Media Project Manager

About Backbone

At Backbone, we live by the mantra that passion drives. We align our clients with our team members’ interests, bridging the gap between work and play while keeping an eye on the elusive work/life harmony. As the country’s leading active lifestyle marketing agency, Backbone has the unique opportunity to help brands like YETI, Smartwool, Big Green Egg, and many others balance brand goals with e-commerce objectives.

For 29 years, Backbone has partnered with brands big and small to develop and execute effective, integrated media strategies — and has been consistently included on Outside Magazine’s “Best Places to Work” list.

The Project Manager is a core member of Backbone’s delivery and operations team, responsible for driving flawless execution across integrated client initiatives. This role blends structured project management with hands‑on coordination, translating strategy into clear plans, keeping cross‑functional teams aligned, and ensuring work is delivered on time, on scope, and with high quality. This person thrives in complexity and momentum. They bring clarity to fast‑moving work streams, anticipate risk before it becomes an issue, and serve as the connective tissue across strategy, media, analytics, creative, and operations.

The ideal candidate is calm under pressure, highly organized, and energized by turning ambitious ideas into reality.

• Own end‑to‑end delivery for priority client initiatives across integrated teams.
• Translate high‑level strategic directives into actionable project plans with clear milestones, owners, and timelines.
• Develop and maintain project documentation including scopes, schedules, budgets, RACI frameworks, and KPI tracking.
• Coordinate day‑to‑day execution across account, media, analytics, creative, finance, and operations teams.
• Manage timelines, dependencies, and resourcing to keep work streams moving in sync.
• Proactively identify risks, constraints, and roadblocks; develop contingency plans and escape when necessary.
• Establish and maintain processes for managing scope changes and ensuring quality standards.
• Lead status meetings, work sessions, and retrospectives to drive accountability and continuous improvement.
• Drive wrap‑ups, performance readouts, and next‑step planning for ongoing initiatives.
• Prepare clear, executive‑ready communications and presentations for leadership and client stakeholders.

Project Management &

Collaboration:

Asana, Jira, , or similar tools. Documentation & Communication:
Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, Slack. Resourcing & Financial Tracking:
Forecast, Harvest, and budget tracking tools. Reporting & Governance:
Status reporting, risk logs, KPI dashboards, and retrospectives.

• Bachelor’s degree.
• 4+ years of project management experience, preferably in an agency or in‑house brand environment.
• Proven ability to manage complex, cross‑functional initiatives under tight timelines.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Comfort working with senior leadership and presenting project status clearly and confidently.
• Ability to remain calm, decisive, and solutions‑oriented under pressure.

• Experience managing media, analytics, or creative work streams.
• Familiarity with agile or hybrid project management methodologies.
• Curiosity about marketing, media, and measurement.
• A sense of humor and appreciation for teamwork and collaboration.
• Passion for the outdoors and an active lifestyle.

Salary: $70,000 to $85,000 based on experience. Benefits include medical (including employer 100% paid option), dental & vision, 401(k) match, wellness benefit, home office stipend, professional development assistance, paid volunteer hours, parental leave, flexible schedule, company‑wide offsites, and a remote/hybrid workplace.