Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated

Director of Project and Program Management

Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated • $160K — $200K *
US-AnywhereRemote in Chicago, IL
Real Estate & Construction
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 7-10+ years in project/program management, with 3+ years in a PMO leadership role.
  • Experience with backlog/portfolio prioritization frameworks and delivery governance for multiple workstreams.
  • Proven people management skills, including performance management and coaching.
  • Strong understanding of SDLC/Agile models in matrix organizations.
  • Excellent communication skills for synthesizing complex delivery statuses for executives.
  • Detail-oriented and data quality-focused leadership style.
  • Hands-on experience with AI tools to enhance productivity.

Responsibilities

  • Lead and manage a team of Project/Program Managers, setting goals and managing performance.
  • Develop team capabilities and ensure workload balance among team members.
  • Establish and maintain consistent practices for project management across the team.
  • Oversee backlog prioritization and sequencing, ensuring clear criteria for decision-making.
  • Track all aspects of delivery across initiatives, providing a comprehensive status overview.
  • Enforce a disciplined approach to ROI and business case capturing at the requirements stage.
  • Champion AI tools adoption and improvement processes to enhance overall delivery efficiency.

Benefits

  • 401(k) plan with matching contributions.
  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision care.
  • Paid parental leave at 100% salary.
  • Generous paid time off and company holidays.
  • Early access to earned wages through Daily Pay.
Full Job Description
Director, Project and Program Management Role Summary The PMO Lead owns and operates the Technical Project Management Office (TPMO) within Workplace Management Technology, leading a team of Project and Program Managers who deliver the software and platform roadmap. This role is the delivery backbone of WPMT product development: it owns how work is prioritized, sequenced, tracked, and shipped once it has entered the delivery pipeline, and ensures rigor in the discipline of capturing ROI and business value at the requirements stage. The PMO Lead is a people leader first, directly managing the PjM/PgM team, and a process owner second, responsible for the operating mechanics (prioritization frameworks, delivery tracking, status reporting) that keep a complex, multi-workstream technology organization moving. This role owns everything downstream of intake once work is accepted into the delivery pipeline. The role is also expected to model and lead AI-driven ways of working by using AI tools to increase their own and their team's efficiency, and driving adoption of AI-enabled practices across the broader delivery organization. Key Responsibilities Team Leadership & People Management • Directly manage a team of Project/Program Managers: set goals, conduct 1:1s, manage performance, coach on delivery and stakeholder skills, and own hiring/staffing decisions for the team. • Build team capability and bench strength; identify utilization gaps and rebalance workload across PjMs/PgMs as priorities shift. • Establish a consistent PjM/PgM standard of practice across the team (status reporting, risk/issue escalation, stakeholder cadence) so delivery quality doesn't depend on which PjM is assigned. Delivery Process Ownership • Own the prioritization and sequencing framework for the product development backlog: maintain scoring criteria, facilitate prioritization decisions, and keep the backlog defensible and current. • Own end-to-end delivery tracking across all active initiatives: milestones, dependencies, risks, and status, rolled up into a single reliable view for leadership. • Design and enforce the discipline for capturing ROI, business case, and value assumptions during requirements/intake handoff, so every prioritized item enters delivery with a defensible cost/benefit rationale. • Continuously improve delivery operating mechanics (SDLC/ADLC checkpoints, governance gates, reporting templates) to reduce cycle time and improve predictability. Governance & Stakeholder Management • Represent the PMO in leadership and governance forums; provide accurate, source-backed status on portfolio health, risks, and resourcing. • Partner closely with Product Management and Product Operations on the boundaries between intake and delivery, ensuring clean handshakes with no dropped context. • Build trusted relationships with Product, Engineering, and business stakeholders to resolve cross-team dependencies and unblock delivery. Reporting & Continuous Improvement • Own portfolio-level reporting (executive updates, delivery dashboards) with a bias toward source-verified data over informally synthesized summaries. • Identify systemic delivery bottlenecks and drive process fixes rather than one-off firefighting. AI Adoption & Efficiency • Personally adopt AI tools to improve own productivity and model that behavior for the team. • Lead AI adoption across the PjM/PgM team: identify high-value use cases in delivery work, pilot them, and scale what works. • Champion AI-enabled ways of working with broader delivery stakeholders to raise overall organizational efficiency, not just PMO efficiency. • Balance AI-driven efficiency gains with data integrity and governance. Ensure AI-assisted outputs are still source-verified and defensible to leadership. Required Qualifications • 7-10+ years of experience in project/program management, with 3+ years leading a PMO or a team of project/program managers, ideally in a technology or software delivery organization. • Demonstrated experience owning backlog/portfolio prioritization frameworks and delivery governance at scale (multiple concurrent workstreams). • People management experience: performance management, coaching, and team development. • Strong command of SDLC/Agile delivery models and the practical mechanics of running them (sprints, releases, gates) in a matrixed organization. • Excellent executive communication skills - able to synthesize complex, messy delivery status into a clear, honest narrative for senior leadership. • Rigorous, detail-oriented, and comfortable holding a team accountable to process and data quality. • Hands-on fluency with AI tools (e.g., generative AI assistants, AI-enabled reporting/analysis tools) and a demonstrated track record of using them to improve personal or team productivity. Preferred Qualifications • PMP, PgMP, SAFe, or equivalent project/program management certification. • Experience in real estate, workplace management, facilities technology, or enterprise SaaS product organizations. • Experience with Agent-centric development practices with an understanding of how to support related processes • Track record of building or maturing ROI/business-case discipline within a requirements or intake process. • Experience leading AI adoption or digital-efficiency initiatives within a project/delivery organization, including change management to drive team uptake. What Success Looks Like in the First 6-12 Months • The PjM/PgM team operates to a consistent standard of practice, with clear ownership and no single point of failure. • The work prioritization process is trusted, current, and defensible to executive stakeholders. • Delivery status reporting is accurate, source-backed, and requires minimal rework by leadership before use. • ROI/business case rigor is visibly improved at the point requirements enter the delivery pipeline. • At least one or two AI-enabled workflows are adopted team-wide with measurable time savings, and the team has a repeatable process for identifying and piloting the next ones. This position does not provide visa sponsorship. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship. Expected compensation for this position: 160,000.00 - 200,000.00 USD per year Final compensation packages are determined by various considerations including but not limited to candidate qualifications, location, market conditions, and internal considerations. Location: Remote -Chicago, IL If this job description resonates with you, we encourage you to apply, even if you don't meet all the requirements. We're interested in getting to know you and what you bring to the table! Personalized benefits that support personal well-being and growth: JLL recognizes the impact that the workplace can have on your wellness, so we offer a supportive culture and comprehensive benefits package that prioritizes mental, physical and emotional health. Some of these benefits include: • 401(k) plan with matching company contributions • Comprehensive Medical, Dental & Vision Care • Paid parental leave at 100% of salary • Paid Time Off and Company Holidays • Early access to earned wages through Daily Pay At JLL, we harness the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to efficiently accelerate meaningful connections between candidates and opportunities. Using AI capabilities, we analyze your application for relevant skills, experiences, and qualifications to generate valuable insights about how your unique profile aligns with the specific requirements of the role you're pursuing.

About Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated

Jones Lang LaSalle is a financial and professional services firm that specializes in commercial real estate services and investment management. Its services include: tenant representation for organizations that lease office, industrial and retail spaces; consulting, which supports companies to develop workplace strategies such as occupancy planning, relocations, and energy and environmental sustainability initiatives; project and development services to manage ground-up creation, building construction, and major interior renovations; capital markets and real estate investment banking, which helps organizations buy and sell properties, and improve the financial impact of their real estate; facilities management for a variety of properties including office towers, retail and exhibition centers, and government, collegiate and industrial complexes; property management services, that provide on-site administration to help owners of office, industrial, retail and specialty properties reduce costs and enhance their property values; and valuations that provide impartial assessments of real estate worth through more than 200 corporate offices in 70 countries. Jones Lang LaSalle was formed by the merger of Jones Lang Wootton, a British firm with origins dating back to 1783, and LaSalle Partners, an American company formed from a predecessor launched in 1968. Jones Lang Wootton opened its first US office in New York in 1975. In 1997, the initial public offering was completed by LaSalle Partners for the company's common stock in the market.

Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated Careers

Join the dynamic team at Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated (JLL), a global leader in real estate services, where your career journey is just as important as the professional milestones you aim to achieve. At JLL, we offer more than just job opportunities; we provide a platform for growth, innovation, and leadership in an industry that shapes the world around us.

Work You’ll Do

At JLL, you will be part of a culture that prizes diversity, teamwork, and forward-thinking. Whether you are looking for a full-time position or an internship, JLL offers a variety of roles that cater to your professional skills and personal development goals. Our team is composed of the brightest minds in real estate, providing you with unparalleled mentorship and networking opportunities that foster career advancement.

Innovate and Lead

Embrace the opportunity to lead projects that redefine the real estate landscape, leveraging JLL’s global scale and deep industry expertise. Our commitment to innovation is evident in every strategy we implement and every building we manage. By joining our team, you will collaborate with professionals who are eager to share their knowledge and push the boundaries of what is possible in real estate.

Professional Growth and Development

JLL is dedicated to the professional growth of its employees. We offer robust training programs, including leadership development and diversity training, to ensure you are equipped for success. Our benefits extend beyond the basics, encompassing health, wellness, and financial planning to support you and your family at all stages of life.

Explore Job Opportunities

JLL is continuously expanding, and we are hiring across multiple disciplines. Explore positions that match your skills and interests in areas such as property management, sustainability, financial analysis, and more. We look for driven, curious, and innovative team players who are ready to make an impact.

Internship Programs

Kickstart your career with a JLL internship. Gain hands-on experience, build your resume, and make invaluable industry connections. Our internships provide a deep dive into the real estate sector, allowing you to apply academic learning to real-world challenges.

Join Our Team

Ready to advance your career at Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated? Search open positions, read about our employment benefits, and prepare your resume. The interview process at JLL not only assesses your fit for the company but also ensures our culture aligns with your career aspirations.

Stay Connected

Keep up to date with the latest from JLL Careers by subscribing to our job alert emails. Receive personalized updates that align with your career preferences and learn about new opportunities in real-time.

Networking and Industry Leadership

At JLL, networking doesn’t end with your hire date. Continue to connect with leaders and peers through our various professional networks and community engagement initiatives. Lead the way in industry discussions, participate in global conferences, and contribute to innovative solutions that drive the future of real estate. At Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated, we don’t just offer jobs—we offer careers that make a difference. Join us in shaping the future of real estate, one innovation at a time.
Learn more about Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated
Size
98,000 employees
Market Cap
$7.4 billion
Industry
Net Income
$402.5 million
Founded
1783
5 Year Trend
+8.3%
Revenue
$16.5 billion
NASDAQ

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