Project Manager, Design & Exhibits

TITLE: Project Manager, Design & Exhibits
DEPARTMENT: Design & Exhibits
REPORTS TO: Sr. Creative Director of Brand
STATUS: Full-time, Exempt
SALARY: $75,000
LOCATION: Chicago, IL./Hybrid
 
POSITION OVERVIEW: The Project Manager is part of the Design & Exhibit team at Shedd and helps to coordinate the work of the Brand Design, Exhibit, Media, Horticulture, and Fabrication teams. Reporting to the Senior Creative Directors, the PM works closely with multiple Senior Directors and the Production Manager to define and manage the work plan, resource needs, timeline, and budget for the creative team’s projects. The PM collaborates with multiple internal teams to be informed of current and upcoming projects requiring creative resources to guide appropriate resource allocations. An approximate breakdown of the percentage of time spent is 75% on Brand design and 25% on Exhibits, though this will fluctuate by the type and pace of active projects. 

To be successful in this role, you must be highly organized and deadline-driven with a high level of commitment to quality, strong organizational skills, be able to remain focused in a fast-paced environment, and have excellent written and verbal communication skills. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.   

• Establish partnerships within the aquarium, creative teams, and other internal partners to understand collective scopes of work, expertise, and team resources available.  
• Partner with senior directors to evaluate intake requests for projects and assign resources appropriately according to skill set, experience, and areas of expertise or aspirations. 
• Build project schedules for marketing, exhibition, and other creative projects with Senior Directors 
• Assign projects and tasks to the Creative team within the project management system, collaborating with Senior Directors on expected time investment. 
• Lead or actively participate in stand-ups and intake meetings to review needs and continually reprioritize resources as needed. 
• Manage scheduling and agendas for review of creative concepts and executions. 
• Oversee creative group assignments and structure, and propose adjustments in structure as needed to align with museum priorities. 
• Work to improve the day-to-day of the creative teams, making sure they can be as effective as possible in their roles, always looking for ways to make their jobs easier by improving cross-functional relationships, identifying gaps/issues with workflows, etc. Ensure the team’s time investment aligns with identified aquarium priorities. 
• Manage communications, timelines, and workflow between the creative teams, internal stakeholders, contractors, freelancers, and vendors across multiple projects. 
• Streamline and centralize internal databases of creative talent, including management and approval of contracts. 
• Help the teams build out process documents and maintain records. 
• Manage project budgets, including estimates, confirmation of deliverables, invoice approval, and payment while maintaining the budget tracker. 
• Effectively coordinate and communicate between creative teams and other internal teams. 

QUALIFICATIONS: The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. 

Education: Associate’s degree required; Bachelor’s degree preferred. Relevant experience in a creative field is preferred. Equivalent combinations of education and experience will be considered.
 
Experience:   

• 5+ years of professional experience in resource or project management, working in an agency or brand environment with graphic designers. Exhibit design experience is a bonus. 
• Basic understanding of core graphic design and print production principles 
• Project management experience with proven ability to successfully manage large-scale projects and initiatives. 
• Comfort working under accelerated timelines and multitasking to manage various projects. 
• Ability to communicate detailed information in a clear, organized manner. 
• Ability to effectively say “no” and address concerns. 
• Proficiency in project management software, Jira preferred 
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office. Experience with Mondays.com is a plus. 
• Ability to listen and understand team and project needs as well as a willingness to collaborate for solutions. 

BENEFITS OF WORKING AT SHEDD: We offer competitive compensation packages and opportunities for professional growth within our organization. 

• Medical Insurance, including FSA and HSA plan options
• Vision and Dental Insurance 
• Accrued Paid Time Off 
• Up to 12 Paid Holidays 
• Life Insurance 
• Parental Leave and Adoption Assistance
• 401(k)
• Discounted Parking and Public Transit Subsidies
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Wellness program, including Preventive Care Incentive 
• Employee Discounts
• Employee Tickets 

Reasonable Accommodations: 
Shedd Aquarium is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need reasonable accommodations for any part of the employment process, please email us at [email protected]. 

We strongly encourage people of color, LGBTQ+ community, veterans and active duty military, parents, individuals with disabilities, and individuals from all cultural backgrounds to apply. Shedd Aquarium is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes everyone to our team.