Sr. Project Manager (Contract)

About the Role We are seeking a Sr. Project Manager (contract) to lead cross-functional teams on complex digital projects within Fresh's Digital Studio. The role drives delivery across design and development workstreams, ensures projects stay on time and in scope, and serves as the primary point of contact for clients to build strong, lasting relationships. What You'll Do

• Ensure projects are executed on time, on budget, and in scope while maintaining quality by actively managing scope, schedule, resources, risks and issues.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive project documentation including status reports, meeting notes, and action items.
• Proactively identify and communicate issues and risks; collaborate with team leads to determine solutions and escalate to Studio leadership for high-touch issues.
• Utilize effective escalation processes to ensure high-quality delivery, address concerns, remove obstacles, and provide transparent communication.
• Establish and manage project timelines and deliverables, pivoting plans as needed to meet changing requirements on large complex projects with minimal supervision.
• Foster strong relationships with internal teams to meet client expectations and maintain a high quality bar for our work.
• Monitor progress daily and provide weekly status reports (budget, variance, milestones/deliveries, issues/risks, decisions) to internal and external stakeholders.
• Lead meetings with clients and internal teams with clear agendas; facilitate conversations to achieve objectives and track action items.
• Lead teams in following internal processes for delivery; enhance processes to generate efficiencies and increase velocity; propose changes to improve delivery quality.
• Participate in the project estimation process, capture PM activities, and challenge discipline estimates for accuracy.
• Negotiate and resolve conflict within teams and with clients; draft scope content for SOWs and change requests.
• Ensure resource forecasts are up-to-date for your projects on a weekly basis and review/approve project invoices.
• Note: This position includes frequent travel — one trip per month to client site and occasional additional trips, depending on deliverables. What We're Looking For
• 7-10 years of experience in project management of digital products and services (design/UX, developers, strategists).
• Experience in a consulting company or agency, managing external clients.
• Proficiency in agile and waterfall methodologies.
• Proven ability to manage complex projects; capable of developing strong solutions without supervision.
• Strong analytical and decision-making abilities.
• Ability to function independently and comfortable with ambiguity.
• Strong ability to lead conversations with clients and present information to effectively manage projects.
• Proactive and detail-oriented with excellent organization and planning skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Project Management certifications are a bonus but not required. Nice to Have
• PM certifications are a bonus but not required. Compensation & Benefits
• Hourly contractor rate: $65-$75 USD per hour for a Washington-State-based role.
• Compensation offered will be determined by factors such as location, level, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.