Focus Lab

Compensation

Full Description

Focus Lab is a strategic brand agency that’s looking for the next addition to our team. We're a U.S.-based, remote company with thoughtful, creative professionals, passionate about partnering with good companies. Leveraging our craft and care for others, we exist to unlock the potential in the people around us, both internally and externally. We approach challenges with process-driven intentionality to inform the solutions we create. Craft is our calling card, camaraderie is our brand. Role location: Remote, USA We’re looking for an early-career Project Manager to join our PM team. This role is open to U.S.-based and international candidates, but all applicants must be able to work within Eastern Time Zone hours. For international contractors, full availability from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM ET is required to ensure consistent overlap with our core collaboration hours. Please note: If you live in the U.S., we may ask for documentation verifying your legal right to work. Candidates located outside the U.S. will be considered independent contractors. Candidates must display strong proficiency in written and spoken English. About the role We’re looking for an early-career Project Manager to join our PM team—someone with 2–4 years of experience who is organized, eager to grow, and ready to take ownership of the logistics that power creative work. You might still be figuring out your long-term career path, but you’ve developed enough experience and confidence to lead projects with support. You’re comfortable asking questions, handling client communication, and keeping a lot of moving parts in motion without losing your cool. This is a Level 1 PM role, designed for someone who’s ready to dig in, grow their skills, and bring clarity and calm to our team. You’ll work closely with other PMs and team leads, and you’ll have access to mentorship and guidance as you develop your instincts and confidence in the role. You’ll be working directly with project teams that include strategists, writers, and designers. Your job is to be the champion of all things logistics and project organization. You’ll help ensure clients and internal teams are aligned on timelines, deliverables, scopes, and next steps. While the actual needs per client vary, the core PM responsibilities remain the same: plan ahead, communicate clearly, and keep the wheels turning. Consider these questions: Are you detail-oriented? Can you organize various moving parts across teams with comfort? Do you value listening? Are you able to reframe challenges as opportunities? Are you comfortable with critique and opposing opinions? Can you run a tight ship while still being flexible and empathetic? You can expect to: Support and lead logistics for client projects, primarily in brand and interactive spaces Manage, schedule, and attend regular client meetings Set up and circulate meeting agendas Schedule ad hoc internal or client meetings as needed Coordinate project timelines and deliverables with PM, Growth, and Delivery teams Track project progress and flag scope changes or delays early Handle client communication and manage follow-ups Take actionable meeting notes and share them with the appropriate team members Help set up project and situational processes alongside the PM team Triage project and scheduling roadblocks—and escalate when necessary Build strong, trust-based relationships with both internal and client teams Be present during East Coast working hours Use and navigate the following digital tools: Google Suite, Basecamp, Slack, Asana, Harvest/Forecast About you You’re early in your PM journey, but you’re not starting from scratch. You’ve had hands-on experience managing creative projects or internal teams. You may have held a title like coordinator, associate, or junior project manager—but you’ve been the person making sure people are prepped, meetings are productive, and deadlines are met. You’re looking for a team where you can grow and contribute, while also learning from others and becoming more confident in your instincts. The ideal candidate has: 2–4 years of project management or similar experience A strong sense of initiative—seeing what needs to be done and proactively making a plan for it A love for detail and organization Extremely strong written, verbal, and non-verbal communication skills The ability to serve as a critical communication bridge between our team and clients Comfort having tough conversations and asking hard questions Active and empathic listening skills The ideal candidate can demonstrate: A unique approach to this job opening—let us know why you're special! The ability to learn from your teammates Detail orientation: include the word “Applebee’s” somewhere in your application and earn yourself some bonus points Alignment with our core values Soft skills in the way of your humility, hunger, and people smarts It doesn’t matter what your degree is in or exactly how many years of experience you have. Many of our teammates are self-taught. We're looking to see that you are a focused and empathic communicator whose love of the PM craft goes beyond self-expression. We will cover the full benefits package further into the interview process, but the key benefits provided by Focus Lab are: Unlimited paid time off. You’ll be encouraged to take a minimum of 20 days outside of holidays and sick time. Health, dental, and vision insurance plans (medical covered at 100% for you 50% for your family dependents, dental covered at 50% for you and your family dependents) beginning first of the month following hire Life, disability, accident, critical illness, and cancer insurance plans Retirement plan beginning at your one-year anniversary Paid parental, adoption/caregiver leave Two weeks paid holiday rest at the end of the year Please note: Candidates hired as independent contractors outside the U.S. are not eligible for traditional employee benefits, such as health insurance or retirement plans. As independent contractors, you will be responsible for managing your own taxes, benefits, and insurance. However, we offer competitive compensation, and you may be eligible for certain perks or bonuses based on project performance. While international contractors are not eligible for formal paid time off (PTO), we encourage a healthy work-life balance and offer flexible scheduling to accommodate personal needs. Interested? Cool. Here’s how to apply: Tell us about yourself in the Summary. It doesn’t need to be long! Just let us know what gets you excited about this role, why you’d make a great addition at Focus Lab, two or three projects you’ve worked on and why they’re relevant, and what you see your future looking like with us. Make sure your application materials demonstrate at least some of the experience and qualities listed above. We understand that candidates will not check every single box we have here; most of us didn’t when we applied. If you are interested and can show that you’d make a great addition to the team, you should apply. What happens after you apply? This job posting will close on Tuesday, August 26th at 5pm EST. Our plan is to get through all the applications within a week after the job posting closes. Our goal is to start interviewing immediately, with an ideal start date of early-mid October. What does the interview process look like? A phone call with People Ops to discuss your interest and answer any initial questions you may have A video interview with the PM Director or Level 2 PM to discuss your experience and Focus Lab culture A video interview with the PM Director or a Partner to talk about your experience and how we collaborate Be who you are with us. We’re devoted to building an inclusive, supportive culture. That means we don’t discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We especially welcome people of color, women, and LGBTQIA+ to apply. At Focus Lab, you’ll find an empathetic crew who checks their egos at the door. We aim to assume the best of each other, strive for excellence in all we do, lean into tough situations, and feel empowered to own our work.