Project Manager

The Planet Group is seeking a Project Manager to join one of our well-known global pharmaceutical clients.

The Project Manager serves as the primary liaison between the Ad Agency and the brand teams and is responsible for managing the day-to-day relationships within the Agency. The Project Manager is responsible for the planning, scheduling and execution of all projects (print and digital) within the agency. This role works closely with the assigned account manager to help coordinate daily activities and continue to develop the ongoing relationship with their respective brand teams to keep projects on schedule, on budget and on strategy.

• Pay : $36.25-38.13/hr depending on experience
• Location : Hybrid in Mettawa, IL (3 days onsite, 2 days remote)
• Duration: 1 year to start, potential to extend / convert

Project Manager Responsibilities:

• Develop project schedules, allocate resources and communicate project status and schedules to all key stakeholders and ensure deliverables and key milestones are met on time and within budget
• Conduct regular status meetings with internal teams and clients to review progress, identify risks, and develop mitigation strategies
• Capture notes and distribute recaps with action items
• Set up and manage routes for all projects through the internal agency approval process (Kantata, WorkFront)
• Understand the Medical/Legal/Regulatory (Veeva) review process and prepare all assets and documentation for submission and review in accordance with the client's Promotional Material Review Process
• Coordinate interactive resources with studio/programming/creative leads
• Be the primary point of contact for all third-party development/deployment vendors providing regular updates, managing expectations, and addressing any issues or concerns
• Create, compile, and maintain project and department documentation as needed (technical documentation, server folder structure, spec sheets, estimate tracking, etc.)
• Manage multiple projects in varying stages of development
• Develop and maintain timelines
• Allocate and secure resources
• Work with others without direct authority to advance projects
• Track time on a daily basis
• Assist with providing estimates
• Assist with billing and ensure billing is completed on schedule
• Adhere to all company-wide financial policies
• Understand the client's promotional guidelines including, but not limited to, corporate branding, promotional material development, Veeva PromoMats review and corporate compliance
• Understand the Agency Workflow Process including project initiation and kickoff, collaboration, necessary approvals, production and archiving
• Partner with creative team on project initiatives

Project Manager Qualifications:

• Bachelor degree required
• 1-4 years of advertising agency experience (within the last 2-3 years) within account/client services
• 1 year of pharmaceutical (not healthcare) experience within the agency
• Proficiency using the Microsoft Suite of products (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint) and other systems (Kantata/Mavenlink, Workfront)
• Adaptable problem solver with a client-service attitude workstyle
• Strong attention to detail and excellent communications skills: verbal, presentation, written
• Understanding of print and digital project lifecycles and different project management methodologies/styles
• Ability to prioritize and multi-task to enhance productivity and manage workload
• Ability to work in a high-volume, rapidly paced environment
• Familiarity with print production process, web technologies and digital trends
• High energy, positive, organized individual who is comfortable in a high-visibility role
• Great collaborator with ability to focus on both the big picture and small details
• Proactive, problem-solving skills
• Digital experience is a plus
• Bonus points for Pharmaceutical marketing experience (last 2-3 years)
• Print-production experience is a plus