Program Manager (PM Team Lead)

About the role

Orchard is looking for a Program Manager to take ownership of delivery across one of its most important client portfolios in Sydney. This is a hands-on leadership position where you will run complex programs directly, while also coaching and developing the project managers around you. Success in this role means balancing delivery quality, commercial performance, and strong client confidence.

What you will do

You will be responsible for running programs end to end, including estimating work, creating timelines, setting up governance, and handling live client briefs and delivery issues. You will maintain a clear view of milestones, dependencies, and risks across the portfolio, and you will bring forward solutions early rather than waiting for problems to escalate.

You will also own the commercial side of delivery by monitoring budget against actuals, managing scope changes, and identifying margin risk before it turns into a write-off. Alongside this, you will keep track of pipeline health, notice forecast gaps early, identify opportunities within existing accounts, and support new business efforts.

In addition to delivery and commercial oversight, you will lead and coach a team of PMs, creating an environment where responsibility sits at the right level and people are supported to do their best work. You will act as the senior delivery partner to Account Direction, helping turn business goals into workable programs and strengthening client relationships through credible delivery leadership.

The role also expects active use of AI tools such as Claude as part of your day-to-day working style. You will help bring fresh AI-led approaches back into the team and contribute to building Orchard's delivery capability in this area.

Requirements

The ideal candidate will have at least 8 years of experience in digital delivery, with agency background preferred. You should have worked across multiple programs or portfolios and carried meaningful commercial responsibility.

Strong commercial judgement is essential, including an understanding of margin, forecasting, and scope control. Orchard is also looking for someone who puts people first, coaches others thoughtfully, and builds systems and frameworks that can scale.

You should stay calm, open, and decisive when pressure builds, and be comfortable surfacing risk honestly while offering practical options. The role also suits someone who is proactive about growth, able to spot opportunities in existing accounts, contribute to pipeline health, and help pursue new business.

Because the environment can be ambiguous, you need to be comfortable creating structure without waiting for perfect information. A strong interest in AI tools, a habit of self-directed learning, and enthusiasm for bringing new thinking to the team are also important.

Additional information

Orchard is a creative and technology agency with strong delivery capability, operating as part of the ASX-listed Enero Group. Its client base spans health, consumer, and automotive work across Australia and the US.

You will join a PM leadership group that is committed to high standards, capability building, and mutual support. The role offers direct access to senior leaders, genuine autonomy in how you lead, and the opportunity to influence how AI changes delivery in one of the market's more progressive agencies.

Orchard encourages people from all backgrounds to apply. The agency is part of Orchard Marketing within the Enero Group and acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land on which it operates, including the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation. Its Innovate Level 2 RAP endorsement is intended to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander talent, partners, and advisors within the agency and across the wider industry.

Application note

Applicants are asked to submit a CV along with a brief note explaining what great delivery leadership means to them.