Production Manager for Challenges, Prizes, and Competitions
 
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
 
The Manager of Challenges, Prizes, and Competitions will be a key player in identifying, defining the scope, planning, scheduling, and managing multiple challenges, prizes, and competitions. Candidates need to be comfortable interfacing externally with clients from the public and private sectors and subject matter experts across a variety of fields.  Internally, this role will work across several functional areas such as prize design, marketing, creative, and digital to oversee the delivery of all challenge products. An ideal candidate possesses exceptional leadership, strong organizational skills, and multi-tasking abilities.  The individual will be called upon to lead several competition projects and ensure their completion is successful, timely, and on budget.
 
The Manager's primary responsibilities are:
 
Production
•Manage the challenge design process from beginning to end, including planning, scheduling, and managing timelines, milestones, and deliverables
•Define the scope, goals, criteria and guidelines for challenges
•Write detailed challenge design documents and/or rules based on primary and secondary research, interviews with subject matter experts, and collaboration with internal and client stakeholders
•Manage budgets to ensure projects meet objectives
•Develop and own full-scale project plans
 
Client and Staff Management
•Set and manage project expectations with stakeholders
•Determine and assess need for additional staff and/or subject matter experts
•Delegate tasks and responsibilities to appropriate personnel and identify and resolve issues and conflicts within the project team, including working with web development, technical, marketing, and advertising personnel to execute projects
•Assist in development of marketing, social media, PR, and other outreach efforts
 
Reporting and Optimization
•Develop and deliver status reports, requirements documentation, and professional presentations
•Manage changes in project scope, identify potential crises, and devise contingency plans
•Conduct post prize case studies and create recommendations for future projects
 
Leadership
•Assist thought leadership efforts and be a leader in the challenges, prizes, and competitions industry
•Participate in challenges, prizes, and competitions and related industry events
 
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
 
•5 years of experience.  Experience related to challenges, prizes, or custom contests preferred
•Bachelor degree; Master’s degree preferred in a related field, preferably a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) discipline
•Working proficiency using cloud-based project management tools
•Strong oral and written technical communication skills, including presentation skills
•Ability to work independently, manage small engagements or parts of large engagements
•Strong problem-solving and troubleshooting skills with the ability to exercise mature judgment
•Advertising agency, developer, or consulting experience is a plus
 
PERSONAL ABILITIES AND CHARACTERISTICS
 
•Self-starter who takes the initiative to develop projects, completes tasks on time, solves roadblocks and address issues before they become problems
•Collaborative approach and appreciation/enjoyment working as part of a team
•Exceptional organizational abilities, time management, and attention to detail
•Ability to thrive and think creatively and calmly in highly fluid situations and under intense schedules, pressure and deadlines
•Personable, professional and calm demeanor
•Patience and flexibility
•Outstanding interpersonal skills and can-do attitude
 
About Sensis
Sensis is a cross-cultural advertising agency with digital at its core.
We opened our doors in 1998. We got our start building websites and have expanded into a full service advertising agency. Our work is explicitly cross-cultural, working across diverse markets to maximize mainstream resources and reach. Sensis drives integration—digital with traditional, ethnic with general market—through intuitive web design, legitimate social media programs, and multicultural relevance.
 In addition to a competitive compensation package, we offer a generous amount of paid time off (PTO), paid holidays, health/dental/vision insurance, a 401(k) plan, along with other benefits.