Project Manager - Kraemer Design + Production

PlayCore Careers•Cincinnati, OH

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

KD+P is seeking a highly organized, detail-oriented Project Manager to lead interactive projects from kickoff through design development, fabrication coordination, delivery, and on-site installation. This role is responsible for keeping projects moving, aligning internal teams and external partners, managing schedules and budgets, coordinating client communication, and ensuring that deadlines are met and installations are completed safely, professionally, and to KD+P’s quality standards. The ideal candidate is comfortable managing complex, custom-built environments with many moving parts, including exhibit design, graphics, fabrication, AV/media, millwork, specialty interactives, shipping logistics, subcontractors, punch lists, and onsite install crews. Experience in exhibit installation management, construction management, museum exhibit fabrication, themed environments, architectural interiors, or custom commercial build-outs is strongly preferred.

Requirements

3+ years of project management experience in exhibits, construction, fabrication, architecture, interiors, themed entertainment, museums, experiential design, or a related custom-build environment.
Strong ability to manage schedules, budgets, vendors, deliverables, documentation, and competing priorities.
Comfort reading and coordinating drawings, scopes of work, installation plans, shop drawings, finish schedules, or related technical documents.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills with clients, internal teams, vendors, and field crews.
Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to make practical decisions when project conditions change.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools and comfort learning project management, scheduling, file-sharing, and documentation systems.
Ability to travel for site visits, client meetings, vendor reviews, and onsite installations as project needs require.
Professional judgment, accountability, follow-through, and a collaborative working style.

Nice To Haves

Exhibit installation management, museum exhibit fabrication, construction management, or commercial interiors experience.
Experience coordinating onsite crews, subcontractors, general contractors, AV/media teams, millworkers, graphics installers, or specialty fabricators.
Experience with children’s museums, science centers, visitor centers, nature centers, family attractions, or high-traffic public environments.
Knowledge of durable materials, interactive components, casework, graphics, lighting, AV/media, accessibility, safety, and visitor-centered design considerations.
Familiarity with project management platforms, construction administration workflows, punch-list tools, and cloud-based documentation systems.
Understanding of custom fabrication timelines, procurement, freight, installation sequencing, field coordination, and closeout processes.

Responsibilities

Manage assigned projects from kickoff through final installation, closeout, and client handoff.
Build and maintain project schedules, milestone trackers, budgets, deliverable lists, meeting notes, and action-item logs.
Coordinate internal design, graphics, content, production, and leadership teams to keep project work aligned with scope, schedule, and client expectations.
Serve as a primary point of contact for clients, vendors, fabricators, contractors, consultants, and installation partners.
Review project scopes, proposals, drawings, fabrication documents, submittents, change requests, and installation plans for completeness and coordination needs.
Track project budgets, purchase orders, vendor pricing, change orders, and billing milestones in partnership with leadership and administration.
Coordinate fabrication oversight, vendor communication, sample reviews, production timelines, shipping logistics, and site readiness requirements.
Plan, manage, and support onsite exhibit installations, including crew coordination, daily priorities, issue resolution, safety awareness, punch-list tracking, and client communication.
Anticipate risks, identify blockers early, and communicate clear options and next steps to the team and client.
Ensure project documentation is accurate, organized, and accessible, including meeting summaries, decisions, approvals, field notes, photos, closeout documents, and warranty-related information.
Support quality control by reviewing finished work against design intent, durability expectations, visitor use, safety considerations, and family-focused interactivity.
Represent KD+P professionally in client meetings, site visits, vendor discussions, and installation environments.
Prepare installation plans, site schedules, manpower needs, tool/equipment requirements, and daily work priorities.
Coordinate with client facility teams, general contractors, electricians, AV integrators, fabricators, freight carriers, and specialty subcontractors.
Confirm site readiness, access, staging areas, delivery windows, floor protection, safety requirements, and installation constraints before crews arrive.
Lead or support onsite check-ins, progress updates, issue tracking, punch-list management, and final walkthroughs.
Help resolve field conditions, missing information, damaged items, fit conflicts, sequencing issues, and last-minute coordination needs.
Maintain a calm, solutions-oriented presence in the field while protecting KD+P’s quality standards, schedule, and client relationships.