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Project Manager - Communication/Design Agency

"Our clients are big and so is the risk. My job is to manage client projects from start to end. My days are diverse; I’ll manage the development of a $100,000 website and coordinate the launch of a $10-million international digital campaign. I must be organized, or else. If I do my job well, our client is happy, and we’re profitable. If I do it poorly, our client is unhappy, we all lose money … and our agency may lose the account."

Salary Range:

$84,500 - $102,600

The Tip

Pick external certifications that align to your mission and build a plan to get these one by one. They signal expertise, intentionality and focus.

Priority Knowledge & Skills
Management Skills

  • Manage the design process

  • Manage multiple workflows

  • Develop and implement program schedules

  • Manage budget and financial issues

  • Manage internal and external stakeholders

  • Act in a responsible manner with regard to the needs of people, their communities, and society as a whole

 

Research & Insights Skills

  • Formulate focused and practical research questions

  • Apply a deep knowledge of human behaviour to understand usability

 

Communication Skills

  • Translate content into meaningful information

  • Apply content management strategy

  • Leverage social media

Design Skills

  • Critique and improve design artifacts.

  • Use current digital design tools

 

Additional Job-Specific Skills

  • Lead and manage projects utilizing information design theories, practices and methods.

 

Core Transferable Skills

Be an expert at all core transferable skills:

  • Thinking skills

  • Communications skills

  • Organizational skills

  • Interpersonal skills

  • Technical literacy

Building Block Experiences
Education & Learning:

  • Bachelor of Communications (information design) with a minor in marketing

  • Continually updating my multimedia technical skills

  • Professional Project Management (PMP) certification via the Project Management Institute

 

My major in information design introduced me to the importance of innovation, problem-solving and process. I took a minor in marketing. At graduation, I committed to completing my PMP certification in five years.

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Employment Experiences:

  • Was a server in university

  • Residence leader in university

  • Content Developer for a small startup

  • Project manager for a not for profit

  • Communications coordinator in a corporation

  • Worked as design manager for a telecommunications firm

 

I learned how to be flexible and thrive within ambiguity. I learned how to rely on others, and to be relied upon. I got comfortable with a fast-paced environment with high potential for the unexpected. My experience allows me to control my emotions, so don’t escalate. I always practice the best ways to check in with people and how to defuse tension.

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Community Experiences:

  • United Way event coordinator

 

I manage a team of volunteers. From this, I learned how to get tasks done with disparate individuals who aren’t acting under traditional rewards or punishments.

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Contextual Experiences:

  • I was a varsity athlete in university in a team sport and was voted captain in my final year

 

I developed a strong work ethic and a reputation for getting things done no matter what. The discipline required in a high-performance team sport taught me the importance of coordination and leadership.

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Relationships:

  • I seek to foster good working relationships with all the people I became dependent upon for deliverables. They need to know me well enough to understand my intentions.

 

I understand why people do what they do. I need to know how to read people and know who’s having a bad day and how to deal with that, so I always get the best out of them.

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