Marketing Project Manager

Marketing Project Manager Location: Missoula, Montana Department: Client Services Reports to: CEO Status: Full-time Salaried (exempt) Position Overview Our Client Managers are the heartbeat of Gecko. They are the primary day-to-day lead for a portfolio of client accounts. They guide strategy, keep production trains running on time, guard budgets, track hours, surface risks early, and build the trusted relationships that keep clients coming back. When an opportunity appears, they see it, scope it, and help close it. They sit at the intersection of relationship, delivery, and growth. We are a tightly knit team. This role collaborates directly with design, development, content, and leadership every day. We trust them to make smart calls and ask for backup when needed. Core Responsibilities Below are the major responsibility groups for a Gecko Client Manager. Weighting shifts by client mix and active projects, but this captures the role. 1. Client Relationship & Advisory Serve as the primary point of contact for assigned accounts. Build credibility and trust through proactive, clear, plain language communication. Lead recurring client status calls; capture decisions and next steps; follow through. Translate client goals into actionable briefs for internal teams. Provide light strategic guidance; pull in Senior Client Manager, Director of Client Services, Strategy, or Biz Dev when deeper consulting is needed. 2. Project Delivery & Traffic Scope, schedule, and coordinate multi discipline project work across design, dev, content, and vendor partners. Build and maintain project plans in Jira (or current PM tool). Track problems that may arise and flag when extra resources or time are needed. Ensure deliverable quality by coordinating reviews, QA, device/browser checks, and content proofing. Drive close-out tasks: launch checklists, documentation handoff, performance follow up. 3. Financial Stewardship Build and manage project budgets and retainer hour allocations within assigned revenue range (roughly 250k to 500k annual across all accounts under management; varies by mix and profitability). Review project hours planned vs project hours used weekly. Flag potential over or under spend early. Recommend course corrections (scope adjust, phased approach, or change order when needed). Log your time to correct tasks so actuals map to reporting and billing. 4. Growth & Retention Surface expansion opportunities based on client needs, performance gaps, or new Gecko capabilities. Draft quick rough scopes or add on proposals. Validate estimates with production leads. Route for approval as needed. Close smaller add-ons directly when within approved parameters. Pull in Senior or Bus Dev for larger or multi-year engagements. Support renewals and retainer refreshes. Track contract end dates and trigger renewal conversations early. 5. Internal Team Leadership Rally cross functional teams around priorities. Make sure the right people are in the loop at the right time. Model healthy communication between creative, dev, and strategy partners. Help onboard new creatives and developers to Gecko process on accounts you lead. Mentor peers informally. Share what works. 6. Communication Hygiene & Documentation Keep Jira tasks current. Update statuses, due dates, assignees, and notes in plain language. Ensure billable tasks are clearly identified so Finance can invoice accurately. Capture meeting notes the same day. Store them in the agreed client folder location. 7. Process Improvement Spot friction in our workflows. Suggest fixes. Pilot improvements within your accounts. Contribute templates: scopes, status formats, change log patterns, launch checklists. 8. Billing & Invoicing Coordination Review weekly time logs for accuracy and appropriateness to bill. Track flat-rate deliverables; notify Finance when contractual milestones are hit so invoices can be issued. Work with Finance monthly to confirm what should be invoiced (hourly flat rate) and what should be held. Provide short context notes for unusual adjustments. Skills & Experience Required Four-year degree in business, communications, public relations, or a related field. 3 years in any fast-paced client-facing environment (agency, in-house marketing, SaaS, consulting, higher-ed comms, or similar) OR clear evidence you can manage complex client work. Proven ability to organize projects, track details, and follow through. Strong communication skills in writing and in meetings. Able to set expectations and say no with care. Financial attention: comfortable working with budgets, hours, and invoicing checklists. Numbers do not scare you. Working knowledge of website project lifecycles (we can train the Gecko way). No coding required. Comfortable adopting new tools quickly (we use Jira, Slack, Google Workspace, WordPress). Nice to Have Experience in a digital/creative/marketing agency. Light analytics familiarity (GA4 or other) helpful but not required. Exposure to accessibility, SEO, or paid campaigns is a bonus. Experience facilitating workshops or discovery sessions. Tools We Use We train, but this person should be proficient or ready to quickly learn the following: Jira (project and task management) Slack (team communication) WordPress and Gutenberg editor basics (client sites) Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive, Meet) Google Analytics 4 Time tracking and invoicing tools (currently internal; we will train) Work Location & Schedule This role is in-person in our Missoula, Montana office. Core collaboration hours are 9-5 Mountain Time on weekdays. We expect full-time employees to average at least 36 hours/week. Travel Occasional client onsite visits (varies; typically a few times per year). Attendance at annual Gecko staff retreat is required. Optional travel for conferences or professional development encouraged! #J-18808-Ljbffr