Onsite Senior Project Manager; Design

Onsite Senior Project Manager (Design)

Marks, part of the Propelis Group, Marks is a consumer experience agency creating engaging moments across the entire brand spectrum—from brand design and packaging, to content and consumer connections. We are a collaborative global network of 1,900+ team members across 25+ studios and 20+ countries, partnering with some of the world's most recognized brands to solve complex business challenges through design, strategy, and craft.

Represent Marks and support our ever-evolving business needs and act as an integral member of the team, working exclusively on a dedicated client's business from their Chicago office.

This is a hybrid role which currently requires 3 days per week in office, but is subject to change based on the client in-office policy.

As the Onsite Senior Project Manager (Design), you are the brand strategy and design steward. Partner with the client Design Lead to clearly understand the creative brief objectives and partner with design team to add value, review/critique design concepts to meet the creative brief and key stakeholder expectations. The Onsite Senior Project Manager (Design) represents the client design team point of view in making recommendations to the client cross-function team and represents the design's point of view to facilitate the creation of effective design.

Reporting To:
Design Group Account Director

General Overview

The Onsite Senior Project Manager (Design) will work closely with the client Design, Marketing, Promotions, SRA, SGX teams and other project stakeholders (as required) to support and contribute to the day to day project management, deliverables and flawless execution. Clearly understand project 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 project expectations, brand guidelines and timing.

In addition, always think ahead, keep an eye on the roadmap to effectively manage, plan and anticipate upcoming design project needs, teams workload, and/or identify additional resources, as required.

Responsibilities

• Support design phase through conception to completion with internal and external partners.
• Maintain brand assets and toolkits.
• Be the dependable lead point of contact for any and all matters for assigned design projects.
• Challenge status quo, (as needed), clearly understand business objective and have a POV to add value in delivering the best design solutions to meet project objectives and/or exceed brief expectations.
• Develop a trusted advisor relationship with stakeholders and vendors.
• Schedule/attend project meetings, create/present presentations, actively participate and/or lead project kick-offs, and creative reviews in collaboration with the design team.
• Proactively manage assigned projects from brief through execution and release of artwork partnering with the design lead, vendors and agency teams to meet project brief objectives and deliverables in a timely manner.
• Daily collaboration with project teams and the design lead to ensure projects are progressing in an effectively and timely manner.
• Develop and lead weekly status report meetings to report on project status and highlight any challenges or potential delays. Proactively lead, anticipate and provide solutions to address any issues and keep projects on course through completion.
• Effectively manage all project requests and alert or escalate any issues to the client Sr. Design Director and Marks CSSD as needed, and keep them apprised of workload demands to best manage team resources and address potential risks.

50% Internal Project Managers Team Lead

• Step in for Design Managers in select meetings as needed.
• Develop internal relationships to earn trust and respect of Project Managers. Be a champion and mentor to the Project Managers. Lead by example, uphold high standard and reinforce best practices for success.
• Provide oversight and support PMs in developing effective and well positioned Concept Presentation set-ups to best elevate the quality of thought provoking presentations and deliverables to the client.
• Collaborate with Project Managers and Traffic Manager to ensure correct resources are assigned for each project/request and make any necessary adjustment of work in progress to ensure on time delivery and/or resource optimization throughout the life cycle of the project or special requests.
• Conduct status meetings with all teams to ensure accounts are running properly.
• Daily status updates for all projects in collaboration with the project managers; work with design lead and agency leaders to reschedule projects and reset expectations based on new or changing priorities; ensure transparency and no surprises.

Account Management/Communication

• Manage communication with Marketing and XF partners.
• Demonstrate understanding of client's brands and how each project objectives fit into the overall brand strategy.
• Ensure client expectations and…