Direct Mail Project Manager Jobs in Illinois (NOW HIRING)

Title: Creative Project Manager 

Exemption Status: Exempt

Department: Marketing and Communication

Reports to: Director, Design & Production

Year-Round Full-time

Hybrid: Requires a minimum of three days per week on-site at the Glencoe campus, Monday - Wednesday with additional on-site presence as needed.

Year-Round Full-time employees of the Chicago Botanic Garden are eligible for the following Benefits:

•  2026 A Guide to Your Benefits JP.pdf 

Compensation Philosophy:

At the Chicago Botanic Garden, our compensation philosophy is rooted in our core values: Growth, Understanding, Resilience, and Trust through Transparency. We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels respected, valued, and appreciated.

Our objective is to create compensation and growth opportunities for our employees that are highly competitive, internally equitable and transparent. The foundation of our efforts is a straightforward approach that can be easily communicated by managers with defined pay ranges for all positions. When posting job openings, we share the minimum salary up to the budgeted amount.

The starting salary for new staff members is determined by considering the salary range assigned to the position and by reviewing the candidate’s qualifications for the job as compared with job responsibilities. Prior work experience should be considered in determining the salary offer, provided that it is relevant to the job. Additional factors such as secondary language proficiency or advanced degrees that enhance performance may also be considered. A candidate’s salary may exceed the minimum amount based on factors such as experience, additional skills (e.g., secondary language proficiency), or pertinent degrees that enhance the individual’s contribution to the role but are not required. Opportunities for increased compensation are provided through referral bonuses, shift differentials, Thank You Pay, promotions, and periodic pay increases based on the Garden's overall performance and financial budgets.

Our total compensation and benefits package is people centric. We prioritize employee wellness across three pillars: physical, mental, and financial. Our goal is to offer innovative total rewards that support continuous professional growth, personal development, and provide the flexibility needed to balance personal and professional commitments.

Position Overview: The project manager in the Marketing and Communications department is responsible for planning, coordinating, and delivering creative projects that support the organization’s marketing and communications initiatives. This role serves as the primary liaison between the design team and stakeholders, ensuring projects are completed on time, within scope, and aligned with campaign objectives. The project manager will oversee workflows, optimize processes, and manage schedules to drive efficiency while maintaining the highest creative standards.

Responsibilities

In this role you will be responsible for the following:   

• Manage and monitor the full project lifecycle for design deliverables, from initiation through completion
• Prepare and manage bid proposals with external vendors, evaluating quotes and ensuring project specifications, costs, and timelines are met
• Coordinate production with printers, mail houses, and sign vendors, maintaining quality standards and resolving issues as needed
• Coordinate with stakeholders to establish schedules, set realistic expectations, and ensure timely feedback loops
• Align design deliverables with overall marketing and communications strategies, including landing pages, email campaigns, social media, print, and other creative assets
• Identify opportunities to develop and optimize design and production workflows for greater efficiency
• Create, track, and maintain project timelines, budgets, and resource allocation
• Serve as a central point of communication between creative staff, marketing teams, and business stakeholders
• Utilize Smartsheet and other project management tools to track and report on project progress

• Highly organized with strong attention to detail and time management skills.
• Creative and design-oriented mindset with the ability to think strategically.
• Collaborative and adaptable, able to work effectively in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to identify and implement workflow improvements.

Qualifications

Our ideal candidate will have the following:

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, design management, or a related field.
• 3+ years in creative project management, print production management, or related role within an agency, in-house creative team, or print vendor
• Deep understanding of prepress, offset and digital printing, large-format production, color management, paper stocks, and finishing techniques
• Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills
• Familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop)
• Proficiency with project management platforms
• Proven ability to work effectively with creative teams and manage stakeholder relationships.

Physical Demands: 

Office setting. Frequent sitting, standing, walking, bending, listening, speaking, and keyboarding. Use of office equipment including computers, telephones, copiers, scanners, and fax machines. Some requirements for lifting, pushing, or pulling items less than 30 pounds. 

Why Apply? 
Come work in a setting that is like no other as you support our mission: We cultivate the power of plants to sustain and enrich life. Take the first step toward being one of the employees who make the Garden one of the treasures of the Forest Preserves of Cook County. Apply today. Please note that applicants who do not meet the required qualifications will not be considered.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, or basis of disability, or any other federal, state, or local protected class.

Disclaimer: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and qualifications required of personnel so classified.

In accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, the Chicago Botanic Garden does not discriminate on the basis of sex in its programs or activities, including in employment or admissions. Please call (847) 835-8264 to contact our Title IX Coordinator should you have questions or concerns. Please do not call this number to inquire about job postings or the status of your application, or with solicitations from companies or third-party recruiters.