Arleen Obrien

About Arleen Obrien

Creative Operations & Project Management Director | Agency Process Architect | Scaling LeadershipI am a strategic operations leader with 15+ years of experience building, scaling, and optimizing Project Management functions for in-house agencies and creative organizations. My expertise lies in designing operational systems that bridge creative excellence with business efficiency, ensuring high-impact, omnichannel campaigns are delivered on time and on budget.What I bring to a leadership role:Process Transformation: Proven success transforming legacy workflows into centralized, high-efficiency systems (e.g, migrating 75-member teams to Asana/Wrike and implementing Agile methodologies that cut project turnaround time).Operational Scaling: Experience building operational infrastructure from the ground up, currently leading the largest book of business at The Food Group, and previously overseeing production for seven monthly publications at Meredith.Financial Acumen: Adept at resource and capacity planning, managing complex scopes of work, and partnering with senior finance and leadership teams to drive utilization and profitability.Industry Depth: Extensive background in highly regulated sectors including Pharmaceuticals, Healthcare (Animal Health), and CPG, managing execution across digital, retail, print, and experiential channels.I am passionate about mentoring project management professionals and acting as a trusted, strategic partner to creative and business leadership to unlock the next phase of growth.Specialties: Agency Operations Scaling, Resource & Capacity Planning, Process Design, Financial Oversight, Team Mentorship, Asana/Workfront/Wrike Implementation.

Experience

1. Senior Project Manager

   The Food Group

   Nov 2023 — Present

   Lead operations for the agency’s largest book of business, acting as a strategic partner to the Accounts & Senior Leadership Team.Process Design & Agency Scalability: Designed and rolled out a streamlined Asana workflow now adopted agency-wide. This initiative significantly improved transparency, task clarity, and resource planning, directly addressing the agency\'s need for operational consistency.Strategic Leadership: Partner effectively with the Senior Leadership Team to drive global new business initiatives and manage the agency\'s largest accounts.Financial & Resource Oversight: Manage complex scopes of work and budgets, ensuring alignment with strategic goals. Lead resource forecasting and allocation across internal teams to maintain operational efficiency at scale.Cross-Functional Delivery: Oversee end-to-end program development across digital, print, and experiential channels, ensuring seamless delivery on time and on budget.

Skills

• Online Publishing
• Publications
• New Media
• Content Management
• Advertising
• Magazines
• Publishing
• Digital Media
• Social Media
• Management