Open Positions

Associate Director, Project Management (Contractor)

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.

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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

  • Contract Dates: April 15, 2025 – October 31, 2025
  • Hybrid: Ability to work two days a week from the Chicago office
  • Contract Fee: $6,500 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.

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