Model Director Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

We are seeking a Director of Program Management to lead the Program Management Office (PMO) in a multi-year strategic Operating Model Transformation. Reporting to the leadership team of Aon Business Services (ABS), this role works closely with an Internal Consulting team and collaborators throughout the enterprise. It is responsible for directing the governance, planning, and performance management framework that supports the successful delivery of the transformation across solution lines, regions, and functions.

Aon is in the business of better decisions

At Aon, we build decisions for the better to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world.

As an organization, we are united through trust as one engaged team, and we are passionate about helping our colleagues and clients succeed.

What the day will look like

You will lead a team of program managers, coordinating and developing them to ensure the flawless delivery of our transformation roadmap. Your day will involve facilitating the identification and reduction of risks, ensuring compliance and operational risks are addressed, and bringing up critical issues to senior partners. You will collaborate with workstream leads to monitor progress and implement corrective actions where necessary.

Program Planning & Delivery Management

• Coordinate, mentor, and develop a group of program managers to create and maintain a coordinated transformation roadmap, including scope, achievements, critical path, and interdependencies across workstreams
• Support the identification, evaluation, prioritization, and reduction of program risks and dependencies, ensuring that regulatory, compliance, and operational risks are addressed in all program activities
• Bring up critical risks and recommended solutions to senior collaborators, and work with workstream leads to establish baseline plans, track progress, and apply corrective actions when delivery risks arise
• Lead planning, measurement and tracking of progress and benefits realization, ensuring alignment to the defined argument and strategic outcomes

Program Governance & Control

• Enable and maintain the governance framework for the operating model transformation, including steering committees, program approvals and build workshops
• Define and coordinate standards, templates, and processes for program planning, status reporting, risk/issue management, and change control
• Ensure decisions, actions, and dependencies are detailed, tracked, and resolved in a timely manner
• Manage the program calendar, including steering meetings, forums, and key decision achievements

Collaborator Management & Communication

• Cultivate positive relationships with business leaders, key collaborators, and cross-functional partners to ensure agreement and engagement in transformation roadmap
• Develop and complete a clear communication and reporting strategy tailored to executive sponsors, business leaders, and delivery teams
• Produce high-quality program reporting (e.g., dashboards, status reports, executive packs) that provide clear insight into progress, risks, and decisions needed
• Support change management activities in partnership with Change/HR/Communications teams, including impact assessments and engagement plans

Change Enablement & Continuous Improvement

• Support changes and redesigns to the target operating model, including processes, organization, governance, and technology impacts, when challenges arise
• Ensure that build decisions are traceable to strategic objectives and translated into clear implementation plans
• Help define and monitor adoption and readiness metrics (e.g., training completion, process adherence, stabilization targets)
• Coordinate pilots, phased rollouts, and postimplementation reviews, incorporating lessons learned into future releases
• Continuously refine PMO processes based on feedback, metrics, and lessons learned

How this opportunity is different

It leads the enterprise-wide PMO for a multi-year operating model transformation, with direct responsibility for governance, benefits realization, and executive-level partner management across regions and functions. Rather than managing a single project or workstream, this role coordinates a coordinated portfolio of complex, cross-functional initiatives and builds how Aon delivers its future operating model.

Skills and experience that will lead to success

• 7+ years of experience in project/program management, with 3+ years in a PMO leadership role, preferably within a management consulting firm
• Hands-on experience establishing Global Capability Centers (GCCs) or Centers of Excellence (COEs), including operating model development, process transition, and governance framework setup
• Demonstrated experience leading complex, multi-workstream transformation programs (e.g., operating model redesign, shared services, process re-engineering, or large-scale systems implementation)
• Experience working in a matrixed, global organization with senior executive collaborators
• Strong program and portfolio management skills, including planning, budgeting, resource management, and benefits management
• Advanced collaborator management and communication skills; able to translate complex program information into clear messages for executive audiences
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; comfortable with data, metrics, and dashboards to drive decisions
• Ability to influence without direct authority and to navigate ambiguity in a transformation context
• Proficiency with project portfolio tools and collaboration platforms (e.g., PowerPoint, Excel, Teams, Jira)

Education

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in Business, Finance, Operations, Technology, or related field; advanced degree (MBA or similar) preferred.

For positions in San Francisco and Los Angeles, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction record in accordance with local Fair Chance ordinances.

Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Pay Transparency Laws:

The salary range for this position (intended for U.S. applicants) is $150,000 to $190,000 annually. The actual salary will vary based on applicant's education, experience, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data. The salary may also be adjusted based on applicant's geographic location.

This position is eligible to participate in one of Aon's annual incentive plans to receive an annual discretionary bonus in addition to base salary. The amount of any bonus varies and is subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable incentive plan.

Aon offers a comprehensive package of benefits for full-time and regular part-time colleagues, including, but not limited to: a 401(k) savings plan with employer contributions; an employee stock purchase plan; consideration for long-term incentive awards at Aon's discretion; medical, dental and vision insurance, various types of leaves of absence, paid time off, including 12 paid holidays throughout the calendar year, 15 days of paid vacation per year, paid sick leave as provided under state and local paid sick leave laws, short-term disability and optional long-term disability, health savings account, health care and dependent care reimbursement accounts, employee and dependent life insurance and supplemental life and AD&D insurance; optional personal insurance policies, adoption assistance, tuition assistance, commuter benefits, and an employee assistance program that includes free counseling sessions. Eligibility for benefits is governed by the applicable plan documents and policies.

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