Saatchi & Saatchi is an advertising agency with the belief that creativity, data, media and technology should all work together, and we use that to influence human behavior and drive success for clients. S&S is one of the world's largest agency networks with 114 offices and more than 6000 employees globally. Here in our Toronto office we work with some of the countries most valued brands including Toyota, Buckley's, and Children's Advil, as well as several under the Mondelez banner (Crispers, Oreo, and Chips Ahoy just to name a few). We’re an award winning agency in both creativity and effectiveness, so it’s really important for us here to convert that innovation and the great ideas into real tangible business results for the organization.
Overview
We are seeking an experienced Program Director with strong AI expertise to lead, manage, and scale AI-driven initiatives across our advertising and creative operations. This role sits at the intersection of program management, AI strategy, and marketing innovation, guiding cross-functional teams to deliver transformative, AI-enabled capabilities for clients and internal workflows.
The ideal candidate blends deep program management experience, a solid understanding of AI technologies and applications, and the ability to drive complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives within a fast-paced agency environment.
Responsibilities
Program Leadership & Delivery
- Lead end-to-end planning, execution, and delivery of enterprise-level AI programs spanning creative automation, audience intelligence, media optimization, and operational efficiency.
- Define program roadmaps, milestones, success metrics, and governance frameworks.
- Manage cross-functional teams including data science, engineering, creative, strategy, and client services.
- Oversee budgets, timelines, resource allocation, and risk mitigation across multiple concurrent AI workstreams.
- Maintain high-quality program documentation, communication plans, and reporting.
AI Strategy & Adoption
- Partner with senior leadership to define the agency’s AI strategy and long-term roadmap.
- Translate business goals into AI opportunities, outlining clear use cases, feasibility, and expected outcomes.
- Evaluate emerging AI tools and vendors (e.g., generative AI, predictive modeling, automation platforms) and recommend adoption based on strategic fit.
- Promote responsible and ethical use of AI across all initiatives.
Stakeholder Management
- Serve as a central liaison across internal departments and external partners.
- Communicate complex technical concepts in a clear, business-friendly manner for non-technical stakeholders.
- Engage with clients to understand their needs and align AI programs with campaign goals and audience insights.
- Drive change management, ensuring smooth adoption of new AI capabilities within teams.
Operational Excellence
- Standardize frameworks, workflows, and best practices for AI-driven processes.
- Implement scalable program management methodologies (Agile, hybrid, or waterfall as needed).
- Monitor performance and continuously optimize AI programs for efficiency, quality, and impact.
- Ensure compliance with data privacy regulations and internal governance policies.
Qualifications
Required
- 7–10+ years of program or project management experience, ideally in advertising, digital marketing, consulting, or media.
- Demonstrated experience leading large-scale technology or AI initiatives.
- Strong understanding of AI concepts, including machine learning, generative AI, data engineering, and automation.
- Proven ability to manage cross-functional teams and multi-phase projects.
- Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and leadership skills.
- Experience with Agile/Scrum methodologies and modern PM tools (Jira, Asana, Monday, etc.).
Preferred
- Experience working in a creative agency, media agency, or advertising technology environment.
- Knowledge of marketing analytics, consumer data platforms, and ad-tech ecosystems.
- Certifications in AI, project management (PMP), or Agile.
- Familiarity with privacy and compliance standards (PIPEDA, GDPR).
Additional information
Saatchi is an equal opportunity employer and we welcome and encourage applications from all interested parties. Accommodations are available, upon request, for all stages of the interview and employment process for those with a disability or medical need during any stage of the recruitment process.
