Job Information
Color Ad Inc Senior Project Manager in Manassas, Virginia
About Us
Color-Ad is a custom exhibit and signage fabrication firm producing large-scale museum exhibits, interpretive environments, and national signage programs. We collaborate with leading design firms, cultural institutions, and government agencies to engineer, fabricate, and install projects that serve millions of visitors each year.
We frequently serve as the prime contractor, managing turnkey exhibit production from project turnover through installation and closeout. Our projects range from highly technical artifact cases to immersive environments with integrated AV, graphics, lighting, and custom fabrication.
Our clients include major cultural institutions and federal agencies with rigorous documentation, accessibility, and quality standards.
The Role
We are seeking aSenior Project Manager with direct exhibit industry experienceto lead complex museum and interpretive fabrication projects.
This role is designed for someone who has already managed large-scale exhibit projects at an established exhibit fabrication firm and understands the pace, complexity, and interdisciplinary coordination required in this industry.
If you have successfully led projects involving custom casework, integrated AV, graphic programs, artifact mounting coordination, and multi-phase installations this is the level we are seeking.
You will serve as the central driver of project execution from award through completion.
What Youll Do
- Lead large-scale exhibit and signage fabrication projects from turnover through installation
- Serve as the primary point of contact for clients, designers, consultants, and subcontractors
- Manage project budgets, schedules, billing, and forecasting
- Coordinate closely with internal departments:
- Engineering
- CAD detailing
- Woodshop
- Metal fabrication
- CNC
- Paint
- Graphics
- AV
- Installation
- Facilitate submittals, RFIs, revisions, and change orders
- Anticipate scope gaps and resolve issues before they affect schedule or production
- Manage fabrication sequencing in coordination with production supervisors
- Oversee procurement of specialty materials and subcontracted components
- Lead installation planning, logistics, and site coordination
- Maintain documentation standards required for institutional and government clients
What Were Looking For
Required Experience:
- 7+ years of project management experience within the exhibit fabrication industry
- Experience at an established exhibit or themed environment fabrication firm
- Demonstrated experience managing museum, interpretive, or immersive environment projects
- Experience coordinating multidisciplinary exhibit components (casework, graphics, AV, lighting, specialty finishes)
- Experience working with cultural institutions, federal agencies, or similarly structured clients
Core Competencies:
- Strong budget ownership and cost tracking experience
- Deep understanding of exhibit production sequencing and shop coordination
- Ability to read and interpret design intent drawings and identify constructability risks
- Skilled in navigating revisions and scope evolution without destabilizing schedule or margin
- Experience managing fabrication schedules tied to fixed installation deadlines
Leadership Style:
- Proactive and decisive
- Detail-oriented without losing sight of overall project strategy
- Comfortable making judgment calls when information is incomplete
- Able to hold internal teams accountable while maintaining collaborative relationships
- Confident in client-facing settings
Why Color-Ad?
Lead nationally recognized museum and exhibit projects
Work alongside a strong in-house fabrication team spanning wood, metal, CNC, graphics, paint, and AV
Direct visibility into production not managing fabrication from a distance
Opportunity to have real influence in a growing and evolvin