Associate Director, Business Transformation (Optimization & Enablement)

Company Description

Publicis Groupe is a global leader in communication and is positioned at every step of the value chain, from consulting to execution, combining marketing transformation and digital business transformation. Through a unified and fluid organization, Publicis Groupe partners with its clients across communication, media, data and technology to ensure access to the full breadth of capabilities in every market. Present in over 100 countries, Publicis Groupe employs around 103,000 professionals.

Overview

Business Operations is a centralized function that partners with business leaders. It improves how work gets done, operationalize systems and processes, and supports central initiatives.   The team acts as an internal business partner, helping collaborators solve business challenges through structured problem-solving, multi-functional coordination, scalable ways of working, and disciplined execution.

 

The Business Operations team supports initiatives ranging from project and program management to systems deployments, agency integrations, process optimization, business analysis, workflow redesign, operating models, playbooks, and organizational enablement. Team members work across multiple functions and business areas in a highly matrixed environment, partnering closely with collaborators to drive efficiency, alignment, and operational excellence.  

 

Core Capability Areas

• Systems Deployments & Integrations: Supports the successful deployment, integration, optimization, and adoption of systems and platforms. This includes requirements gathering, user acceptance testing (UAT), implementation support, systems integration, training, change enablement, and operationalization.
• Business Optimization & Enablement: Focuses on improving how the business works through process mapping, workflow optimization, business analysis, ways of working, operating models, POV development, playbooks, and scalable enablement solutions.
• Project and Program Management: Provides structured project and program management support to drive successful delivery of critical initiatives. This includes governance, project plans, timelines, risk and dependency management, partner coordination, executive status reporting, and multi-functional delivery leadership.

 

Business Operations team members are aligned to a primary capability area while partnering multi-functionally across initiatives. Projects are staffed through a matrixed model based on business need, complexity, and abilities, enabling teams to bring together the right mix of project management, systems expertise, and business optimization capabilities to solve business problems and deliver outcomes.

 

We are seeking a highly strategic, collaborative, and hard-working Associate Director, Business Transformation to lead the Business Optimization & Enablement workstream. This role will coordinate initiatives focused on enhancing business performance, operational efficiency, organizational alignment, and scalable ways of working across the organization.This role serves as the functional leader and is responsible for driving the successful delivery of process optimization, workflow redesign, business analysis, operating model, governance, and organizational effectiveness initiatives. The ideal candidate is a strong business operator and internal consultant who excels at solving complex business challenges, facilitating partner alignment, and translating business needs into practical, scalable solutions.The Associate Director will coordinate a portfolio of optimization initiatives while establishing methodologies, frameworks, and guidelines that improve how work gets done across the organization.   This role requires strong leadership, business analysis, facilitation, organizational design, partner management, and critical thinking capabilities.

 

Responsibilities

• Serve as the workstream leader, overseeing a portfolio of operational improvement and organizational effectiveness initiatives
• Lead prioritization, resource planning, staffing, and workload management across the workstream
• Partner with senior collaborators to identify business challenges, define priorities, and shape optimization strategies
• Provide strategic oversight for initiatives involving process improvement, workflow redesign, operating models, governance structures, and ways of working
• Ensure successful delivery across multiple concurrent initiatives by providing guidance, removing roadblocks, and supporting decision-making
• Establish and maintain methodologies, frameworks, templates, tools, and guidelines for business analysis, process optimization, and organizational effectiveness
• Oversee discovery, partner assessments, current-state evaluations, and future-state design activities across engagements
• Drive the development of executive recommendations, POVs, reasons, and implementation roadmaps
• Partner with business leaders to find opportunities to simplify, standardize, and optimize operations
• Collaborate closely with Project Management teams to ensure strong governance, execution planning, subject area communication, and delivery rigor  
• Partner with the Systems Deployments & Integrations team to ensure technology solutions support business objectives, workflows, and operating models
• Facilitate partner alignment and decision-making across complex, cross-functional initiatives
• Support organizational change, communication, adoption, and enablement efforts associated with new processes and ways of working
• Develop executive-level presentations, recommendations, operating models, and strategic roadmaps for senior leadership
• Identify trends, recurring business challenges, and opportunities for enterprise-wide operational improvements
• Coach, mentor, and develop managers, and analysts while building capability and bench strength within the workstream
• Shape and evolve the Business Optimization & Enablement capability by identifying new service offerings, methodologies, and opportunities to expand team impact
• Foster a culture of structured problem-solving, continuous improvement, collaboration, and delivery excellenceSupport annual planning, capability development, and long-term evolution of the Business Optimization & Enablement function

 

Required Skills & Competencies

• Strong experience leading business optimization, operational excellence, organizational effectiveness, business transformation, or management consulting initiatives
• Demonstrated ability to oversee multiple complex initiatives and competing priorities simultaneously
• Strong leadership skills with experience managing teams, coaching talent, and delivery excellence
• Deep expertise in process optimization, workflow redesign, operating models, governance structures, and organizational effectiveness
• Strong business analysis and structured problem-solving capabilities
• Experience developing methodologies, frameworks, and scalable approaches for process improvement and business optimization
• Exceptional facilitation and partner management skills with the ability to influence and align senior leaders
• Strong executive communication and presentation skills with the ability to synthesize complex information into actionable recommendations
• Ability to navigate ambiguity and drive clarity across evolving business environments
• Strong organizational and portfolio management skills with a focus on business outcomes and measurable impact
• Ability to balance long-term planning with practical implementation and execution  
• Strong change management and organizational enablement capabilities

 

Functional Expertise – Business Optimization & Enablement

• Business process optimization
• Workflow redesign and simplification
• Current-state and future-state process design
• Business analysis and operational assessments
• Operating model development
• Ways of working (WoW) design
• Governance framework design
• Organizational effectiveness
• RACI and role clarity development
• Facilitation and workshop leadership
• Executive recommendation and POV development
• Business case development
• Change management and adoption planning
• Playbook and SOP oversight
• Portfolio and resource management
• Continuous improvement methodologies
• Partner alignment and decision facilitation
• Capability development and team leadership

Qualifications

• 10–14 years of experience in business transformation, management consulting, operational excellence, organizational effectiveness, business transformation, process improvement, program management, or related functions
• Demonstrated experience leading process optimization, operating model, governance, organizational effectiveness, or enterprise transformation initiatives
• Experience managing teams, portfolios, or capability areas within highly matrixed organizations
• Proven ability to partner with senior leaders and executive collaborators to drive business outcomes
• Strong proficiency in PowerPoint, including executive storytelling, strategic presentations, and communication guidelines
• Strong proficiency in Excel and ability to organize, analyze, synthesize, and present information to support decision-making
• Experience facilitating executive workshops, strategic planning sessions, and cross-functional alignment efforts
• Experience in marketing, media, agency, consulting, professional services, or similarly complex organizations preferred
• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Communications, Organizational Development, Industrial Engineering, or related field preferred but not required
• Demonstrated ability to influence organizational outcomes, lead through ambiguity, and build scalable operational solutions

 

Additional Information

Our Publicis Groupe motto “Viva La Différence” means we’re better together, and we believe that our differences make us stronger. It means we honor and celebrate all identities, across all facets of intersectionality, and it underpins all that we do as an organization. We are focused on fostering belonging and creating equitable & inclusive experiences for all talent.

 

Publicis Groupe provides robust and inclusive benefit programs and policies to support the evolving and diverse needs of our talent and enable every person to grow and thrive. Our benefits package includes medical coverage, dental, vision, disability, 401K, as well as parental and family care leave, family forming assistance, tuition reimbursement, and flexible time off.

 

If you require accommodation or assistance with the application or onboarding process specifically, please contact [email protected].

 

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

 

Veterans Encouraged to Apply.

 

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Compensation Range: USD $97,375.00 - USD $155,961.00/Annually. This is the pay range the Company believes it will pay for this position at the time of this posting. Consistent with applicable law, compensation will be determined based on the skills, qualifications, and experience of the applicant along with the requirements of the position, and the Company reserves the right to modify this pay range at any time. Temporary roles may be eligible to participate in our freelancer/temporary employee medical plan through a third-party benefits administration system once certain criteria have been met. Temporary roles may also qualify for participation in our 401(k) plan after eligibility criteria have been met. For regular roles, the Company will offer medical coverage, dental, vision, disability, 401k, and paid time off. The Company anticipates the application deadline for this job posting will be 8/17/2026.