PROJECT MANAGER I – ADVERTISING AGENCY

The Fountain Group; Mettawa (IL); Hybrid; USD 114,616,000 - 117,482,000; Full time

Job summary

The Fountain Group is seeking a Project Manager I with advertising agency experience to support print and digital marketing projects in a hybrid environment in Mettawa, IL.

Responsibilities include managing multiple projects, maintaining timelines, coordinating cross-functional teams, and guiding projects from initiation through delivery while aligning with client objectives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree is required.
• 1–4 years of advertising agency experience.
• Pharmaceutical agency experience strongly preferred/required.
• Strong project coordination and organizational skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage multiple projects simultaneously across various stages of development.
• Develop, maintain, and communicate project timelines, milestones, and deliverables.
• Coordinate resources and collaborate with cross-functional teams.
• Conduct project status meetings and distribute action items.
• Track project progress and proactively develop solutions.
• Coordinate client reviews and approvals in print and digital workflows.
• Support print and digital lifecycles from initiation through production.

Skills

Project coordination

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Time management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

SharePoint

Teams

Job description

PROJECT MANAGER I – ADVERTISING AGENCY

Location: Mettawa, IL
Schedule: Hybrid – 3 days onsite / 2 days remote
Duration: 12-month contract
Hours: Monday–Friday, 40 hours/week
Start Date: ASAP
Pay Rate: $40–$41/hour

Position Overview

We are seeking a detail-oriented Project Manager I with recent advertising agency experience to support the planning, scheduling, and execution of print and digital marketing projects. This position will work closely with account/client service teams, creative partners, internal stakeholders, and external vendors to keep projects on schedule, on budget, and aligned with client objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage multiple projects simultaneously across various stages of development.

• Develop, maintain, and communicate project timelines, milestones, and deliverables.

• Coordinate resources and collaborate with cross-functional creative, digital, production, and account teams.

• Conduct project status meetings, document meeting notes, and distribute recaps with action items.

• Track project progress, identify risks or issues, and proactively develop solutions.

• Coordinate projects through internal agency review and approval processes.

• Support pharmaceutical promotional material review and approval workflows.

• Coordinate digital, interactive, and creative resources to ensure timely project delivery.

• Serve as a key point of contact for third-party vendors and development partners.

• Maintain project documentation, estimates, specifications, folders, and other project materials.

• Assist with project estimates, time tracking, billing, and financial documentation.

• Communicate effectively with clients and internal stakeholders to manage expectations and keep projects moving forward.

• Support both print and digital project lifecycles from initiation through production and completion.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree.

• 1–4 years of advertising agency experience.

• Recent advertising agency experience within the last 2–3 years.

• Experience in account services, client services, or agency project management.

• Pharmaceutical agency experience strongly preferred/required.

• Strong project coordination and organizational skills.

• Ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities.

• Excellent attention to detail.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

• Proactive, adaptable, and solution-oriented approach.

• Ability to collaborate effectively with teams and stakeholders without direct authority.

• Comfortable working in a high-volume, fast-paced environment.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and SharePoint.

Preferred Qualifications

• Pharmaceutical marketing experience.

• Digital marketing/project experience.

• Print production experience.

• Experience with Veeva PromoMats or Medical/Legal/Regulatory (MLR) review processes.

• Experience with Workfront, Kantata/Mavenlink, or similar project management/workflow platforms.

• Familiarity with web technologies and digital marketing trends.

Ideal Background

Candidates with recent agency experience at organizations such as pharmaceutical advertising agencies, healthcare/life-sciences agencies, integrated marketing agencies, or full-service advertising agencies are encouraged to apply. Experience managing client-facing creative, digital, print, or pharmaceutical marketing projects is particularly relevant.