Project Manager

Aardvark Studios, LLC is hiring an experienced Project Manager to oversee complex projects that involve elements of custom design, fabrication, and manufacturing to deliver impactful projects that bring brands and experiences to life. The role will ultimately be responsible for the budgeting, execution, and timely delivery of projects that can be defined as experiential, exhibit or custom fabrication oriented . 

The ideal candidate has at least 5-years of project management experience, preferrably in experiential design, custom fabrication, and/or manufacturing where the candidate delivered large-scale projects that required financial oversight and organizational influence. The role will require the management of simultaneous projects that will depend on strong time management and autonomous decision making skills to maintain production schedules. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES | ACCOUNTABILITIES

The job responsibilities of our Project Managers include, but are not limited to:

• Project planning, which includes the development of budgets with profit and loss responsibility, scheduling personnel and tasks, and maintaining production schedules for concurrent projects
• Collaborate with production stakeholders for project cost estimation, owning the accuracy and thoroughness of the estimation process
• Manage the coordination and execution  of projects to ensure client satisfaction by delivering projects on-time, within scope and on-budget
• Plan and coordinate the installation of projects by resolving barriers, organizing workflow, and managing tight deadlines
• Oversight of material sourcing to ensure the appropriate quality, quantity and pricing of all project related materials
• Liaise with 3rd party vendors for outside fabrication and material procurement
• Coordinate with team leadership to develop a detailed project plan to monitor, report and sustain  progress
• Manage changes to projects’ scope, schedule, and costs using appropriate escalations, communication and updated plans 
• Understands risk management, develops plans and implements process improvements to minimize the risk of project plan disruption  
• Create and maintain comprehensive project documentation
• Track project performance against KPIs to analyze results against short and long-term goals
• Manage the quality control of projects by monitoring the details to ensure projects meet client expectations and agreed upon scope of work
• Partner with company leadership and shop personnel to schedule project production that drives efficient utilization of shop assets and personnel 
• Communicate project challenges and potential solutions to relevant stakeholders, including company and client leadership
• Ability to maintain professionalism and confidentiality at all times, particularly when interfacing with clients
• Must be able to work in a fast paced environment and problem solve by pivoting to solutions quickly
• Ability to lead and work within multi-functional teams to achieve short and long-term strategic goals

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's Degree in appropriate field of study or equivalent work experience
• 5+ years experience in the management of large projects—preferably in experiential design/events or in a construction/architectural environment
• Experience creating and  managing large budgets ($100K+)
• Experience with complex scheduling that involve multiple stakeholders, elements of fabrication or manufacturing and tight deadlines
• Excellent client-facing and internal communication skills
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, including excellent interpersonal skills that can influence behaviors across an organization
• Solid organizational skills that are reflected through keen attention to detail and the ability to autonomously prioritize tasks related to time management or project deliverables
• Must be forward thinking as it pertains to the projects’ production logistics, supply chain and equipment requirements  
• Must have a high degree of initiative, be a motivated self-starter, have a flexible attitude and be able to adapt to a changing environment
• High degree of integrity, energetic, and have an upbeat attitude
• Strong computer skills and spreadsheet-based analytical, budgeting and reporting capabilities - expert in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Google Suite
• Architectural, exhibit, manufacturing and/or fabrication project experience is preferred
• Willingness to travel as needed for installation or client-facing meetings

Success in this role will be measured by: 

• % of projects delivered on-budget
• % of projects delivered on-time
• % estimates delivered on-time
• NPS

Why Aardvark?

https://aardvarkstudios.com

This position is located in Conshohocken, PA, which is in close proximity to Philadelphia.