Project Manager, Trends Tracker Dashboards

THE ROLE

The Project Manager sits within the Research Operations team and owns the delivery lifecycle for the FS&I Trends Tracker dashboard platform — from initial build through ongoing updates. This is a hands-on delivery role, not a research role: content and analytical direction for each dashboard comes from the market research strategists, while the PM owns functionality, timelines, and the connection between our team and the internal Dev team that builds the platform.

This is a newly created function with no existing playbook. The PM manages a growing portfolio of concurrent dashboard builds and updates, and is expected to build the processes, documentation, and communication routines that don't yet exist — establishing the foundation that future builds, and eventually future team members, will run on.

The PM does not own the client relationship directly — that responsibility sits with the VP/Project Team. Instead, the PM is the critical link that makes sure client requirements reach Dev clearly, and that Dev's progress, questions, and constraints make their way back to the VP and client-facing team in time to make good decisions.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Kickoff & Requirements

For each new dashboard build, the PM turns a client ask into something Dev can act on — before a single line of the build begins.

• Serves as primary point of contact for the Dev team, resolving questions and concerns related to each Tracker build
• Works with the VP/Project Team to confirm an accurate understanding of each client request before documenting it
• Develops and delivers handoff documentation to the Dev team outlining Tracker requirements and specifications for each build

Build & Development

Once a build is underway, the PM keeps it moving, keeps stakeholders informed, and manages anything that falls outside the original scope.

• Monitors Tracker build progress against project timeline and milestones across all active builds, flagging risks proactively
• Communicates Tracker build status to the VP/Project Team, including progress, challenges, and open questions
• Escalates unresolved issues or risks to the VP/Project Team, ensuring timely visibility and decision-making
• Manages scope change requests during the build — documents requested changes, obtains cost and timeline estimates from Dev for any out-of-scope work, and provides this information to the VP/Project Team to secure client approval before work begins; communicates approved changes to Dev to proceed
• Creates Tracker infrastructure using the Tracker tool (Micro & Macro Trends and Structural Forces) with direction from the VP/Project Team
• Uploads keywords provided by the Project Team into the Tracker platform
• Conducts functionality testing of each Tracker build; logs and reports issues and ensures timely resolution by Dev
• Ensures build milestones are met and final delivery occurs on schedule

Pre-Launch & Sign-Off

• Identifies all end users requiring access to each Tracker and coordinates with Dev to confirm appropriate permissions (view/edit) are in place prior to launch
• Obtains final sign-off from all stakeholders confirming the Tracker meets requirements and is approved for launch

Post-Launch & Ongoing Updates

• Assesses client-requested changes or updates following test link review — identifies associated costs and timeline impacts and communicates findings to the VP/Project Team for decision
• Manages the ongoing update cycle for each live Tracker — tracking requests, resolving queries, and confirming updates are delivered on time and functioning as specified

Process & Documentation

Because this function is brand new, a meaningful part of the role is building the operating structure it will run on — for this build, and every one after it.

• Creates and maintains documentation, templates, and issue-tracking practices for a function that currently has none, so the process is repeatable across builds
• Proactively stays informed on developments relevant to active or upcoming builds, even where no formal process yet exists for looping the PM in
• Identifies opportunities to improve the Tracker build process as the portfolio grows, bringing recommendations — not just problems — to the VP/Project Team

Professional Development

• Develops deep familiarity with the Tracker platform's functionality and configuration options over time
• Builds working knowledge of the market research trends domain sufficient to translate client and strategist requirements accurately for Dev
• Actively seeks to take on greater ownership of the Tracker function as it matures

COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK

Five competencies define expected behaviours at the Trends Tracker PM level and anchor performance review conversations.

1. Build & Delivery Execution

What distinguishes a strong PM in this role is not that a Tracker build gets delivered — it's that it moves forward without needing to be chased. Top performers spot build risk early enough that it's resolved before it reaches the VP, and they bring a solution alongside any problem, not a problem and a wait for direction.

2. Cross-Team Communication

The differentiator here is proactive visibility. Because this role sits between Dev and the VP/Project Team, with no established process for being looped in, a strong PM builds their own channels of awareness rather than waiting to be invited, and gives the VP the update before they have to ask for it.

3. Scope & Cost Awareness

This is what separates a PM who manages tasks from one who manages outcomes: recognizing the moment a request falls outside existing scope, getting an accurate cost and timeline read from Dev, and surfacing it to the VP clearly and early rather than letting it drift into the build unnoticed or unapproved.

4. Building the Foundation

Because this function is new, the differentiator isn't managing a team — it's leaving behind documentation, process, and structure that make the next build, and the next person in this seat, faster than the last. A strong PM treats every build as a chance to improve the playbook, not just complete the task.

5. Continuous Improvement

Top performers do not wait to be asked before flagging friction in the Dev handoff or build process, and they arrive with a concrete recommendation rather than a complaint. They build their own expertise in the Tracker platform over time, treating it as a personal standard rather than something driven by their manager.

SUCCESS PROFILE

Performance indicators for this role.

Quantitative indicators

• On-time delivery: 95% or more of Tracker builds meeting the agreed launch date
• Issue resolution: 95% or more of logged Tracker issues resolved by Dev within the agreed turnaround window
• Scope change turnaround: cost and timeline estimates for out-of-scope requests delivered to the VP/Project Team within 1-2 business days of the request
• Documentation build-out: proactively identifies and flags process areas lacking documentation, and establishes accurate, usable documentation to close those gaps — with all core Tracker processes (handoff, issue logging, scope-change tracking, sign-off) documented within the first two build cycles
• Documentation management: once established, handoff documentation and issue logs are kept current and complete across all active builds

Qualitative indicators

• VP/Dev feedback: consistently rated as responsive, clear, and easy to work with by both the VP/Project Team and Dev
• Handoff documentation: complete and accurate documentation produced for every build, usable by Dev without repeated clarification
• Process contribution: active contribution to establishing or improving the Tracker build process, reflecting the function's early stage