Project Manager
About the Company
Dotdash Meredith is one of the largest media companies in the world, reaching more than 200 million consumers globally across multiple platforms. Our portfolio includes influential brands such as PEOPLE, Better Homes & Gardens, Parents, Byrdie, Travel + Leisure, and Real Simple.
The Foundry is Dotdash Meredith’s award-winning native advertising and content studio. We combine Dotdash Meredith’s unparalleled data with our storytelling expertise to help connect brands with our passionate and intent-driven consumers, at scale across a variety of formats. Our team of strategists, editors, producers, designers, and developers excel at producing insight-driven content of the highest quality that inspires, educates, and, most important for our brand partners, drives action.
About the Role
In this role, you’ll serve as Project Manager for Foundry’s Content Operations (“FCO”) team across a variety of Lifestyle verticals (Auto, Travel, Retail, etc.). You’ll be responsible for managing the production of Native Content, including the fulfillment of operational and administrative responsibilities. Responsibilities include (but are not limited to) facilitating creative team assignments, budget and project tracking, and regular communication of project status updates.
The ideal candidate brings project management experience from a publisher, media company and/or agency. Creative problem solving, excellent project management skills, compatibility with a variety of working styles and top-notch organization are all key attributes of ideal candidates for this job. Those who have a passion for content within our key verticals (Auto, Travel, Retail, etc) will be strongly considered.
In addition to daily tasks such as invoicing, contracting, and database (Airtable) tracking, you’ll work closely with an Associate Director-level lead to understand the budget requirements, resourcing needs, schedule considerations, and production logistics of a project, then orchestrate the people, content, and funds to turn that project into reality. We’ll work to quickly onboard you so that you’ll be owning small-scale executions within a month’s time, and empowering you to bring your own problem-solving & project management skills to our team.
Essential Job Functions
Weight %
Responsibilities
80 %
Project Management
Work closely with client activation lead to establish project timelines
Ensure budgets are allocated appropriately at kickoff, and team allowances do not exceed the approved COGs
Act as the center of information for a native project; organizing all pertinent information, clarifying deliverables needed, engaging the appropriate team members and external partners, and clearly communicating project needs, deliverables, deadlines, and individual responsibilities
Comprehensive Project Tracking
Maintain Airtable database to maintain detailed filing of deliverables, project coding, expense tracking, and team assignments
Alert finance stakeholders of project status including anticipated spend, overall project revenue, and flight dates of native content
Vendor Maintenance and Contracting
Source, negotiate, contract, and onboard vendors (e.g. freelance writers, photographers, illustrators, etc)
Oversee invoicing for all executed contracts on assigned programs
Pre Sale Scoping
Assist with creative brainstorms to create budget estimates, and inform timelines during pitch phase
Deliverable Management
Package up creative deliverables for the internal teams in a timely and organized manner
Communicate necessary caveats, notes and questions for client activation team in client-friendly manner
Effectively distill, translate, and address client feedback in a professional, and solutions-oriented manner
Quality Assurance
Conduct quality assurance on all client deliverables
20%
Photo Production
Act as photo production lead on all custom digital and print programs, overseeing production logistics, spending, contracting, creative development, and execution from pre- to post- production
Supervise photo productions to ensure shoots run efficiently, effectively and deliver against program expectations
Work with Studio managers to gather availability of studio spaces and internal production crew
Qualifications and Job Requirements
Education
Bachelor’s degree preferred, but relevant work experience and qualifications to be equally weighted
Experience
2-4 years in a full-time production or project management position, preferably at a publisher, media company and/or agency
Experience working on photoshoots is a plus
Specific Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Proficiency in Google Suite and Gmail is required
Airtable experience is preferred
Ability to work quickly and smartly, and top-notch organization skills
Proven ability to communicate clearly and effectively in a professional (or academic) environment
Ability to manage a production budget
Location
Based in the New York metro area and comfortable with a hybrid workplace (required 3 days a week in office)
May require occasional travel to our satellite offices and production studios in Birmingham, Des Moines, or other locations for production-related needs
