Project Manager

Freelance, remote

We are looking to bring on a smart, motivated Project Manager to help grow our design agency. This is an opportunity to join a shortlist of approved designers at a growing firm on a freelance or contract basis. You'll work with us project-by-project basis to deliver high-quality work to our clients and level up how we design and scale ventures at ADG. We are looking for designers of all experience levels and backgrounds. If in doubt, contact us or apply!

Want to make a big impact at a growing design company?

ADG partners with startups, venture capital, and large corporations to design and grow new business ventures through venture design and accelerator programs. Our firm has the expertise to offer both consulting and design services. We design, create and support the development of new products and services that redefine contemporary life.

At ADG, we practice a Design & Society approach which balances user needs, systems-thinking and business strategy. ADG has a global portfolio of successful projects across every continent except Antarctica.

Some of these past projects include designing a new venture that rethinks the global supply chain with a Japan-based global automotive manufacturer and leading a startup accelerator that catapulted a former Soviet country, Georgia, into a regional startup and technological hub.

What you'll do:

You will have the chance to collaborate with an integrated, global, and remote team of designers, researchers and strategists. Our work is fast-paced, never compromises on quality and pushes boundaries. Your work will never just sit on the shelf but will drive change from day one to decades into the future.

You will support the full process of building transformational innovations, including user and expert research, business and financial modeling, growth hacking, systems thinking and strategic foresight. You'll get to learn, experiment and try while owning a critical piece of the puzzle.

As a Project Manager with ADG, you'll be expected to:

• Step-by-step Planning - You'll create step by step plans for each role in the project, and have your finger on where each contributor is at and how it's all weaving into the greater whole. When things are not going to plan or not running as smoothly, you intervene early and tamper waves before they swell.

• Manage client projects You'll organize stakeholders, create partnerships with vendors, recruit research participants, source resources and experts, and manage the productive collaboration of a global, remote team alongside the Design Director.

• Manage team operations You'll create and make schedules, manage our tooling / tech stack, plan on-sites, and ensure high-quality work from across the project team. You'll be responsible for ensuring deliverables are on-time, so you'll need to clearly understand the project scope and timeline and keep the team on track of delivery.

• Manage client satisfaction You'll lead and support scoping meetings from high-level into detailed guides for team members. Support kickoffs and client check-ins to ensure each project is running smoothly. You'll think strategically about client needs and the design team's work to ensure client satisfaction and the success of ADG's overarching design program.

• Advise on operational excellence You'll help support ADG's internal operations with building a solid foundation for project excellence. You'll research and procure tools, recruit designers for when needs arise on projects, budget projects, and advance ADG's design practice to make it even more repeatable, scalable, and effective. Ultimately, your organizational content should become an asset to future projects at ADG.

• Understand and advance design at ADG Drawing on your exposure to design, business strategy, operations, systems and futures thinking, you'll speak to what makes ADG's approach to design cutting-edge and necessary in the volatile and challenging 21st century.

Attributes we're looking for:

• Self-starter you don't need the solution defined for you to be able to start tackling a problem.

• Detail-oriented you're able to manage complex projects, dependencies, and timelines to execute impeccably every time.

• Highly communicative you'll be working remotely for this role, so ask questions, keep up to date, and share progress regularly through our online channels.

• Ambitious you're hungry for growth, high-impact work, and learning from other smart team members and clients.

• Analytical critical thinking (quantitative and qualitative) drives our approach and being able to break down problems and analyze their components with rigor is essential.

• Systems and futures thinker believe design has the potential to impact businesses and societies and can see how design choices we make now reverberate and impact the future.

• Values trust and good work we do not negotiate on quality and build our reputation through trusted partnerships.

• Ideal experience We are hiring for all experience levels. We prefer a relevant Bachelor's or Master's degree and/or relevant work experience. Being able to present past projects and experiences that express your passions and skills is a must.

Benefits

• Join a roster of talented, global freelancers. Be pre-approved and the first to hear about meaningful work opportunities.

• Project lengths vary from 2-day workshops to several months of in-depth design and operational support. We recognize and honor that you may be working with other clients or on personal projects.

• Competitive rates based on level of experience and qualifications.

• A supportive and collaborative environment where everyone owns a piece of the work and contributes to a larger whole.

• Ability to work remotely anywhere around the world. Some projects have travel opportunities for in-person collaboration (often outside North America!). While we work primarily in PST we are open to considering candidates located anywhere around the world.

We're happy you've made it this far! Our mission to reimagine contemporary through design gives us energy every day. If that's something that also excites you, start the conversation by applying here.