Associate Display Project Lead

The Associate Display Project Lead is a supporting role at pep, focusing on project management for temporary and semi-permanent point-of-purchase (POP) displays. This includes coordinating design, development, production, assembly, and shipping. The role involves managing artwork and campaigns from conception to delivery, ensuring flawless execution against procurement strategies and goals. Responsibilities also include assisting leadership with data management, process improvement, cost savings, and driving efficiencies in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.

Must Have

• Manage POP display campaigns from conception to completion
• Collaborate with client Brand Activation Leads for creative direction
• Offer recommendations for cost savings and value engineering
• Create and manage campaign timelines and lead communication with stakeholders
• Ensure campaigns meet legal and policy guidelines/requirements
• Manage campaign scope changes while ensuring on-time and on-budget execution
• Issue bids to suppliers and award business according to purchasing policies
• Complete data entry to track and document project details
• Meet or exceed client team metrics
• Support Associate Account Director with team and client initiatives
• Drive project management excellence
• Consult with Display Project Lead to drive speed to market, cost efficiencies, and process improvements
• Build client and supplier relationships
• Attend and/or lead regular meetings with clients and suppliers
• Assist in establishing, developing, and improving processes and procedures
• Develop and apply expertise in display design and production
• Utilize experience with retail environments, style guides, seasonal resets, and in-store trends
• Continually strive to become a POP expert
• Ability to read and interpret documents like Dielines, Planograms, Technical Drawings, Bills of Material, Bills of Lading
• Extremely organized with effective communication skills
• Ability to identify and provide creative solutions to challenges
• Ability to collaborate remotely to improve processes
• Agile and able to deliver in a fast-paced environment with high workload
• Independent work style with a team player mindset
• Ability to effectively utilize staff and delegate
• Strong skills in Microsoft Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel

Good to Have

• Experience in the Consumer Packaged Goods and/or Beauty industry

Perks & Benefits

• Generous Time Off
• Robust Health and Wellness Plan
• Family Support
• Mentorship Program
• 401K Match
• Role Autonomy
• Certification Reimbursement and Ongoing Training
• Enrichment Events and Employee Resource Groups

Job Title: Associate Display Project Lead

Reports To: Display Project Lead

FLSA Status: Full Time - Salaried, Exempt

Location: Cincinnati, OH

Who is pep:

pep started with 7 employees, a borrowed conference room, and an idea to fill a void in the marketing services space. Today we’ve grown to over 200 people and we are an industry leader in consumer activation, serving some of the top Fortune 500 companies. We’ve managed over $5 billion in marketing spend for over 750 brands and pride ourselves on a client retention rate of 98%.

Our company has evolved since we started 21 years ago, but there is one thing that has remained a constant. At pep, we put people first. Our core values of accountability, excellence, ingenuity, people, and tenacity guide our interactions, decisions, and drive our culture. We are committed to maintaining an inclusive environment where every member of our team feels seen, cared for, and has the support they need to thrive. And our tremendous growth provides our people with many new career and development opportunities along with the flexibility to pursue their professional goals.

We’re looking for teammates who are driven, eager to learn, agile, positive, and client focused to join and contribute to our team. We enjoy a hybrid work model and competitive salary based on experience. If this sounds like you and you want to be a part of something special, then click below to apply.

At pep we value our team and offer:

• Generous Time Off
• Robust Health and Wellness Plan
• Family Support
• Mentorship Program
• 401K Match
• Role Autonomy
• Certification Reimbursement and Ongoing Training
• Enrichment Events and Employee Resource Groups

Summary of Position:

The Associate Display Project Lead is a supporting role focusing on the project management of temporary and semi-permanent point-of-purchase (POP) displays including coordination of display design, development, production, assembly, and ship to trade.

As an Associate Display Project Lead, you will be responsible for artwork and/or campaign management from conception to final delivery of displays for your assigned business unit. You will execute projects flawlessly while delivering against procurement strategies and goals. The Associate Display Project Lead is responsible for maintaining a project management workload while assisting leadership with key initiatives including data management, developing and implementing best in class processes, delivering cost savings, and driving time and resource efficiencies.

Attention to detail, relationship management, communication, problem solving, and analytical skills are a must to drive value for our clients. Ideal candidates will be goal-oriented, self-motivated, resilient, highly conscientious, and can thrive in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.

The ability to build strong relationships while collaborating remotely will be key to successfully fulfilling this role.

Key Responsibilities and Attributes:

• Manage POP display campaigns from conception to completion, with a focus either on execution or design. Execution would primarily be associated with supplier relationships, display construction and actualizing project completion. Design would primarily be associated with direct client stakeholders (Customer Marketing and Creative) and will focus on project design and mechanicals.
• Collaborate with the client Brand Activation Leads for creative direction that will be utilized to brief creative.
• Offer recommendations regarding cost savings and value engineering and offering solutions when costs are presented over budget.
• Create and manage campaign timeline and lead communication with key stakeholders to meet due dates and deliverables
• Ensure that the campaign meets all legal and policy guidelines/requirements regarding retailer style guides and finalized artwork.
• Manage campaign scope changes as needed while ensuring an on-time and on-budget execution
• Issue bids to suppliers and award business according to defined purchasing policies and guidelines
• In conjunction with supplier partners, provide client with recommendations for cost and/or time efficiencies
• Complete data entry to track and document all relevant project details in pep and client systems
• Meet or exceed client team metrics
• Support the Associate Account Director of your assigned category(ies) with overarching team and client initiatives
• Drive project management excellence
• Other duties assigned as needed

Client & Supplier Relationships:

• Consult upstream with your Display Project Lead so you are positioned to drive speed to market, cost efficiencies, and process improvements
• Build client relationships by providing value and efficiencies within the POP spend
• Build and grow collaborative relationships with supplier partners
• Attend and/or lead regular meetings with clients and suppliers to ensure flawless execution and delivery

POP Knowledge & Expertise:

• Assist in the establishment, development, and improvement of processes and procedures
• Develop and apply expertise related to display design and production to deliver best in class POP activations for clients
• Utilize experience with retail environments, style guides, seasonal resets and in-store trends to deliver increased value to pep and pep’s clients
• Continually strive to become a POP expert for your category, keeping up to date with industry trends, and best practices
• Ability to read and interpret documents including but not limited to Dielines, Planograms, Technical Drawings, Bills of Material, Bills of Lading, and more

Metrics:

Maintain strong metrics in relation to:

• Cost savings
• Time and resource efficiency
• Error rate
• On-time, on-budget and on-scope delivery
• SLA adherence
• Client satisfaction rating
• Individual client allocation spend growth
• Individual project management metrics
• Stewardship and innovation recommendations

Knowledge/Skills Preferred:

• Bachelor’s in Business or Communication a 2.8+ GPA from four-year college or university; or Minimum 3 years of applicable business experience, preferably in project management, POP, print, or display
• Experience in the Consumer Packaged Goods and/or Beauty industry a plus

To perform the Associate Display Project Lead role successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. A successful candidate will have the following skills:

• Extremely organized with the ability to communicate effectively across multiple parties
• Ability to identify and provide creative solutions to challenges
• Ability to collaborate with team members remotely to improve processes to provide value and efficiency
• Agile and able to deliver in an extremely fast-paced environment while managing a high workload
• Independent work style with a team player mindset and an enthusiastic and energetic approach
• Ability to effectively utilize staff including collaborating with subject matter experts and delegating as appropriate
• Strong skills and knowledge in the following applications: Microsoft Outlook, Word, Power Point, and Excel.

We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office an average of four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.

WPP (pep) is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.

When you click "Submit Application", this will send any information you add below to pep. Before you do this, we think it's a good idea to read through our Recruitment Privacy Policy. California residents should read our California Recruitment Privacy Notice. This explains what we do with your personal data when you apply for a role with us, and, how you can update the information you have provided us with or how to remove it.

Create a Job Alert

Interested in building your career at Pep? Get future opportunities sent straight to your email.

Create alert

Apply for this job

• indicates a required field

First Name*

Last Name*

Preferred First Name*

Email*

Phone

Country*

Phone*

Location (City)*

Locate me

Resume/CV*

AttachAttach

Dropbox

Google Drive

Enter manuallyEnter manually

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Cover Letter

AttachAttach

Dropbox

Google Drive

Enter manuallyEnter manually

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

---

LinkedIn Profile

Website / Link to portfolio

How did you hear about us?*

Select...

What is your desired salary? Note, blank and non-numerical submissions will not be considered.*

Are you authorized to work in the country where this job is located?*

Select...

Will you in the future require employer sponsorship to work where this job is located? Please note, we are unable to offer sponsorship for this job. *

Select...

Are you currently a WPP employee?*

Select...

If you are currently a WPP employee, what brand are you affiliated with?

Have you worked for a WPP agency in the past 10 years?*

Select...

This role works hybrid out of Cincinnati, OH. We are not offering a relocation package. Are you comfortable with this work location and style?*

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Pep’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Gender

Select...

Are you Hispanic/Latino?

Select...

Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Veteran Status

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305

Page 1 of 1

OMB Control Number 1250-0005

Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

• Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
• Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
• Blind or low vision
• Cancer (past or present)
• Cardiovascular or heart disease
• Celiac disease
• Cerebral palsy
• Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
• Diabetes
• Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
• Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
• Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
• Intellectual or developmental disability
• Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
• Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
• Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
• Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
• Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
• Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
• Short stature (dwarfism)
• Traumatic brain injury

Disability Status

Select...

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.

Submit application