other from FT Studio, defining and implementing how these teams will work together to deliver content campaigns The role will also help to architect how the PM team will work with the FT Studio and FT Longitude content teams on campaign delivery, clearly delineating the roles of PMs from producers and editors Team structure, workflows and processes will need to be re-defined, in the context of our technology platform, Monday.com Programme and Project Management Leadership Lead the global Programme & Project Management function responsible for the end-to-end delivery of all client campaigns Oversee a team of PMs responsible for delivering across multiple products, platforms, markets, and client sectors Ensure delivery excellence across every stage of the client lifecycle working closely with Client Solutions, Sales and content delivery teams Act as the senior escalation point for client campaigns, ensuring campaigns are delivered on time to budget Manage complex client dynamics, seeking to align key stakeholders and manage client expectations Complex problem-solving is essential, requiring a careful balance between client expectations and the practical realities of campaign execution Client Success & Commercial Performance Ensure all client campaigns are delivered to the highest standards, strengthening client relationships and supporting future revenue growth Monitor and improve client satisfaction metrics, identifying opportunities to enhance service delivery and operational effectiveness Manage client expectations and scope-creep, ensuring that the appropriate trade-offs are made between delighting our clients and managing content team capacity, budgets and delivery timelines Strategic Cross-Functional Leadership Serve as the primary coordination point across all functions involved in client programme delivery including Sales, Client Solutions, FT Studio, FT Longitude, Legal, Product, Performance Marketing, Operations, and Finance teams Facilitate effective decision-making and issue resolution across complex programmes Operational Excellence Identify opportunities to improve workflows, resource utilisation, automation, and operational effectiveness working closely with business operations teams Ensure Monday.com is used optimally across the team, ensuring timelines are up to date and both client contacts and delivery teams are aligned Ensure reporting and performance measures provide visibility of programme delivery and business outcomes Financial Management & Governance Ensure programmes are delivered in a financially disciplined and commercially sustainable manner Partner with Finance and Commercial leadership to support forecasting, planning, and business performance management Leadership & Talent Development Lead, develop, and inspire a high-performing global team Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement Coach and mentor team members to support professional growth Promote knowledge sharing and best-practice adoption across regions and functions Required Skills and Experience Essential Significant leadership experience within Programme and Project Management or related disciplines, for content products Experience operating within media, publishing, advertising, marketing services, agency, events, consulting, or similarly client-focused environments Strong commercial acumen with experience managing delivery against revenue, profitability, and client retention objectives Hands-on experience of managing projects and programmes, as well as leading PM teams Demonstrated success in implementing programme management frameworks, operational processes, and governance models Exceptional stakeholder management and influencing skills Desirable No desirable criteria were provided in the supplied job description. What’s in it for You? Our benefits vary by location but we are committed to providing best-in-class perks across all our offices. These include generous annual leave, medical cover, inclusive parental leave packages, subsidised gym memberships and opportunities to give back to the community. Full details of our benefits are available here. We’ve embraced a 50% hybrid working model (averaging two to three days onsite) that fosters trust and remote adaptability while encouraging in-person camaraderie and peer learning. Additionally, we are open to accommodating specific flexible working pattern requests for all roles where feasible. Accessibility We are a disability confident employer and Valuable 500 signatory. Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments/personalisation as part of the application process or to enable you to attend an interview. If you would like to discuss your requirements or have any questions, email [email protected] and a member of our team will be happy to help. Further Information At the FT, we embrace innovation and the use of technology and appreciate that individuals may leverage AI tools as part of their job application process. Whilst we are happy for you to use AI to assist with your application, it is essential that all information provided is authentic and accurately represents your skills, experience, and qualifications. Candidates should be aware that the use of AI throughout the application process may be monitored to ensure a fair and transparent hiring process for all. Please beware of fraudulent job postings and offers claiming to be from the Financial Times. All legitimate opportunities will direct you to apply through the official Financial Times careers site, and the FT will never ask for financial information, payments, or referrals to third parties during the hiring process. If you have any concerns about the legitimacy of a job posting or suspect any scam activity, please contact [email protected]. Interested in the FT but don’t see the right role yet? Join our Talent Community to receive exclusive updates, jobs, and insights into working at the FT. #LI-NE1