Project Manager

Company: Marks Design

Role: Project Manager

Type: 1099 Contract (potential to extend or convert)

Initial End Date: 4/30/25

Location: Chicago, IL (Hybrid - 3x/week in office)

Who are we?

Marks is a consumer experience agency creating engaging moments across the entire brand spectrum – from brand design and packaging to content and consumer connections. Rooted in a deep understanding of human behavior, we are uniquely constructed to enable brands to win in an age of constant change.

A super-charged experience powerhouse - 700 people strong, with subject matter experts working collaboratively across 12 studios and 8 countries - we have helped some of the world’s biggest brands connect to their audiences and tackle the biggest challenges and opportunities of today’s consumer landscape.

About the team

This Marks Packaging Design team is a talented agency-within-an-agency. Constructed to service an exclusive retail client engagement – this group lives and breathes packaging craft across a versatile collection of brands and categories – from food & beverages to household essentials. A multidisciplinary group of problem-solvers, you’ll work alongside client service, creatives, copywriters, CGI artists, photographers, and production artists alike, to bring new packaging designs, extensions, adaptations, and updates to life.

This role is designated hybrid – working 3 days a week from our Chicago studio (located in the bustling Fulton Market neighborhood), as well as from home.

About the Role

The Project Manager provides day to day support to the Client Service Team, collaborating with CS, Design and Creative Teams, Operations and Studio. The Project Manager is responsible for managing assigned tasks/projects throughout the creative and adaptive process from inception throughout completion, striving to achieve the highest quality of work whilst managing timelines.

A successful Project Manager understands the end-to-end package design process and owns tasks within each phase of the process to ensure completion of projects on time, within budget and within scope; overseeing all aspects of projects; including managing deadlines, properly scheduling projects/tasks within studio and different departments, reviewing work to ensure quality standards are maintained and client requests are delivered, and monitoring progress and status of any assigned projects.

The Project manager will need to showcase an ability to work within teams, as well as demonstrate the independence and resourcefulness demanded by an agile and highly dynamic agency environment. As a strong communicator, you can facilitate communication with all stakeholders efficiently and effectively.

General Responsibilities:

• Ensures that all assigned tasks and/or projects are delivered on-time, flagging any out of scope or out of budget requests
• Monitors project progress, handles issues and escalations that may arise
• Documents and follows up on critical actions, decisions and risks
• Works with Studio Scheduler when applicable to ensure resource availability and allocation
• Develops a detailed project plan/tracker to monitor and track progress
• Creates and maintains comprehensive project documentation (can be shared with other internal employees)
• Develops thorough understanding of internal team operations and processes
• Is on top of changes to the project scope and timeline
• Is comfortable leading client and internal meetings, when necessary
• Maintains positive relationship with the client and relevant stakeholders internally and externally
• Participates in process improvement efforts at client and internal studio level
• Can consistently and efficiently manage high volume of work, owning multiple end-to-end projects at a time in a fast paced environment
• Performs other related duties as assigned (ie: Prep for photoshoots, client specific duties)

Project specific responsibilities:

• Reviews and validates and organizes mandatory project information required prior to project kick-off (dielines, copy, packaging/printer specs, reference materials)
• Verifies information is accurate on design briefs, and specifications received from the CS team and/or client
• Works within Marks, SGS and client systems, including creating project tasks for the studio and writing up proper instructions for the Design and Creative team, as well as uploading artwork files in routing platform
• Facilitates/leads accurate and clear briefing to the creative Adaptive team in a timely fashion in partnership with CS and participates in Creative and Strategy briefing sessions as requested
• Acts as a liaison between the creative team, external partners, and the CS team to obtain missing information and materials needed to perform the work
• Consolidates client and supplier feedback and writes up revisions for studio
• Attends technical review of projects via pre-pro meetings or onboarding meetings providing valuable insight into project process and next steps
• Provides the final rounds of QA on all assets – checking all design files to ensure work has been executed to the client brief prior to releasing for final delivery
• Attends and participates in post-mortem meetings to review and provide insight on completed projects, assessing and evaluating project success
• Maintains positive relationship with suppliers

Prerequisites

• Degree in Graphic Communication Management, Design, Marketing/Business Administration or similar
• 3 years proven experience within retail, project management role in a design agency environment, or similar role on client side
• Interest in brand stewardship, and project management
• Strong understanding of brand and packaging design requirements
• Strong verbal and written communication skills (able to lead meetings)
• Highly organized, self-starter who excels at prioritizing and planning
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, and experience in various project management tools
• Knowledge of Adobe software is a plus
• Personality that is collaborative and focusses on solutions
• Unparalleled attention-to-detail
• Ability to work independently, and as part of a team
• Ability to take initiative on projects and have passion to learn/grow
• Strong analytical and proactive problem-solving skills
• Knowledge of print production and Flexo, Litho and Gravure printing processes