Senior Creative Project Manager

About Creative Realities

Creative Realities, Inc. (NASDAQ: CREX) is a full-service, digital signage solutions company with a passion and purpose of connecting brands and people in spaces and places they love. We design, develop, deploy, and maintain digital experiences that are contextually relevant, omni-channel, and specific to the physical environment. Our approach is consultative, tech-agnostic, and solution centric. Our capabilities are end-to-end with the ability to deploy at scale - whether its thousands of locations or a single flagship experience. We specialize in key verticals including Automotive, C-Store, QSR, Heath Care, Retail, and Sports & Entertainment with extensive experience in how digital transforms these environments. Our purpose-built CMS software and ad-revenue / monetization platforms are considered best in class and serve as the backbone for successful installations and ongoing support. Visit www.CRI.com for our full story.

Areas of Concentration

Digital Signage | Digital Design | Schedules | Budgets

About the Position

As a Senior Creative Project Manager, you will play a pivotal role in orchestrating the successful execution of complex creative projects for Tier One clients, serving as the primary liaison between them and cross-functional teams. Your extensive expertise in project management, team coordination, and client relationship management will be critical in driving seamless collaboration, optimizing processes, and delivering exceptional project outcomes.

In this highly technical and strategic role, you will manage multiple fast-paced creative projects —from strategy to concept to production— while collaborating with a diverse array of customers and creatives. You will be tasked with not just identifying and clarifying clients’ objectives and needs, but also transforming them into innovative creative recommendations and comprehensive creative briefs. Additionally, you will present outputs and engage in constructive feedback discussions with stakeholders and team members.

Daily responsibilities include overseeing project scope, budget, planning, coordination, and execution; curating assets for our implementation team; and motivating the creative team to exceed customer expectations consistently across all projects. You will partner closely with clients to assist them in leveraging our creative capabilities to achieve their business objectives, while providing mentorship and support for the continuous development of team members.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute comprehensive project plans for creative initiatives, aligning them with strategic objectives, timelines, and resource allocations.
• Assume full ownership of projects and engage senior management as needed to ensure alignment with company and client objectives.
• Manage a team of direct reports, providing guidance, mentorship, and performance evaluations to ensure their growth and success within the organization.
• Proactively manage project timelines and milestones, identifying and addressing potential risks and roadblocks, while ensuring proper approvals are obtained and documented.
• Serve as the senior point of contact for Tier One clients and internal stakeholders, providing insightful project updates, managing expectations, and addressing any concerns promptly.
• Coordinate and enhance communication between team members, facilitating efficient information flow and ensuring all stakeholders remain updated on project status and developments.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive project documentation, encompassing project briefs, timelines, status reports, and meeting notes, utilizing advanced project management tools such as Confluence or equivalent software.
• Monitor project budgets and expenses meticulously, accurately tracking costs associated with design resources, SaaS, and external vendors to ensure fiscal responsibility.
• Oversee all project billing in accordance with the defined scope of work, ensuring accuracy and timeliness.
• Foster a culture of collaboration and innovative thinking within the team, driving high-quality creative outcomes.
• Implement advanced project management methodologies and best practices, tailoring processes to meet the unique challenges of creative projects.
• Collect, organize, and maintain all required assets in an accessible format for the design team, enhancing workflow efficiency.
• Ensure strict quality control by reviewing design deliverables for accuracy, consistency, and alignment with overarching project goals.
• Mitigate project risks through proactive identification of potential issues, developing comprehensive contingency plans, and making necessary adjustments to keep projects on track.
• Collaborate closely with Support teams to address escalations regarding network health and project deliverables.
• Cultivate a positive and collaborative team environment, mentoring team members and supporting their professional growth while maintaining high-performance standards.
• Continuously evaluate project performance, gathering feedback and insights to identify opportunities for process improvement and increased operational efficiency.

Education and Experience

• 7+ years of installation project-related experience, with a progressive track record in project management.
• In-depth knowledge of digital signage, commercial display solutions, and/or interactive kiosk industries preferred.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Business, or a related field required; Master’s degree strongly preferred.
• Proficient user of software CRM tools with emphasis on analytics and reporting.
• PMP certification strongly preferred.
• Strong command of Microsoft Office applications, with emphasis on data analysis and presentations.
• Exceptional technical aptitude and the ability to translate complex technical concepts for non-technical stakeholders.

Key Competencies and Behaviors

• Highly adaptable and able to respond swiftly to unforeseen project changes and evolving customer requirements.
• Self-motivated and achievement-oriented, with superior planning and time management capabilities.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present to high-level stakeholders.
• Strong team-oriented approach, with proven ability to collaborate cross-functionally and influence without direct authority.
• Positive mindset with a keen initiative to learn and grow.
• Comfortable working in a deadline-driven, dynamic business environment with shifting priorities.

Core Values The ideal candidate represents these six core values:

• Passionate: We are a group of passionate people. This is the best way to describe TEAM CRI. We work hard and we are proud of the results we produce each and every day. And, we have some fun along the way
• Respectful: We value diversity and unique contributions. We foster a trusting, open and inclusive environment. We treat our clients, partners and our team in a manner that reflects these values.
• Do the Right Thing: We do what we say we will do. Our actions shall always be fully transparent and genuine. Our dealings with clients, co-workers and partners must always be conducted with honesty.
• Helps First: We are stronger when we work together. We help first, whether it’s with our clients or our internal teams.
• Nimble Minded: When conventional thinking and processes fail, we want to be the first to provide fresh ideas and solutions. We break through adversity and respond quickly.
• Expects Excellence: What we deliver is what we will be measured on. We are committed to getting it right.

Benefits

Company paid individual portion of Medical, Life, Long and Short-Term Disability insurances; access to participate in company Dental and Vision insurance programs; eligibility for a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) with HSA option, FSA, DCFSA; 401(k) program, including company paid match of up to 3% of annual salary; paid time off and holiday pay.