Project Manager - Marketing Agency
"My job is to manage client projects end to end. Our clients are big and so is the risk. Some days this may be managing the development of a $100,000 website or coordinating the launch of a $10-million international digital campaign. My job is about being super-organized and ensuring all the people and moving project parts are connected and working together. If I do it well, our client is happy and we are 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 with your mission and build a plan to achieve these one by one. They not only signal expertise, they signal intentionality and focus.
Priority Knowledge & Skills
Research & Insight
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Demonstrate empathy & curiosity
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Leverage contextual knowledge
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Presentation & report-writing skills
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Use analytics tools
Product management
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Measure return on investment (ROI)
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Manage a budget
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Manage projects
Sales & Channel Management
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Manage a sales process
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Conduct sales presentations
Communications & Branding
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Develop & execute a media plan
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Sponsorship & community investment
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Leverage earned media
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Leverage event & experiential marketing
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Leverage influencer marketing
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Develop a promotional strategy
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Knowledge of media psychology
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Apply marketing within a CSR framework
Content Curation & Design
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Conduct content research & curation
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Develop content schedule & plan
Building Block Experiences
Education & Learning:
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Bachelor of Arts (political science) with a minor in operations management
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Professional Project Management (PMP) certification via the Project Management Institute
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Follow the Project Management topic and articles in the Harvard Business Review
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Understand the science of human decision making and motivation by reading books like Kahneman’s “Thinking Fast and Slow” and Ariely’s “Predictably Irrational”
"My major in political science introduced me to the importance of policy and process. I took an elective in project management that soon became a minor in operations management. At graduation, I committed to completing my PMP certification in five years."
Employment Experiences:
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Server in university
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Residence leader in university
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Marketing coordinator for a marketing agency
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Event coordinator for a retailer
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Product manager in telecommunications
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Project manager in a marketing agency
"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 in a fast-paced environment with high potential for the unexpected. My experience allows me to control my emotions, so stressful situation don’t escalate. I always practice the best ways to check in with people and how to defuse tension."
Community Experiences:
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Local charity 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 penalties."
Contextual Experiences:
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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."
Relationships:
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Sought 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 motivation and how or 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."
