Sr. Project Manager – posted 01-12-12

Overview

The Project Manager LEADS the execution of project within a larger piece of business. This individual owns and guides projects through completion, and manages all resources associated with the project. The Project Manager is responsible for supervising the delivery of projects on time and on budget, while meeting client expectations and defined business and creative objectives. Additionally, the Project Manager ensures that all campaigns within their domain adhere to agency policies and procedures.

Responsibilities

Project Specific:

·         Develop and maintain detailed project plans/schedules and estimates (including agency hours and fees, services to be performed by affiliated agencies, and third-party costs) and revise as necessary. Ensure every necessary step to complete the project is accounted for in the project plan.

·         Assemble the project team by coordinating the identification and sourcing of internal and external resources, and assign individual responsibilities.

·         Prepare/compile project kick off materials (approved brief, schedule, physical creative assets, etc.).

·         Lead project kick-off meeting with extended team and client and ensure all necessary information is conveyed – tasks and deliverables, schedule, hours, brief, background research, previous campaign elements, assets, folder structure and location, etc.

·         Work with client and internal team to define program requirements and system specifications.

·         Initiate and conduct formal team status meetings, document risks and issues.

·         Maintain communications with team members, client and third-party partners on all projects and have active involvement in project tasks. Work closely with the team to determine and understand daily project status.

·         Conduct internal copy/layout reviews with core team, and ensure all assets are appropriately routed.

·         Facilitate presentations and reviews of final assets with client, and provide insights and recommendations pertaining to budget, timing, technology, etc.

·         Identify out-of-scope activities and manage change requests within the account team and with the client.

·         Ensure that issues and risks are anticipated, identified and properly escalated and resolved. Provide constructive feedback with solutions-based options and direction for resolution.

·         Coordinate and ensure quality control process is incorporated into each project.

·         Maintain project history documentation for all projects (e.g. rounds of creative, change orders, correspondence, estimates, etc.) and ensure that all are properly archived in accessible file sharing system.

Agency Specific:

·         Provide regular updates to leadership team on project status.

·         Establish and enforce knowledge management processes and systems (SharePoint, TFS, etc.).

·         Proactively identify opportunities to adjust processes for efficiencies and engage the appropriate stakeholders prior to making any major changes.

·         Become intimately familiar with the strengths, weaknesses and capabilities of agency resources.

·         Motivate and guide the team as needed to encourage positivity and generate high quality work.

·         Win the confidence of the team, of other PMs, management and the client.

·         Ensure agency project management standards (processes, tools, milestones and approvals) are followed on all projects.

·         Provide industry-specific insights and subject-matter expertise, recommendations and guidance across the agency and to the client when appropriate.

·         Ensure leadership is appropriately informed of project status.

Knowledge & Skills

Senior Project Manager:

·         5+ years of Project Management experience.

·         Sets high level of excellence, leads and defines all aspects of their projects.

·         Possesses strong negotiation and presentation skills.

·         Demonstrated strategic thinker.

·         Ambassador for Project Management across the agency.

·         Helps educate the client on process.

·         Handles entire pieces of holistic business on their own.

·         Develops client relationships at senior levels.

·         Occasionally has more junior PMs reporting up through them on larger accounts.

·         Often takes on special projects – i.e. QA definition, process documentation, etc.

The Project Manager will:

·         Manage multiple projects, keep things moving forward and running smoothly.

·         Successfully communicate with clients.

·         Possess strong verbal and written communication, analytical and interpersonal skills.

·         Possess strong negotiation skills with an assertive approach.

·         Be comfortable managing and influencing people who are not direct reports, as well as director-level personnel.

·         Have excellent multi-tasking and problem-solving skills.

·         Thrive in a high-volume, deadline-driven environment.

·         Give strong attention to detail.

·         Be highly adaptable and able to anticipate issues and needs before they arise, and take necessary steps to mitigate.

·         Possess an understanding of industry project development processes and methodologies, PM support tools, and relevant hardware and software platforms.

·         Be practiced in the basics of project management (estimating, project planning, resource planning, issue management, risk management, change management, communication planning, etc.).

·         Confidently lead, motivate, influence and drive progress.

·         Proactively make decisions.

·         Have experience leading multidisciplinary website teams.

·         Provide technology and web-specific insights, recommendations and guidance to clients and non-interactive teams when appropriate.

·         Demonstrate sufficient technical knowledge, having an understanding of the application and limitations of HTML, Flash, CSS, CMS, JavaScript, ASP, Database applications, AJAX, Social Media platforms, etc.

·         Possess an understanding of the design constraints on the web.

·         Understand the role of User Experience design.

·         Have experience in guiding the creation of detailed functional and technical specifications, as well as the QA testing process.

·         Have specific experience working with online media and email marketing.

Education & Qualifications

·         Familiar with PMI process and knowledge areas.

·         Bachelor’s degree preferred (but will consider relevant work experience).

·         Experience assembling and managing budgets and schedules with multiple dependencies.

·         A professional presentation and strong personal presence are required.

·         Must possess outstanding interpersonal skills as well as an articulate, friendly, whatever-it-takes attitude, along with a strong work ethic.

·         Must possess high energy and a solid confidence level.

·         Ability to establish and build productive relationships with diverse personalities, both internal and external.

·         Familiarity with graphic design tools (Photoshop) and complete competency with MS Office Suite – especially Microsoft Project.

Requirements

·         Experience as an Information Architect, Interaction Designer, Usability Specialist, or User Experience Designer.

o   Commercial websites and/or web applications preferred.

o   Mobile and/or social media experience preferred.

·         Knowledge of usability testing methods.

·        Excellent written and verbal communications skillsas well as technical writing expertise.

·         Familiarity with HTML, Java/Ajax, and other interactive web technologies.

·         Proficiency with Axure and MS Office software applications.

·         Proficiency with Photoshop preferred.

·         Knowledge of quantitative research methods and statistical analysis preferred.

·         Knowledge of Search Engine Optimization methods preferred.

·         Experience collaborating with creative as well as client resources.

·         Proactively and consistently search for areas of improvement in our work product and draft POV’s with persuasive arguments to support our recommended solution.

The statements contained in this job description reflect general details as necessary to describe the principal functions of this job, the level of knowledge and skill typically required and the scope of responsibility. It should not be considered an all-inclusive listing of work requirements. Individuals may perform other duties as assigned to cover absences, to equalize peak work periods, or to otherwise balance organizational workload.

These particular opportunities will work with McCann WorldGroup/Campbell Mithun’s on-site team located at a highly sought fortune 500 client campus.

MWG/Campbell Mithun is an Equal Opportunity Employer