Creative Services Program Manager

Position Summary:

As Creative Services Program Manager, you will lead and orchestrate the seamless execution of creative initiatives, serving as the cornerstone of efficiency and excellence for the Creative Services team. This role is pivotal in designing and implementing systems that optimize workflows, ensuring exceptional results across print, digital, motion, and photo production workstreams. Acting as a strategic leader and operational hub, the Creative Services Program Manager defines program strategies, manages project budgets, tracks progress, mitigates risks, and fosters meaningful collaboration to achieve organizational objectives.

This role partners closely with the VP of Creative Services, translating high-level creative strategies into actionable plans while building the tools and processes that empower teams to work effectively. The Creative Services Program Manager is a skilled orchestrator, driving clarity, alignment, and momentum to ensure creative programs and projects are completed on time, within budget, and at the highest standard of quality.

Position Responsibilities Include:

Program and Project Coordination

• Oversee the planning, execution, and monitoring of multiple interconnected projects within the Creative Services team.
• Manage and maintain the creative team calendar, including photoshoot and film production schedules, ensuring alignment with project timelines and overall strategic goals.
• Supervise and support the planning and execution of photo and film shoots, including budget oversight, calendar coordination, vendor communications, and contract negotiation.
• Maintain a comprehensive view of project workflows, aligning resources, schedules, and deliverables to strategic priorities. Implement tools necessary for full team visibility into project plans and calendars.
• Oversee the implementation and coordination of creative and photo team calendars, schedules, and program management tools
• Co-lead monthly resourcing meetings with Creative Leadership to ensure proper teammate allocation across projects.
• Work closely with photo team and post production manager to ensure timely and efficient delivery of photo assets to creative team.
• Develop and maintain processes that ensure efficiency, transparency, and cross-functional alignment.

Resource and Budget Management

• Allocate resources effectively across various projects, optimizing utilization and ensuring team capacity meets project demands.
• Manage project-level budgets within frameworks set by the VP of Creative Services, maintaining financial accountability and cost-efficiency.
• Oversee production budgets, including photo and film shoots, ensuring seamless coordination and adherence to fiscal goals.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as a key liaison between creative teams, and external vendors, communicating progress, updates, and potential roadblocks effectively.
• Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders within merchandising, marketing, retail and product groups. Set up team meetings at key inflection points, collect and consolidate feedback, ensure smooth communications between stakeholders and creative team.
• Work in close partnership with the VP of Creative Services, translate creative direction and team vision into actionable workplans.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal teams and external production partners to facilitate the successful planning and execution of photoshoots and other creative initiatives.

Risk and Performance Management

• Identify potential risks, develop mitigation strategies, and proactively resolve issues that could impact program success.
• Monitor program performance against key metrics, identifying areas for improvement and implementing corrective actions as needed.

Leadership and Strategy Execution

• Partner with the VP of Creative Services to implement creative plans and directives, translating strategic goals into actionable workflows.
• Balance big-picture thinking with detail-oriented execution, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and creative vision.
• Assess team attributes and pivot management styles to accommodate group dynamics, fostering a collaborative and productive environment.
• Drive teams to deliver their best work by balancing empathy, observation, and clear communication.

Qualifications

Education:

Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college/university. Degree in marketing and/or communications a plus.

Experience:

• 10+ years of proven project/program management experience, working directly with creative teams across print, digital, motion, and production workstreams.
• Expertise in overseeing photo and film production, including managing budgets, schedules, and execution in collaboration with production partners.
• Demonstrated success leading complex creative programs, managing cross-functional teams, and implementing traffic management systems to align resources, schedules, and deliverables with organizational priorities.
• Proven ability to operate at a strategic level, balancing big-picture orchestration with the tactical execution required to drive results.

Skills & Capabilities:

• Strong understanding of production processes for video, print, and digital assets, with the ability to integrate scheduling and resource implications effectively.
• Proficiency with project management tools such as Trello, Jira, and other collaboration platforms, with experience implementing the right tools to manage traffic across teams and projects.
• Exceptional organizational and multitasking skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and maintain attention to detail.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to interface confidently with all levels of the organization and external partners.
• Self-motivated and analytical, with a proactive approach to identifying and resolving challenges.
• Familiarity with eCommerce and multi-channel retail environments; experience in apparel and home furnishings is a plus.

The Ideal Candidate:

The ideal candidate is a natural orchestrator, combining strategic thinking with tactical execution to drive creative programs to success. They thrive on solving complex problems, fostering collaboration, and building efficient processes that empower creative teams to excel.

You are highly motivated, detail-oriented, and a master of balancing resources, timelines, and expectations. Your ability to see the big picture while executing the finer details sets you apart as a trusted partner to leadership and an indispensable resource for the team.