Project Manager

Location: Lake Bluff, Illinois

Country: United States

Category: Account & Project Management

Workplace Location: Onsite

Employment Type: Contract

Posted Date: February 26, 2026

Job ID: 643722

Job Description

The Planet Group is seeking a Project Manager to join one of our well-known global pharmaceutical clients. 

The Project Manager serves as the primary liaison between the Ad Agency and the brand teams and is responsible for managing the day-to-day relationships within the Agency. The Project Manager is responsible for the planning, scheduling and execution of all projects (print and digital) within the agency.  This role works closely with the assigned account manager to help coordinate daily activities and continue to develop the ongoing relationship with their respective brand teams to keep projects on schedule, on budget and on strategy.

  • Pay: $36.25-38.13/hr depending on experience 
  • Location: Hybrid in Mettawa, IL (3 days onsite, 2 days remote)
Project Manager Responsibilities:
  • Develop project schedules, allocate resources and communicate project status and schedules to all key stakeholders and ensure deliverables and key milestones are met on time and within budget
  • Conduct regular status meetings with internal teams and clients to review progress, identify risks, and develop mitigation strategies
  • Capture notes and distribute recaps with action items
  • Set up and manage routes for all projects through the internal agency approval process (Kantata, WorkFront) 
  • Understand the Medical/Legal/Regulatory (Veeva) review process and prepare all assets and documentation for submission and review in accordance with the client's Promotional Material Review Process
  • Coordinate interactive resources with studio/programming/creative leads
  • Be the primary point of contact for all third-party development/deployment vendors providing regular updates, managing expectations, and addressing any issues or concerns
  • Create, compile, and maintain project and department documentation as needed (technical documentation, server folder structure, spec sheets, estimate tracking, etc.)
  • Manage multiple projects in varying stages of development
  • Develop and maintain timelines
  • Allocate and secure resources
  • Work with others without direct authority to advance projects
  • Track time on a daily basis
  • Assist with providing estimates
  • Assist with billing and ensure billing is completed on schedule
  • Adhere to all company-wide financial policies 
  • Understand the client's promotional guidelines including, but not limited to, corporate branding, promotional material development, Veeva PromoMats review and corporate compliance
  • Understand the Agency Workflow Process including project initiation and kickoff, collaboration, necessary approvals, production and archiving
  • Partner with creative team on project initiatives
Project Manager Qualifications:
  • Bachelor degree required
  • 1-4 years of advertising agency experience (within the last 2-3 years) within account/client services
  • 1 year of pharmaceutical (not healthcare) experience within the agency
  • Proficiency using the Microsoft Suite of products (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint) and other systems (Kantata/Mavenlink, Workfront)
  • Adaptable problem solver with a client-service attitude workstyle
  • Strong attention to detail and excellent communications skills: verbal, presentation, written
  • Understanding of print and digital project lifecycles and different project management methodologies/styles
  • Ability to prioritize and multi-task to enhance productivity and manage workload
  • Ability to work in a high-volume, rapidly paced environment
  • Familiarity with print production process, web technologies and digital trends
  • High energy, positive, organized individual who is comfortable in a high-visibility role
  • Great collaborator with ability to focus on both the big picture and small details
  • Proactive, problem-solving skills
  • Digital experience is a plus
  • Bonus points for Pharmaceutical marketing experience (last 2-3 years)
  • Print-production experience is a plus

EEO Statement

The staffing industry has seen an increase in people falsely representing themselves as recruiters to gather personal information from job seekers. For your safety, do not provide sensitive data to anyone you have not spoken with thoroughly, never provide banking information during the application process, and always double check the email address of the Recruiter to ensure it’s from an official Planet domain (@theplanetgroup.com or @launchcg.com) - and not a domain with an alternative extension like .net, .org, or .jobs.

The Planet Group and our companies are equal opportunity employers. It is our practice not to discriminate against any employee or applicant based on any criteria, condition or basis protected by laws or regulations in the locations where we do business. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply. We celebrate diversity and are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect. We believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion enable us to better meet our mission and values while serving our clients across the globe. If you have a disability or handicap and would like us to accommodate you in any reasonable way, please inform your recruiter, or contact us, so that we can discuss the appropriate alternatives available.

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About The Planet Group

The Planet Group is a global professional services firm delivering strategic staffing and advisory solutions. We operate at the intersection of talent and transformation – connecting the right people with the right opportunities in the areas of technology, engineering, accounting & finance, digital marketing, and manufacturing.

As one of the largest staffing companies in the US, we operate with a global reach and a performance-first mindset. We partner with clients to move fast, stay agile, and drive measurable results – building high-impact teams that fuel transformation and growth.

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