Project Manager: Planning, Community Engagement, & Communications in Portland, Oregon at Z Companies Inc

Position Overview

Zan Associates is seeking a full-time Project Manager to join our Portland, OR office. This project management role is ideal for someone who is excited to both deliver community engagement and communications work and manage smaller projects or contracts with guidance from senior staff.

You will be part of a collaborative team of planners, engagement specialists, and communications professionals and will report to the Oregon office lead. In this role, you will support and manage project work including task coordination, schedule tracking, budget monitoring, and quality control, while also actively participating in engagement activities and client deliverables. Over time, this role may grow to include increasing responsibility for independent project management and business development support.

Projects primarily focus on implementing community engagement and communications activities for infrastructure planning, design, and construction projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Support and manage assigned projects or tasks, including tracking scope, schedule, and budget for smaller projects or project components
• Deliver community engagement and communications activities, including preparing materials and participating directly in events and meetings
• Coordinate project work across internal team members and subconsultants with guidance from senior project managers
• Assist with client communications, meeting preparation, agendas, and follow-up
• Help plan and implement community engagement strategies aligned with client project goals
• Support and facilitate client meetings and community engagement activities, including both in-person and virtual events such as focus groups, public meetings, interviews, listening sessions, presentations, and pop-up events
• Draft and support the development of communications materials such as project fact sheets, notifications (mailers, flyers, e-newsletters, media releases), event materials, social media posts, and website content
• Perform quality assurance and quality control reviews of materials and deliverables
• Manage multiple project workplans, deadlines, and task assignments
• Track project hours and support project reporting and invoicing
• Stay up to date on best practices and emerging trends in community engagement and communications
• Participate in business development activities as appropriate, including proposal support and research
• Work evening and weekend hours as needed for community engagement activities (frequency varies by project)

Desired Abilities and Experience

The ideal candidate will bring the following skills, experience, and attributes:

Alignment with Zan’s Core Values

• We believe in the work we do
• We have a culture of high performance
• We are professionally opinionated
• We prioritize inclusivity and belonging
• We care about our team
• We are fun to work with

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in urban planning, communications, public policy, or a related field
• 3-5 years of relevant project management experience, or a comparable mix of education, internships, and professional experience
• Interest in and exposure to community engagement, public involvement, or infrastructure-related projects
• Experience or familiarity with consulting or professional services environments where time is tracked by project or client is a plus
• Interest in project management, including learning how to manage scope, schedules, and budgets
• Strongorganizational skills and ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex information for public audiences
• Comfort working both collaboratively and independently in a fast-paced environment
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Familiarity with project management tools or software is a plus
• CAPM, PMP (or interest in pursuing certification) is a plus but not required
• Experience or interest in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion practices is a plus
• Multilingual skills and/or visual communications experience are a plus
• Valid driver’s license required

Zan’s Oregon office is growing, and this position offers clear opportunities for professional development and advancement into more senior project management roles over time.