Regional Programme Manager

WPP is the creative transformation company. We use the power of creativity to build better futures for our people, planet, clients, and communities. Working at WPP means being part of a global network of more than 100,000 talented people dedicated to doing extraordinary work for our clients. We operate in over 100 countries, with corporate headquarters in New York, London and Singapore. WPP is a world leader in marketing services, with deep AI, data and technology capabilities, global presence and unrivalled creative talent. Our clients include many of the biggest companies and advertisers in the world, including approximately 300 of the Fortune Global 500. Our people are the key to our success. We're committed to fostering a culture of creativity, belonging and continuous learning, attracting and developing the brightest talent, and providing exciting career opportunities that help our people grow. Why we're hiring: To establish, lead, and continuously improve the regional Project Management Office (PMO) for Real Estate & Workplace Services (REWS), ensuring consistent governance, efficient project delivery, and strategic portfolio management across all REWS initiatives within the assigned region. This role drives the adoption of global standards and best practices at a regional level, overseeing capital projects, program changes, and modifications to support the organization's regional real estate strategy. What you'll be doing: Regional Governance & Oversight: Implement and enforce global project governance frameworks, policies, and procedures for all regional REWS projects (new builds, refurbishments, decommissions). Ensure regional compliance and provide regular reporting on project health and adherence to standards to the Global PMO. Regional Project Portfolio Management: Oversee the entire regional REWS project portfolio, including intake, prioritization, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure of all real estate and workplace services related projects within the region. Ensure alignment with regional business objectives and the global real estate strategy. Workplace Services Activations: Lead and support regional Workplace Services activations, ensuring alignment to global standards and supporting the desired employee experience. Manage regional IFM (Integrated Facilities Management) rollouts to stay on schedule. Standards & Best Practices Implementation: Implement and champion global project management standards, methodologies, tools, and best practices for REWS projects within the region. Drive continuous improvement in regional project delivery processes. Regional Approach Adaptation: Adapt and implement the consistent global approach to managing REWS projects within the regional context, including stakeholder engagement, communication protocols, risk management, and quality assurance. Regional Resource & Capacity Planning: Manage regional resource allocation and capacity planning for REWS projects, leveraging in-country Project Managers. Optimize resource utilization across the regional portfolio, escalating significant resource constraints to the Global PMO. Performance Monitoring & Reporting (Regional): Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics for regional REWS project performance. Provide regular, comprehensive reports to regional leadership and the Global PMO on portfolio status, risks, opportunities, and financial performance. Technology & Tools Utilization: Utilize approved tools to support regional REWS project delivery and portfolio management, ensuring data accuracy and consistency with global systems. Regional Risk Management: Proactively identify, assess, and mitigate risks across the regional REWS project portfolio. Develop contingency plans and ensure effective risk communication within the region and to the Global PMO. Regional Asset Register & Floor Plans: Ensure the regional portion of the Global Asset Register is implemented and kept updated, along with floor plans via the space management tool. Regional Budget Management: Oversee the consolidated budget for the regional REWS project portfolio, ensuring financial discipline and cost effectiveness across all regional projects, in alignment with global financial guidelines. Competencies, Knowledge and Experience Competencies Digital Dexterity - High proficiency in leveraging project management software, collaboration tools, and data analytics platforms to manage regional portfolios and drive efficiency. Collaboration - Exceptional ability to work cross-functionally and cross-culturally with in-country teams, regional stakeholders, and external partners to achieve common goals. Critical Thinking - Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to assess complex regional project scenarios, identify root causes, and develop effective solutions for REWS challenges. Developing Self (Learning to Learn) - Proactive in staying abreast of industry trends, new technologies, and best practices in real estate, project management, and PMO methodologies relevant to the region. Curiosity, Creativity and Innovation - Drives continuous improvement and seeks innovative solutions for optimizing regional REWS project delivery, governance, and resource management. Change Management - Proven ability to lead and manage organizational change initiatives related to new processes, systems, and methodologies within a regional REWS context. Leadership - Inspires, motivates, and guides in-country project managers and regional teams. Provides clear direction and fosters a high-performance culture. Stakeholder Management and Business Partnership - Expert in building and maintaining strong relationships with regional business leaders, in-country REWS teams, finance, IT, and other key regional business units. Acts as a trusted advisor. Strategic Business Acumen - Strong understanding of the organization's regional business strategy and how REWS projects contribute to achieving regional objectives. Ability to align regional project portfolio with business needs. Contract and Performance Management - Strong capability in overseeing the performance of external vendors and contractors involved in regional REWS projects. Contract Development - Familiarity with the development and negotiation of contracts for regional real estate projects and related services. Negotiation - Skilled in negotiating terms with regional vendors, contractors, and internal stakeholders to achieve optimal outcomes for REWS projects. Managing Supplier Relationships - Ability to build and maintain effective relationships with a diverse range of regional suppliers and service providers in the real estate sector. What you’ll need: Extensive experience (8+ years) in leading and managing complex project management offices (PMOs) or significant project portfolios, preferably within a regional or multi-country context. Deep expertise in real estate and workplace services, including new builds, refurbishments, decommissions, and fit outs within a specific region or across multiple countries. Proven track record of implementing and maturing PMO frameworks, governance, and methodologies at a regional level, aligning with global directives. Strong understanding of project portfolio management (PPM) principles and tools. Experience with regional resource and capacity planning across a distributed team. Demonstrated ability to manage multi-million dollar regional project portfolios and budgets. Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and engage regional stakeholders at all levels. Experience working in a matrixed organizational structure, with a dotted line reporting relationship. PMP, PgMP, or equivalent project management certification highly desirable. Bachelor's degree in Project Management, Real Estate, Business Administration, Engineering, or a related field; Master's degree preferred Who you are: You're open: We are inclusive and collaborative; we encourage the free exchange of ideas; we respect and celebrate diverse views. We are open-minded: to new ideas, new partnerships, new ways of working. You're optimistic: We believe in the power of creativity, technology and talent to create brighter futures for our people, our clients and our communities. We approach all that we do with conviction: to try the new and to seek the unexpected. You're extraordinary: we are stronger together: through collaboration we achieve the amazing. We are creative leaders and pioneers of our industry; we provide extraordinary every day. What we’ll give you: Passionate, inspired people – We aim to create a culture in which people can do extraordinary work. Scale and opportunity – We offer the opportunity to create, influence and complete projects at a scale that is unparalleled in the industry. Challenging and stimulating work – Unique work and the opportunity to join a group of creative problem solvers. Are you up for the challenge? #LI-Onsite 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 around four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process. WPP is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to particular 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. Interested in building your career at WPP? 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