Creative Project Manager

PROJECT MANAGER / PRODUCER - EXPERIENTIAL DESIGN ZEBRADOG | Madison, Wisconsin Contract Basis - Full Time Anticipated Start Date: September 1, 2026 Experience: 5+ Years Compensation: Commensurate with Experience THE OPPORTUNITY ZEBRADOG is seeking a Project Manager / Producer to join our Madison, Wisconsin based studio and become an integral member of our experiential design team. This position will support ZEBRADOG's project work, bringing together brand experience, storytelling, environmental graphics, wayfinding, exhibits, sponsorship activation, digital media and architectural integration within the built environment. We are looking for someone who knows how to take a creative vision and help organize the people, information, decisions and deliverables required to make it real. We are looking for a highly capable, organized and motivated professional with a minimum of five years of relevant experience who is ready to take on significant responsibility while working closely with ZEBRADOG's senior creative, design and project leadership. THE ROLE The Project Manager / Producer will serve as an organizational bridge between strategy, creative design, architectural coordination, fabrication, technology, content and client communication . You will help manage the many individual experience elements that ultimately need to function as one cohesive environment-from early discovery and schematic design through documentation, fabrication coordination and installation. You should be comfortable working in an environment where projects evolve quickly, multiple disciplines overlap, and creative ideas need to be translated into clear scopes, schedules, budgets and assignments. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Work alongside an experienced project management team, managing day-to-day project coordination for major experiential design assignments. Develop, maintain and communicate project schedules, milestones, deliverables and critical decision dates. Coordinate multiple experience components including: Environmental graphics Brand activation Exhibits and interpretive storytelling Wayfinding and signage Sponsorship activation Digital and interactive media Interior experiential elements Specialty fabrication and installation Assist in building and maintaining a comprehensive project activation inventory , tracking individual elements from concept through implementation. Coordinate workflow between ZEBRADOG designers, strategists, writers, media specialists, outside consultants, architects, fabricators and client teams. Organize project meetings, develop agendas, document decisions and clearly identify action items, responsibilities and deadlines. Maintain project documentation, correspondence, approvals, design revisions and client feedback. Help define and monitor project scopes, budgets, consultant responsibilities and change requests. Coordinate information and design requirements with architects, interior designers, engineers and other members of the project team. Assist designers in identifying the technical, budgetary and scheduling implications of creative concepts. Help solicit, organize and evaluate fabrication estimates, vendor information, prototypes and material samples. Participate in client presentations, design workshops and project planning sessions. Anticipate project conflicts, missing information and scheduling risks before they become problems. Support fabrication, production, installation and final project closeout as projects move into implementation. Some domestic and/or international travel may be required . WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR The ideal candidate has 5+ years of professional experience managing or producing projects involving experiential design, exhibits, environmental graphics, branded environments or other complex public-space installations. Relevant backgrounds may include: Experiential graphic design Environmental graphic design Architectural signage and wayfinding Brand activation Event or experience production Retail or hospitality environments Sports and entertainment venues Exhibit fabrication or specialty construction You do not need to be a designer, but you should understand how designers work and be comfortable operating in a highly creative studio environment. QUALIFICATIONS Minimum 5 years of relevant project management, production or experiential design industry experience . Demonstrated experience coordinating projects involving multiple design and production disciplines. Strong organizational skills and exceptional attention to detail. Ability to manage numerous project elements simultaneously without losing sight of the larger experience. Strong written and verbal communication skills. Ability to communicate effectively with designers, architects, contractors, fabricators, consultants and clients. Experience working with architectural documentation and construction details. Experience developing and maintaining project schedules, budgets, meeting documentation and deliverable lists. Comfortable working directly with senior clients and project stakeholders. Able to translate conversations and creative ideas into clearly defined next steps. Resourceful, collaborative and calm when projects become complicated. Comfortable taking ownership while also knowing when to elevate decisions to project leadership. PARTICULARLY VALUABLE EXPERIENCE Experience with any of the following would be a significant advantage: Stadiums, arenas or sports facilities Museums or visitor attractions Large-scale branded environments Exhibit fabrication Wayfinding systems Sponsorship or commercial activation Interactive and digital media installations Vendor procurement and fabrication oversight International projects HOW WE WORK ZEBRADOG is an independent experiential design studio that has spent more than three decades creating places where story, brand, people and the built environment come together . Our projects are highly collaborative. Designers are expected to understand strategy. Project managers are expected to understand design. Everyone participates in solving problems. We are looking for someone who enjoys being in the middle of that process—someone who can look across dozens of moving parts, understand how they connect, and help a talented creative team design and build exceptional work. Salary and overall compensation will be commensurate with experience. #J-18808-Ljbffr