Programs Director Jobs in Washington (NOW HIRING)

At AKQA (part of WPP), we believe in the imaginative application of art and science to create beautiful ideas, products and services. With an entrepreneurial and collaborative approach, we design adaptive digital services and applications that capture the imagination, delivering impressive returns for our clients.

Program Directors at AKQA are essential figures in delivering and managing complex, portfolio-level client engagements. They bring extensive experience structuring and leading multi-million dollar programs with parallel workstreams, spanning design, development, campaign, social, media, and marketing. Equally focused on the big picture and the details that make it real, they serve as the senior tactical hub of the delivery organization, partnering with project managers and cross-functional leads to ensure every track of work moves with clarity, accountability, and momentum.

We are seeking an experienced Freelance Program Director to support one of the most recognizable financial institutions in the country, a brand celebrated not only for its scale but for its standout, culturally resonant advertising and marketing work. This is a high-visibility engagement where campaign excellence and disciplined multi-track delivery leadership are equally important. You will be responsible for bringing structure, strategic oversight, and clear communication to a fast-moving, creatively ambitious body of work that spans multiple simultaneous workstreams and teams.

ROLE REQUIREMENTS

• Lead and manage a large-scale, multi-million dollar client engagement with multiple concurrent project tracks, teams, and deliverables running in parallel
• Bring proven campaign delivery experience to the work, ensuring creative and production timelines are managed with rigor and an understanding of how great advertising gets made
• Serve as the senior point of delivery leadership across the engagement, partnering closely with Project Managers, discipline leads, and client stakeholders to maintain alignment and momentum
• Manage client expectations with confidence and clarity, ensuring all parties are informed, aligned, and satisfied across the lifecycle of the work
• Demonstrate a strong intuitive understanding of web and application development, design operations, and the creative process
• Oversee contractual and commercial elements of the engagement, including SOWs, MSAs, and partner agreements
• Assess and manage risk and change across the program, escalating and resolving issues before they impact delivery or relationships
• Mentor and actively develop the project management talent working alongside you, leading by example and investing in the growth of the team
• Collaborate across disciplines to bring definition to ambiguous opportunities, articulate unknowns, and guide teams toward clear, well-reasoned solutions
• Maintain oversight of program performance and agency accountability, keeping senior leadership informed with clear, organized, and succinct reporting

QUALITIES AND CHARACTERISTICS

• 12+ years of experience managing and launching large-scale, innovative digital, creative, and integrated projects within an agency environment
• Campaign experience is essential; you bring a deep familiarity with how creative and campaign work is developed, produced, and delivered at a high level
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple tracks of work simultaneously, with the organizational rigor and composure to keep complex programs on course
• Strong knowledge of account and project management principles, methods, and techniques, across both agile and waterfall approaches
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, one-on-one and in large groups, with the ability to organize information quickly and summarize succinctly
• Rigorous, detail-oriented, and solutions-focused at every level of a project
• Collaborative by nature, with a track record of building trust across disciplines and stakeholder groups
• Excellent analytical and financial skills, with comfort managing program budgets and forecasting
• Passionate about producing ambitious, culturally resonant work across all channels and media

Location & Commitment

• Remote with occasional onsite presence as needed; must be East Coast based
• June 10, 2026 through September 30, 2026
• 40 hours/week
• Expected compensation: $3,600 to $4,400 per week