Associate Director, Project Management (Contractor)

Associate Director, Project Management (Contractor)

Join to apply for the Associate Director, Project Management (Contractor) role at Walker Sands

Associate Director, Project Management (Contractor)

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We strongly encourage people of color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and non-binary people, veterans, parents, and individuals with disabilities to apply. As an equal opportunity employer Walker Sands is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and welcomes everyone to our team.
In your application, please feel free to note which pronouns you use (For example – she/her/hers, he/him/his, they/them/theirs, etc).
If you need reasonable accommodation at any point in the application or interview process, please let us know.
Walker Sands is an outcome-based B2B marketing agency with in-house capabilities spanning insights, strategy, branding, creative and media, including public relations, paid, search and social. The firm’s outcome-based approach delivers on objectives related to position, growth, reputation and engagement for 100+ B2B brands around the world. A 10-time Inc. 5000 honoree, Walker Sands is one of the fastest-growing B2B marketing agencies in the world, with offices in Chicago, Seattle and Boston.
Walker Sands is looking for a strategic and experienced Associate Director of Project Management to join our Client Services team. This role is critical in driving the success of complex and high-visibility client projects, optimizing internal workflows and instilling operational excellence across teams.
As an Associate Director, you’ll manage a portfolio of accounts and collaborate with account directors, writers, designers, strategists, strategic communication and digital marketing team members to ensure projects meet both client expectations and agency goals. You’ll be a champion of process improvement, risk management and integrated team collaboration.
Project Planning + Setup:

• Lead project planning and scoping for large, multi-service marketing programs, ensuring alignment with client goals, budget and internal capacity
• Lead internal project kickoff meetings to ensure internal alignment to scope and client outcomes
• Anticipate and mitigate risks during project planning and throughout the project’s lifecycle
  

Project Execution + Monitoring:

• Conduct QC/QA checks and alignment of deliverables to client outcomes and program scope
• Lead internal status meetings and provide clear project updates to the team
• Monitor and report on project budgets to ensure profitability and resource availability
• Serve as a key escalation point for project risks, providing clear direction and multiple solutions
  

Communication + Collaboration:

• Act as a trusted advisor to account team counterparts, providing guidance and removing internal roadblocks
• Promote seamless communication between internal services teams, account management and client to ensure alignment on outcomes and deliverables
• Serve as a secondary point of contact for clients and participate in client meetings to speak to project status and risks
• Document meeting notes and share action items to keep projects on track
• Proactively identify and mitigate project risks
  

Process Improvement + Team Leadership:

• Ensure all project assets are organized on Google Drive and accessible to project teams
• Contribute to department and agency process improvement
  

Requirements

Experience:

6+ years of project management experience, preferably in a marketing or agency environment

Proven ability to manage complex projects with multiple stakeholders

Skills + Knowledge

• Strong understanding of waterfall and agile methodologies
• Advanced experience with project reporting metrics including: hours tracking, budget management, and timeline optimization
• Organization and time management with the ability to manage up to 10 projects/clients at a time
• Confidence in leading discussions and influencing decision-making with project teams and agency leadership
• Exceptional communication skills with the ability to translate high-level strategy into actionable plans
• Mindset
• Strategic thinker with a proactive and solutions oriented approach
• Strong leadership presence with ability to motivate and mentor team
• Skill at motivating and inspiring project team to achieve and exceed client outcomes
• Attention to detail and commitment to exceeding client expectations
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience managing resourcing at an agency level
• Advanced experience in Trello or other project management tools
• Familiarity with digital marketing platforms that support marketing automation and paid media execution (e.g., Pardot, Hubspot, Google Analytics, and Google Tag Manager)
• Certification in project management (e.g., PMP)
• Experience driving strategic conversations and managing senior level stakeholders
• Background in process improvement and resource management in an agency setting
  

Contract Details

• Hybrid: Ability to work two days a week from the Chicago office
• Contract Fee: $7,100 per month
• Not eligible for company benefits. Minimal time off will be granted on a case-by-case basis.
• This position has the potential for conversion into a full-time role upon successful completion of the contract, based on performance and business needs.
  

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Contract

Job function

• Job function

  Project Management and Information Technology

• Industries

  Marketing Services

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