Assistant To Project Manager Jobs in Ontario (NOW HIRING)

Zenith is the ROI Agency. Our more than 6,000 specialists across 95 markets offer unparalleled capabilities in Media, Data, Technology, Commerce and Content. We put effectiveness at the heart of our work to solve complex challenges, drive successful business outcomes, and grow our clients' businesses. Zenith is part of Publicis Media, the media arm of Publicis Groupe.

Over the past year, Publicis Media has been transforming the way we do our business. From structuring our investment practice around data and digital to bringing our strategy, data sciences and research practice under one house, we've been shaping Publicis Media to be the media network of tomorrow. One that both you and I want to work at.

Publicis Media Canada is proud to be Great Places to Work certified and recognized with Best Workplaces for Today's Youth. We provide continuing opportunities for career growth by fostering a diverse work environment that respects and supports individual contributions and opinions.

We also offer our employees market leading benefit and incentive programs. You'll be provided with 3 weeks minimum vacation to start plus additional long weekend Publicis days, holidays closures, your birthday off, free Headspace memberships, wellness and technology credits, and a market leading savings plan.

We strive to provide what matters to you personally with the ability to choose and modify programs to suit your lifestyle

We're looking for a builder-not just a project manager, but someone who can establish and scale a project management function at Zenith. This role is for someone who thrives in creating structure from ambiguity, implementing automation and AI, and driving efficiency, collaboration, and clarity across our teams.

You'll be responsible for:

• Defining and implementing best-in-class project management practices tailored to a fast-moving media agency.
• Introducing automation, no-code, and low-code solutions to streamline workflows.
• Exploring and integrating AI-powered assistants and process automation to enhance productivity.
• Aligning project management frameworks with business needs-balancing structure with the agility needed in a media agency environment.
• Partnering with senior leadership to drive operational excellence.
• Focusing initially on commission-based clients, where productivity gains will have the most immediate impact on the agency's bottom line.

This is not a role for someone looking to maintain existing processes-it's a role for someone who wants to build them.

1. Build and Implement a Project Management Function

• Establish and document a Zenith-standard approach to project management (tailored for media, strategy, and analytics teams).
• Design and roll out processes, tools, and templates to improve project execution, cross-team alignment, and delivery quality.
• Develop a clear workflow structure that balances process discipline with flexibility for media teams.
• Define SLAs, deliverables, and review processes to ensure efficiency and accountability.
• Prioritize process improvements for commission-based clients first, where increased productivity directly impacts revenue.

2. Automate and Optimize Workflows

• Identify bottlenecks and implement automation solutions using Microsoft Loop, Planner, Power BI, and other Microsoft 365 tools.
• Introduce no-code/low-code tools to reduce reliance on manual work and repetitive tasks.
• Implement AI-powered solutions (e.g., Microsoft Copilot, and other agent-based workflows) to enhance efficiency and reduce friction in communication and approvals.
• Develop self-serve dashboards and reporting tools to improve visibility into project progress and resource allocation.
• Drive Cross-Team Collaboration & Accountability
• Work across media, strategy, analytics, and client services to ensure seamless collaboration.
• Implement intake and scoping processes to define clear project ownership, roles, and responsibilities.
• Partner with senior leadership to ensure team bandwidth and resources are allocated effectively.
• Foster a culture of proactive problem-solving-encouraging teams to flag issues before they escalate.

3. Implement AI & Agent-Based Solutions for Project Execution

• Stay ahead of AI trends and explore AI assistants/agents that can support project workflows.
• Integrate AI tools into task tracking, resource allocation, and reporting.
• Evaluate emerging agent-based AI models for their potential to optimize workflows in media planning, reporting, and operations.

4. Improve Reporting, Tracking & Decision-Making

• Define clear KPIs and reporting mechanisms to measure project efficiency, turnaround times, and team productivity.
• Automate reporting on project status, workloads, and deliverables to improve transparency.
• Use data to recommend process improvements and resourcing decisions.

Project Management Leadership: Experience building a PM function from scratch or transforming an existing one.

Automation & No-Code/Low-Code Mastery: Deep knowledge of tools like Microsoft Power Automate, Loop, Planner, and Power BI.

AI & Process Optimization: Experience implementing AI-powered workflows, Microsoft Copilot, and agent-based automation.

Media/Agency Knowledge: Understands media agency environments and how media teams operate.

Agile & Hybrid Project Management: Comfortable blending Agile, Kanban, or waterfall methodologies to fit agency needs.

Technology & Ops-Minded: Knows how to connect tools, build integrations, and optimize systems for productivity.

Strong Stakeholder Management: Works well with senior leadership, client teams, media, strategy, and analytics functions.

Nice-to-Have Skills & Experience

Experience with Microsoft Project and other enterprise PM tools.

Background in media buying, media planning, or strategy.

Experience leading change management initiatives in fast-paced environments.

Strong understanding of revenue impact tracking and agency financials.

Success in This Role Looks Like

• First 90 Days:
• Conduct a full audit of existing processes, pain points, and tool usage.
• Roll out quick-win automations to improve immediate efficiencies.
• Implement a basic project tracking system that gives leadership visibility.
• First 6 Months:
• Establish a Zenith-standard PM methodology and framework.
• Implement a scalable automation stack for common workflows.
• Introduce AI-powered efficiency tools into project execution.
• Ensure all major teams have a clear understanding of their roles in workflows.
• First Year:
• Fully operational PM function that enhances productivity and reduces complexity.
• AI-powered solutions that significantly reduce manual effort and increase efficiency.
• A structured approach to resource planning and workload balancing.
• Clear KPIs and reporting in place to track progress and optimization areas.

Who This Role Is For

This role is not for someone who just maintains timelines and Gantt charts.

This is for someone who:

Loves building systems from scratch and creating scalable efficiencies.

Embraces automation, AI, and no-code solutions to optimize workflows.

Thrives in fast-moving environments and can balance speed with quality.

Enjoys solving operational bottlenecks with structured, practical solutions.

Understands the business impact of project management and how to align processes with revenue growth.

Thinks commercially and prioritizes productivity wins for commission-based clients first.

AI Use

We use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of our hiring process, such as reviewing applications or analyzing resumes. These tools assist our recruitment team but never replace human decision-making. We believe in a human-first approach, where your experience and potential are recognized by people.

Zenith is an equal opportunity employer and we welcome and encourage applications from all interested parties. Accommodations are available, upon request, for all stages of the interview and employment process for those with a disability or medical need during any stage of the recruitment process. We thank all candidates for their interest in Zenith , however, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.