Senior Project Manager (Design)

Primary Purpose

Represent Marks and support our ever-evolving business needs and act as an integral member of the team, building partnerships and collaboration with both agency and client teams. Serve as the primary liaison between the agency and the client, working exclusively on a dedicated client’s business from our near site agency office.

As the Sr. Project Manager, you are responsible for developing and issuing projects briefs in collaboration with the client teams, and developing, revising project timelines to kick-off and keep all projects moving smoothly from start to finish. The position of Project Manager is critical within the agency and client teams for assessing deliverable needs in order to properly delegate projects to team members based on current workloads. This position provides continuity and ownership of key project deliverables and timelines, coordinating and providing an interface between the client, vendors and agency teams to ensure flawless execution and on-time delivery to effectively and efficiently meet product manufacturing due dates.

In the face of demanding deadlines, multiple, rapidly changing priorities, you will support and exhibit behaviors consistent with Marks values and beliefs in a fiscally responsible manner.
Marks philosophy: Design integrity, Technical accuracy and Speed to market.

Reporting To

Design Account Director

General Overview

The Sr. Project Manager will work closely with the cross functional teams including Sr. Account Manager, Traffic/Scheduling Manager, Lead Designers, Copywriter, Regulatory, Sr. Quality Manager, Production Artists to support and contribute to the day to day project management, deliverables and flawless execution. Clearly understand client objectives and concisely communicate expectations to the team in a timely manner. Facilitate and maximize the teams time to effectively develop new design concepts and/or revisions that meet client expectations, brand style guidelines, and are on time and on budget. In addition, always think ahead, keep an eye on the roadmap to effectively manage, plan and anticipate upcoming business needs, teams workload, and/or identify additional resources, as required. This role will advocate our culture, brand and community.

Responsibilities

ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT

• Be the dependable and trusted day to day primary point of contact for any and all matters for assigned client/agency work
• Develop and build strong, long-lasting relationships with client/agency/vendor teams
• Partner with the client team to proactively anticipate workload, schedule project brief kick-off meetings, prepare and initiate projects in project management tool, set up folders on the server, gather necessary materials from the vendors, set and manage timeline expectations with vendors
• Learn and understand the product life cycle, workflow process, and phases of development and timing needs to effectively manage project deliverables and meet client expectations
• Conduct weekly status meetings with all teams to ensure projects are progressing in a timely manner to meet key deadlines
• Proactively engage and collaborate daily with Lead Designers and Production Artists to track project progress and keep both client and agency teams informed of project deliverables and in a timely manner update all parties of needs to reschedule projects and/or reset expectations based on new or changing priorities; ensure transparency and no surprises
• Effectively manage all client requests and alert or escalate any issues to the Account Director as needed, and keep Account Director apprised of workload demands to best manage team resources and address potential risks

CLIENT SERVICE/COMMUNICATION

• Demonstrate understanding of client’s brands and importance of adhering to brand style guidelines throughout project development
• Ensure client expectations and projects are effectively managed: keeping our clients happy, being an invaluable resource, provide timely and successful delivery of project solutions according to Brand Style Guidelines and brief objectives
• Develop creative briefs and/or ensure the client issued briefs are comprehensive with necessary content to kick off new assignments, and clearly understand project objectives to best communicate and manage client expectations and due date deliverables
• Develop and issue meeting recaps that outlines key discussion points, requests and/or agreements and key next steps/timing to key team members in a concise and timely manner
• Communicate and provide oversight of client/vendor requests with agency cross functional teams, review artwork files to ensure accuracy and flawless execution, route artwork files to client/vendor for review/approvals, route vendor contract proofs for approval. Notify all parties of any comments and final approvals, ensure timely release of final approved files
• Transparency: keep all team members informed of any and all changes and escalate as needed to communicate key dates to drive towards throughout the project and keep team on task
• Pull monthly chargeback reports of all released projects
• Create any OOP cost estimates and secure client approvals prior to incurring costs for any illustration, photography and/or high quality mockup needs

BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

• Participate in and supports agency business objectives appropriate to role (quality objectives, process consistency, company policies)
• Maintain balance and flow of information throughout all departments. Reporting to leadership about current workflow and capacity issues
• Alert Account Director to workload demands that may require the need to resource freelancers
• Actively identify and suggest workflow/processes improvement opportunities
• Proactively contribute to the development and continuous improvements of SOPs

Success in the Role

Success in this role is achieved by consistently demonstrating the ability to proactively manage your projects and collaborate with the client and agency teams to achieve business objectives, uphold the Marks Design Pillar Standard of Excellence, manage multiple priorities with internal and external clients, deliver flawless execution and meet critical deadlines. Establish the reputation of being the client’s brand steward and go to person for addressing any requests and helping solve any problems.

Education & Experience Requirements

• Bachelor degree in Marketing or related field
• Minimum 5 years of relevant Production/Project Management experience in a design, packaging or engineering agency environment preferred
• Understanding of the creative and production process, and CPG/packaging design and manufacturing experience is a plus
• Demonstrated ability to facilitate and manage project workflows, timelines and key deliverables across functional team members both internally and client/vendor facing
• Superior organizational skills with proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, while paying strict attention to the details and adhering to brand style guidelines
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal
• Proficient using Mac OS, and Microsoft Products; and project management/routing programs

Ideal Candidate Will Possess

• Strong project management skills with in-depth hands-on project management and execution experience working on fast paced retail/CPG client business
• Comfortable working within a high-volume, fast-paced, dynamic creative environment and demonstrate resiliency, quickly adjust and adapt to changes
• Highly self-motivated, resourceful, organized and very detail oriented
• Ability to navigate and construct workable solutions when presented with multiple and, often times, conflicting points of view
• Unflappable, ability to bring a sense of focus and calm assurance to high-energy interactions
• A collaborative team oriented approach to working and keeping all parties informed
• A sense of humor and have passion for your job

Our compensation reflects the cost of labor across several U.S. geographic markets, and we pay differently based on those defined markets. The U.S. pay range for this position is $60,000 - $78,030 USD annually. Ultimately, in determining pay, we will consider the successful candidate’s location, experience, and other job-related factors.

Group benefits currently include a selection of health care plans with prescription drug coverage, dental plan, vision plan, basic and supplemental life insurance, a flexible spending account for medical and dependent care expenses or a health savings account based on plan selection, short/long term disability and 401(k) Savings Plan.