Senior Project Manager

Description

Premier Press is one of the largest creative production companies on the West Coast, partnering with some of the world’s most recognizable brands to bring complex, high-impact programs to life. If you’re someone who’s a self-starter, detail oriented and motivated to learn, this could be a great opportunity to work at an exciting and growing company. Visit our website to see our great work! http://www.premierpress.com

Our Mission: Bring order to the chaos of creative production & distribution, making it easy to bring your brand to life.

Our Vision: Create a world free from dull marketing.

Our Values: 

- Go Beyond 

- Discover New Ways & Ideas

- Respect Ourselves, Each Other, & Our Community 

- Deliver the Best Client Experience 

Job Title: Senior Project Manager 

Classification: Full-Time, Exempt 

Salary: DOE

Reports to: VP of Manufacturing

Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8am- 5pm (occasional evenings/weekends as needed) 

Location: In-Office (no remote), 5000 N Basin Ave., Portland, OR 97217 

General Summary:

The Senior Project Manager is a program-level leader responsible for owning the successful execution of large, complex client programs from post-sale handoff through final delivery. This role provides strategic oversight, operational leadership, and team guidance, ensuring work is executed accurately, efficiently, and predictably.

Unlike a standard Project Manager role, the Senior Project Manager is accountable not only for outcomes, but for how work gets done—setting standards, anticipating risk, guiding other Project Managers on their team, and driving consistency across programs.

This role is ideal for someone who thrives at the intersection of client leadership, operational rigor, and cross-functional execution.

Requirements

Key Responsibilities

Program & Client Leadership

• Own end-to-end execution of assigned programs, ensuring scope, schedule, quality, and delivery expectations are met
• Serve as the primary escalation point for complex or at-risk projects
• Proactively identify risks, clarify requirements, and align stakeholders before issues arise
• Partner closely with Account Directors and clients on scope changes, expectations, and execution strategy

Team Leadership & Oversight

• Provide day-to-day leadership and guidance to one or more Project Managers supporting assigned programs
• Delegate work appropriately while maintaining accountability for quality, accuracy, and timeliness
• Review job tickets, schedules, and deliverables to ensure consistency and execution standards are met
• Coach Project Managers through complex decision-making, prioritization, and issue resolution

Operational Execution & Coordination

• Lead program kick-off meetings and cross-functional alignment across Estimating, Production, Creative, and Fulfillment
• Collaborate with internal teams and external vendors to develop prototypes, samples, and production solutions
• Ensure schedules are realistic, well-sequenced, and aligned with production capacity
• Support press checks, installations, and delivery milestones as needed to ensure successful outcomes

Systems, Data & Process Discipline

• Ensure disciplined use of core systems and tools to manage program execution, schedules, and documentation
• Maintain accurate, detailed program tracking (e.g., grids, distros, timelines) throughout the project lifecycle
• Use data and reporting to monitor progress, surface risk, and support proactive decision-making

Continuous Improvement & Accountability

• Identify recurring issues, inefficiencies, or execution gaps and drive corrective action
• Actively participate in continuous improvement initiatives that strengthen workflows, handoffs, and execution quality
• Contribute to achieving broader company objectives through reliable delivery and strong cross-functional partnership

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job. 

Supervisory Responsibility: This position has a dotted line of supervisory responsibility to all Project Managers assigned to the team.

What Success Looks Like

• Programs are delivered on time, within scope, and with minimal escalation
• Project Managers are supported, aligned, and consistently executing to standards
• Client expectations are clear, documented, and proactively managed
• Execution issues are anticipated and resolved before becoming crises
• Teams experience clarity, accountability, and predictable outcomes

This Role Is Not For…

• Project managers who prefer to focus only on their own tasks rather than leading others
• Candidates who rely on last-minute heroics instead of planning, systems, and discipline
• Those uncomfortable holding peers accountable or navigating complex cross-functional dynamics
• Anyone seeking a purely tactical or entry-level PM role

Skills & Qualifications:

• Strong leadership, communication, and decision-making skills across all levels of an organization
• Ability to manage ambiguity, complexity, and competing priorities with confidence
• Proven success leading large, complex programs or portfolios
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and strong working knowledge of project tracking tools
• Experience driving process improvement and execution consistency 

Experience and Education:

• Bachelor’s degree and/or 5 years of progressive experience in Project or Program Management
• Experience in the printing or creative production industry strongly preferred, including exposure to:
  • Electronic prepress
  • Sheetfed, wide format, and digital print
  • Fulfillment, distribution, and installation
• Prior experience mentoring or leading other Project Managers preferred

Additional Details 

Work Environment: This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, and photocopiers. 

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand and sit; walk; use hands and fingers, handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; and push carts. The employee is occasionally required to stoop or kneel. The employee must frequently lift and move up to 5 pounds and occasionally lift and move objects up to 20 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Alcohol and Drug-Free Policy: We are an alcohol and drug-free workplace. Offers are contingent on the successful completion of background checks and drug screenings.  (While we prohibit impairment on the job, our policy does not restrict lawful, off-duty marijuana use.)

EEO: Premier Press provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any time without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.