Project and Production Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Project and Production Manager

JOB SUMMARY                            

The Project and Production Manager plans, coordinates, and completes the projects and production deliverables carried by the Growth Division (Growth) of Trail Life USA, on time and within budget. The work falls into two categories: Growth's own initiatives, and production requests from departments across Trail Life USA that depend on Growth's teams and vendor network to execute their priorities. Much of that work is fulfilled by outside printers, manufacturers, fulfillment partners, and agencies, so vendor coordination is a central and ongoing part of the role.

This is not a note-taking or status-reporting position. The person in this seat owns the production calendar and is responsible for holding contributors at every level accountable to the commitments they have made.

ABOUT TRAIL LIFE USA

Trail Life USA is a Not-for-profit, Church-Based, Christ-Centered, Boy-Focused mentoring and discipleship journey that speaks to the heart of a boy. Established on timeless values derived from the Bible and set in the context of outdoor adventure, boys from Kindergarten through 12th grade are engaged in a Troop setting by male mentors where they are challenged to grow in character, understand their purpose, serve their community, and develop practical leadership skills to carry out the mission for which they were created. Our Mission is to guide generations of courageous young men to honor God, lead with integrity, serve others, and experience outdoor adventure. Our vision is to be the premier national character development organization for young men which produces godly and responsible husbands, fathers, and citizens. Our core values are:

• Mission-focused- We believe a heart for the mission is as critical as skill-set. An appreciation for the impact that advancing biblical masculinity can have on families and our society, as well as the role it can play in the kingdom of God, is essential.

• Collaborative -We believe that, while collaboration may not be the most efficient way to work, it is the most effective. Spending time together enables us to utilize complementary gifts to achieve great results.

• Overcomers -Trail Life USA staff is committed to overcoming. Challenges are seen as opportunities, not obstacles. We believe that God provides everything we need to accomplish what He desires.

• Truthful in love -We believe speaking the truth in love, even if it is awkward, is a necessary step in building trust and respect (Ephesians 4:15-16). This habit, when practiced to benefit another, the ministry, or a process, is appropriate, no matter the role.

JOB LOCATION

This position offers flexible work arrangements and can be based at the Trail Life USA

Home Office in Belton, South Carolina, conducted remotely, or a combination of both

(hybrid), as agreed upon through a Letter of Employment or mutual agreement that may

change the location.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/TYPICAL TASKS

• Plan and Define Project Scope - Work arrives either as a Growth priority approved by the Chief Growth Officer or as a production request from another department. This position converts each one into a defined project — scope, deliverables, milestones, dependencies, resources, and a clear definition of completion — documented and confirmed with the requesting party before work begins. Projects are scheduled against the actual availability of designers, writers, vendors, and reviewers. When requests compete for the same people or the same weeks, this position presents the trade-off and a recommendation to the Chief Growth Officer, who sets the priority.

• Build and Manage Production Schedules - Production runs backward from a delivery date. This position builds the production calendar, setting the dates by which copy, design, approvals, proofs, files, and purchase orders must be complete for that delivery date to hold. It manages proof and approval cycles, confirms specifications before work is released to a vendor, tracks items through production, and verifies that what arrives matches what was ordered.

• Coordinate Internal Teams and Requesting Departments - Deliverables depend on contributors across Marketing and Communications, E-Commerce, Sales and Events, and Member Development, as well as staff outside the Growth Division. This position assigns and tracks that internal work, and serves as the point of intake for the organization: departments requesting production support submit through this position, receive a committed schedule in return, and are kept current on status, on what is waiting for their own approvals, and on any change to the delivery date.

• Manage Outside Vendors and Production Partners - This position requests and compares quotes, confirms lead times, issues production specifications, tracks orders, and holds printers, manufacturers, fulfillment partners, contractors, and agencies to agreed timelines, quantities, and quality standards. Where a department maintains its own vendor or agency relationship, this position coordinates with that department's existing contact rather than taking over the relationship, confirming specifications and dependencies so the deliverable holds its place on the calendar.

• Monitor Progress, Hold Deadlines, and Resolve Obstacles - This position tracks every active project and follows up with owners whose commitments are approaching or past due, reporting status, risks, and issues to the Chief Growth Officer and stakeholders as they emerge rather than at the deadline. Delays, missing approvals, vendor problems, and unclear ownership are identified early and acted on, with escalation arriving alongside a proposed path forward. Deliverables added after approval are documented, costed in time and dollars, and either approved as a change or declined. Holding a deadline sometimes means telling a colleague or a senior leader that a commitment has slipped, what caused it, and what happens next — directly, and in a manner consistent with Trail Life's value of speaking the truth in love.

• Track Costs and Vendor Spend - This position maintains visibility on project costs and vendor spend against approved budgets and flags variances as they develop. Budget approval and vendor selection remain with the Chief Growth Officer. 

• Maintain Workflows, Documentation, and Project Review - This position builds and maintains the intake forms, templates, boards, and workflows the division's project work runs on, and keeps records current: specifications, quotes and orders, approval records, meeting notes, and timelines. At the close of each significant project, it reviews what was delivered against what was planned — timeline accuracy, cost against estimate, vendor performance, final quality — and applies those findings to future estimates, templates, and vendor decisions.

COMPETENCIES

• Project planning and scheduling
• Production and vendor management
• Clear written and verbal communication
• Problem solving
• Time management and prioritization
• Follow-through and attention to detail
• Workflow and process design
• Collaboration across departments and levels of responsibility

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Required:

• A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university is preferred. Equivalent relevant professional experience may be considered.
• Experience in project management, production management, business operations, or a related field.
• Experience coordinating projects involving multiple departments, stakeholders, or outside vendors.

Preferred

• Experience managing production work with outside printers, manufacturers, fulfillment partners, or agencies.
• Proficiency with Podio / HubSpot for project and workflow management (comparable platforms considered).
• PMP, CAPM, or similar certification is beneficial but not required. 

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Membership in Trail Life USA, subscription to and constant adherence to the Trail Life USA Statements of Faith and Values, agreement and adherence to the Trail Life Code of Conduct, and agreement and adherence to the Employee Handbook.