Senior Project Manager

SimpsonScarborough•Alexandria, VA

4d•$80,000 - $95,000•Remote

About The Position

At SimpsonScarborough, we spend our days building brands that endure, inspire, and elevate the all-important work of colleges and universities in shaping our future. Recognized as a leader in the higher education marketing industry, we are a fully remote team of approximately 70 employees working coast to coast. We're looking for a Senior Project Manager to lead complex, cross-functional engagements with precision, accountability, and a sharp eye for both delivery and process. This role is central to how we do our best work for clients — managing project plans, budgets, timelines, and teams with the kind of ownership and rigor that keeps high-stakes initiatives on track and on budget. The Senior Project Manager partners closely with clients, practice area leads, and internal teams to drive clarity at every stage of a project — from initial scoping through final delivery. If you're someone who thrives on structure, communicates proactively, and knows how to navigate complexity without losing the thread, we'd love to connect.

Requirements

At least 5 years of project management experience, including at least 1 year in a Senior PM role within a marketing agency environment.
Proven track record managing large-scale, complex projects with multiple stakeholders.
Hands-on experience with project planning, task management, budgeting, resourcing, and forecasting in an agency setting.
Proficiency with project management software (Wrike, Asana, ClickUp, or comparable platforms).
Strong data fluency — able to analyze and interpret project and financial data to inform decisions.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills; confident leading meetings across teams and organizational levels, in person and remotely.
Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to independently prioritize, problem-solve, and meet deadlines.

Responsibilities

Lead end-to-end project management on complex, cross-functional engagements — developing project plans that include budgets, timelines, RACIs, and resource plans.
Serve as a key client contact throughout the project lifecycle — providing updates, addressing concerns, and ensuring client satisfaction from kickoff to close.
Manage internal project infrastructure: set up and maintain projects in the PM system, assign tasks, track progress, and ensure all timelines and resources are accurately reflected.
Identify, communicate, and mitigate project risks — including financial risks — keeping projects on budget and escalating deviations appropriately.
Lead internal project calls including phase kickoffs, status check-ins, and post-mortems.
Partner with the sales team on project scoping, bringing expert insight to define requirements, timelines, and budgets accurately.
Continuously look for opportunities to improve processes, increase efficiency, and drive innovation in how projects are delivered.