Marketing Project Manager

About the role

The Marketing Project Manager plays a pivotal role in enhancing Case Western Reserve University's reputation as a leading national research university by expertly coordinating project planning and execution within University Marketing and Communications (UMC). Acting as a key liaison, the Marketing Project Manager bridges communication between school stakeholders, UMC collaborators, graphic designers, and external vendors. They are responsible for defining project scope, establishing timelines, setting benchmarks, and ensuring transparent communication throughout the project lifecycle. A proactive problem solver, the Marketing Project Manager excels in gathering detailed information at the project's outset, ensuring that goals are clearly defined and aligned with stakeholder expectations. They effectively distill this information, assess project needs, and strategically mobilize resources to achieve timely and successful project completion. Exceptional customer service, particularly in a marketing context, is essential. The Marketing Project Manager will collaborate closely with the production manager, creative and art directors to ensure that project teams operate smoothly and deliver high-quality results.

Responsibilities

• Manage client projects and monitor workflow. Provide project management. Monitor and manage workflow. Oversee the end-to-end lifecycle of marketing projects, from intake to final delivery, ensuring timely and efficient completion of tasks. Partner with the production manager, other project managers, and graphic designers to develop detailed project plans and resolve any production challenges. Provide client communication. Maintain consistent, positive and open communication with key stakeholders, providing regular status updates, reminders, and address any concerns promptly. Provide asset management. Collect, organize and assess project assets to ensure alignment with project goals. Provide budget management support. Ensure projects stay within allotted spends assigned by creative director and university marketing and communications leadership, maintain current job statuses in reporting systems, and assist administrative operations with financial reporting needs. (40%)
• Manage special projects and self-service platforms. Serve as a key project owner for university marketing and communications strategic initiatives, brand alignment systems, and digital self-service tools, which are assigned dynamically based on department needs. Responsibilities may include platform and brand governance. Manage and maintain university self-service platforms (e.g., Marq, Bynder, Brand Management Inbox), supporting platform setup, management, optimization, user adoption, and adherence to university brand guidelines across all systems. Lead planning, coordination, and production workflows for major institutional publications, such as Case Western Reserve magazine. Assist in managing merchandise production, sourcing, and logistics in collaboration with internal leadership and vendors. Plan, execute, and deliver various other special initiatives, tools, or high-priority marketing projects as they arise. (20%)
• Collaborate across university marketing and communications and cross-functional groups. Work closely with the production manager, creative and art directors, and other university marketing and communications staff to ensure seamless project execution. Provide leadership communication. Keep production manager and creative director informed of day-to-day project and merchandise developments, as well as any potential challenges. (20%)
• Support marketing projects and client needs. Provide solution development. Engage effectively with campus partners to understand their goals and marketing needs. Translate client objectives into actionable plans that align with university marketing and communications’ marketing strategies, presenting tailored solutions that meet both client and organizational goals. Provide resource coordination. Direct client inquiries to the appropriate internal or external resources, ensuring all needs are addressed efficiently. (14%)
• Nonessential Functions: Maintain industry awareness. Continuously stay updated on current and emerging trends in marketing, design, and project management to ensure that strategies and processes remain relevant and competitive. (5%)
• Nonessential Functions: Perform other duties as assigned. (1%)
• No supervisory responsibility for employees.

Qualifications

Experience: 3 years in project management, client relations or an analogous marketing or communications role required. Demonstrated experience with a project management system (Asana, Monday.com, Wrike). Education: Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline.

Skills

• Strong project management, time management and organizational skills (ability to plan and monitor projects according to specifications, anticipate contingencies, report project statuses, identify delays and problem solve solutions).
• Collaborative and positive mindset with experience working constructively in multi-disciplinary teams.
• Attention to detail with a proven commitment to quality control and consistent processes.
• Self-motivated, positive team leader with a demonstrated ability to motivate and inspire colleagues.
• Ability to facilitate open and effective communication among internal and external teams, one-on-one and in small groups; write precise, well-organized emails, while using appropriate vocabulary and grammar.
• Ability to provide and receive constructive feedback and apply that feedback to process improvements.
• Ability to treat clients with professionalism and respect.
• Demonstrate logic, rationality and objectivity; show common sense; use all available information to make educated decisions that are based on institutional needs rather than personal preferences.
• Initiative to explore alternatives to existing products and services; identify opportunities to improve