Senior Communications Project Manager

Outreach Strategists, LLC; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Medical insurance options

Dental and vision insurance options

401k matching

Professional development opportunities

Team-building activities

Pro bono community work

Job summary

Outreach Strategists, LLC is seeking a Senior Communications Project Manager to lead complex client engagements, guiding strategy, planning, and delivery of multifaceted communication programs in education, healthcare, and transportation sectors.

You will manage cross-functional teams, mentor junior staff, and drive continuous improvement while ensuring on-time delivery, budget discipline, and exceptional client service. This role is on-site in Houston and requires strong stakeholder engagement.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of project management experience in marketing, advertising, public relations, or strategic communications agency.
• Experience managing multiple client accounts in a fast-paced agency environment.
• Demonstrated success leading complex marketing and communications projects from strategy through implementation.
• Experience working with multidisciplinary teams including designers, writers, digital strategists, media professionals, researchers, and analysts.
• Strong client relationship management experience with executive-level stakeholders.
• Experience managing project budgets, invoicing, forecasting, profitability, and resource allocation.
• Experience serving government and public-sector clients is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead multiple client engagements from project initiation through successful completion, ensuring exceptional client service and delivery.
• Develop and manage project scopes, schedules, budgets, staffing plans, and deliverables to meet client expectations and organizational goals.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for assigned clients, providing strategic guidance, proactive communication, and trusted partnership.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams, consultants, and subcontractors to deliver high-quality work on time and within budget.
• Monitor project performance, identify risks, and implement solutions to keep projects on track.
• Facilitate client meetings, internal planning sessions, workshops, retreats, community meetings and project status reviews, ensuring clear communication and accountability.
• Oversee project financial performance, including budgeting, forecasting, invoicing, profitability, and resource utilization.
• Develop and maintain project documentation, reporting, and quality assurance processes.
• Contribute to proposal development, project pricing, staffing plans, and business development initiatives.
• Mentor junior project managers and support the continued development of project management standards, tools, and best practices.
• Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency, strengthen project delivery, and enhance the client experience.

Skills

Project management

Written & verbal communication

Facilitation & presentation

Client relationship management

Strategic thinking

Multitasking & prioritization

Attention to detail

Financial acumen

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business/Marketing/Communications/Public Administration

Master's degree preferred

PMP certification preferred

Tools

Airtable

Microsoft Excel

ChatGPT/ Claude proficiency

Job description

We're passionate about serving the greater good and want to work with innovative, results-driven professionals, then come join our team! We are seeking a talented Senior Communications Project Manager with experience providing strategic insight, executing multifaceted communication and outreach initiatives, managing client relationships, and tracking results. If you have strong writing, account management, and exceptional client and relationship-building skills, we're looking for you!

We're Outreach Strategists (OS), a Houston-based strategic communications firm with a reputation for excellence built over two decades of driving our diverse portfolio of clients' ambitious agendas in the education/workforce, healthcare, and transportation/infrastructure sectors.

Our Senior Communications Project Manager position is ideal for someone who is ambitious and interested in growing their career in business, strategy, and public affairs.

Skills and Qualifications

The Senior Communications Project Manager leads complex client engagements from planning through implementation, ensuring exceptional client service, on-time delivery, budget performance, and high-quality outcomes. This role manages multiple public-sector accounts, oversees cross-functional project teams, facilitates stakeholder engagement, and drives continuous improvement in project delivery.

The Senior Communications Project Manager serves as a trusted advisor to clients, develops project strategies and work plans, manages financial performance, and ensures all deliverables meet Outreach Strategists' standards of excellence. This position also contributes to business development through proposal development, pricing, resource planning, and operational improvements that strengthen organizational performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead multiple client engagements from project initiation through successful completion, ensuring exceptional client service and delivery.
• Develop and manage project scopes, schedules, budgets, staffing plans, and deliverables to meet client expectations and organizational goals.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for assigned clients, providing strategic guidance, proactive communication, and trusted partnership.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams, consultants, and subcontractors to deliver high-quality work on time and within budget.
• Monitor project performance, identify risks, and implement solutions to keep projects on track.
• Facilitate client meetings, internal planning sessions, workshops, retreats, community meetings and project status reviews, ensuring clear communication and accountability.
• Oversee project financial performance, including budgeting, forecasting, invoicing, profitability, and resource utilization.
• Develop and maintain project documentation, reporting, and quality assurance processes.
• Contribute to proposal development, project pricing, staffing plans, and business development initiatives.
• Mentor junior project managers and support the continued development of project management standards, tools, and best practices.
• Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency, strengthen project delivery, and enhance the client experience.

Key Performance Indicators

• On-time project delivery
• Budget adherence
• Client satisfaction and retention
• Project profitability
• Billable utilization
• Resource utilization
• Issue resolution time
• Revenue growth
• Team performance and project quality

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, Public Administration, or a related field.
• Master's degree preferred.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification preferred.

Experience

• 7+ years of project management experience, preferably within a marketing, advertising, public relations, or strategic communications agency.
• Experience managing multiple client accounts simultaneously in a fast-paced agency environment.
• Demonstrated success leading complex marketing and communications projects from strategy through implementation.
• Experience working with multidisciplinary teams, including designers, writers, digital strategists, media professionals, researchers, and analysts.
• Strong client relationship management experience with executive-level stakeholders.
• Experience managing project budgets, invoicing, forecasting, profitability, and resource allocation.
• Experience serving government and public-sector clients is strongly preferred.

Technical Skills

• Proficiency with project management platforms such as Airtable or similar systems.
• Advanced Microsoft Office Suite skills, especially Excel.
• Understanding of digital marketing, websites, social media, SEO, analytics, and content management systems.
• Basic ChatGPT or Claude proficiency
• Experience managing project financials, purchase orders, invoices, and client budgets.

Professional Skills

• Exceptional project management and organizational abilities.
• Strong written, verbal, facilitation, and presentation skills.
• Excellent client relationship and stakeholder management skills.
• Strategic thinker with strong problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities under tight deadlines.
• High attention to detail and commitment to quality.
• Strong financial and business acumen.
• Collaborative leadership style with the ability to motivate cross-functional teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Agency experience in marketing, advertising, public relations, or strategic communications.
• Experience supporting transportation, infrastructure, government, healthcare, education, or public-sector clients.
• Strong understanding of strategic communications, public engagement, marketing, and branding.
• Experience with proposal development, pricing, and business development.
• High emotional intelligence and excellent interpersonal skills.
• Proven ability to build trusted client relationships.
• Passion for continuous improvement, innovation, and team development.

Additional Information

• This is an on-site position in Houston, Texas.
• Occasional evening or weekend work may be required to support client meetings, public meetings, or project deadlines.

Why Outreach Strategists?

• We're motivated by our commitment to drive outcomes and prioritize relationships.

We offer:

• Competitive salaries
• Medical and voluntary dental and vision insurance options
• 401k matching program
• Professional development opportunities
• Team-building activities and happy hour outings
• We're committed to supporting the community by investing our time in pro bono projects that help nonprofit organizations.