Freelance Print Buyer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Job Description C2's client, a full-service advertising and marketing agency in Milwaukee's Walker's Point neighborhood, functions as a true revenue development partner to their clients, not a typical agency. Strategy meets creative meets results, and they have the awards to prove it. They have a fairly urgent and immediate need for a Project Manager/Print Buyer to step in to help them prepare for their biggest client event of the year.

The right candidate has deep agency experience, strong history of print buying and negotiation success, traffic and timeline development, collaboration with creative teams and some event and production chops. The client prefers someone who can walk in ready to go with little time for a learning curve. Start Date: ASAP, late July, early August Duration: Full-time contract, 4 to 16 weeks with potential for extension Location: Hybrid, onsite Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at their Walker's Point offices Compensation: $30-$45/hour, commensurate with experience Benefits: Talent working 30+ hours/week for 30 consecutive business days are eligible for medical, dental, and optional vision insurance, life insurance and PTO accrual; 401(k) retirement plan with an employer match available for enrollment after 90 days Technology: Client provides hardware and software Job Description The Project Manager/Print Buyer owns print project timelines, vendor negotiations, and production coordination across multiple concurrent projects, partnering closely with account and creative teams to keep work moving on schedule and on budget.

Detail obsession is a must. This is a fast-paced agency environment where shifting priorities are a daily reality. Success comes from anticipating needs, keeping dozens of moving parts aligned, and maintaining meticulous attention to detail without losing momentum.

Responsibilities Own print project timeline creation, day-to-day project progress, and status documentation across concurrent projects, ensuring all deliverables hit production windows and vendor deadlines, in close coordination with the account and creative teams Prioritize and manage creative development for large-scale trade shows and regional events Support retail-based marketing material development including point-of-sale, collateral, and launch kits Partner with creative directors to assign work, balance workload across the creative team, coordinate freelance and contractor schedules, and help optimize resource utilization across active projects Manage print projects across offset printing, large-scale graphics, screen printing, and specialty premium items Negotiate estimates and production costs with print and fabrication vendors while maintaining quality, timelines, and competitive pricing Issue purchase orders, reconcile vendor invoices against approved estimates, and maintain accurate production documentation throughout project execution Oversee digital projects including front-end web design, animated graphics, and social content Manage secondary production including radio, photoshoots, wardrobe prep, and asset release for media placement across radio, TV, and print Work fluidly across Microsoft Office, SharePoint, Teams, Webvantage, Adobe Acrobat Pro, and Box Requirements Proven experience managing large-scale trade shows or dealer/distributor events with multiple audiences, environmental needs, and concurrent deliverables 6+ years of agency project management with primary responsibility for print production, vendor negotiation, and traffic management in B2B integrated marketing environments Able to consistently balance multiple creative resources, shifting priorities, and agency workflow across simultaneous projects Deep knowledge of offset printing, large-scale graphics, and specialty print production including estimating and vendor negotiation Experience managing production resources including photographers, talent agencies, editing studios, and retouchers Fluent in Microsoft Office (Excel, Outlook), SharePoint, Teams, Webvantage, Adobe Acrobat, Box Composure under pressure, proactive problem-solving, and genuine detail obsession Nice to Have Experience with Slack and Jira Complex data-driven sales promotion management Web designer and developer collaboration experience Established creative community connections Not your type of gig, but know someone who would be interested. Refer a qualified candidate, and if they get the job, you get a signing bonus. (Make sure they mention your name as their referral source so you get your well-deserved credit!) All candidates must be located and authorized to work in the United States.

C2 does not sponsor work visas. No C2C.