Creative Operations Director - Experiential Marketing Agency

As Creative Operations Director you will be supporting the Executive Creative Director (ECD) and Executive Director, Creative Innovation (EDCI) to ensure the smooth running of the creative department, you will manage the workflow, resource planning, commercial performance, and support in the hiring and talent management of the department.

The role will ensure creativity and innovation is maximised to potential throughout the agency from inception through to production, and will integrate into existing Agency and department processes and practises as well as enhancing our operations. This role will help us realise our ambition of delivering outstanding creative work while maintaining a commercial perspective.

Working closely with the Integrated Production Operations Director and Head of Agency Operations to ensure effective collaboration between the Creative, Account Management and Integrated Production departments. We want you to be a strong and supportive leader and instil a mentality of ambition, accountability and diligence in the team. The Creative Operations Team will report directly to you.

You will also collaborate with the other EMEAI offices’ creative operations teams to ensure the efficient and effective use of creative resource team across the region.

Key Accountabilities

• DELIVERY – You will ensure that the quality of our output is second to none
• INTEGRATION – Ensure that the collaboration between our Creative team and the rest of the Agency is harmonious and driven by producing the best work
• INNOVATION – Supporting the Creative team to share innovative ideas and to educate the Agency and our clients
• COMMERCIALITY – To support the ECD and EDCI with the structure of the department and to ensure that the team are mindful of delivering work that is commercially viable to the client and the Agency
• COLLABORATION – A partner to the ECD. Working closely with the ECD to demonstrate unified working and a desire to produce award winning work
• RESOURCE – Supported by the Creative Operations Team you will be responsible for ensuring that the department is resourced efficiently and effectively, this includes overseeing freelancer spend, making sure that the correct type, level and amount of resource is secured, and that latency is kept to a minimum
• TALENT MANAGEMENT - You will be responsible for ensuring the creative team have relevant, clear development plans that align with client requirements and the agencies expectations

Key Responsibilities

• Be the Creative Department gatekeeper, ensuring that processes are adhered to, briefs are submitted and that at all times you are aware of the status and workload of the department
• Ownership of the creative processes. Ensure that processes are clearly communicated to the wider business
• Ensure all creative projects are executed seamlessly, that all Creative project teams are clear on their roles & responsibilities at the point of project kick off, working proactively and positively to support the Producers and Account Management team to resolve any areas where there is a lack of clarity
• Oversight of resource allocations; join weekly meetings with Integrated Production and Account Management teams to discuss their resource requirements, status and pipeline projects
• Partner with Business Development to ensure we have the right resources to work on new business opportunities
• Ensure all members of the creative team understand the agency’s creative process and how best to interact with other departments through onboarding and collaboration sessions
• Responsible for audit and implementation of creative operations tools including AI solutions to help collaboration and efficiency
• Responsible for line management, training and development of the Creative Operations Team
• Selection and management of freelance creative project leads, tracking progress on their projects
• Work with the Finance team to ensure that resources are aligned to project scopes and rates
• Review cost and timing plans and to manage budgetary and timing constraints to ensure response meets client expectations, suggest proactive solutions to any challenges to scope or budgeted hours to the project leads and account management team
• Identify the need for creative freelancer support, ensure we are recruiting talent with appropriate skill and the engagement process is properly managed
• Track freelance spend to ensure profitability and work with the Finance Director to agree rates across differing client fee structures
• Actively participate in weekly departmental meetings and client project planning meetings
• Demonstrates experience of working with creatives to support, challenge and aid development during the ideation process - facilitating creativity and financial responsibility
• Department admin, reporting and approvals; holidays, freelancer invoice approvals, timesheets, etc
• Drive negotiation practises across projects to increase client profitability
• A willingness to take the initiative and identify where value can be added
• Collaborate with T&C and Head of Agency Operations to ensure we maintain effective ways of working and onboarding
• Operate as a department representative for all processes and best practices for sustainability
• Develop best practices for sustainable ways of working pertinent to Creative and communicate these to the department and wider agency
• Ensure that learnings from the post event debrief process are properly documented and taken forward to future years planning - in terms of Creative team deliverables, in addition to team structure and size
• Collaborate with the ECD and Creative Operations Team to provide ongoing guidance to the Account Management team regarding best practices for Creative team structures and hours required

About You

• Collaborative
• Passionate about creativity
• Strong ability to prioritise work and resources across clients and briefs based on short and long term needs
• Timings and budget expertise
• Pragmatic and solutions focused
• Celebrates their teams’ successes and provides platform for success
• Inspires and encourages departments to collaborate
• Unflappable under pressure, whilst remaining flexible and collaborative
• Always positive and leads by example
• Must be reliable, accountable and dedicated to success
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills
• Solution focused approach that can understand the practical and operational implications

Background, Skills and Experience

• Experience in a similar role and agency environment
• Financial management and strong commercial awareness
• Operationally pro-active, considerate and keen to develop those around you
• Proven project management ability, able to hands on project manage and assist others in best practises
• Great planning and organisational skills
• Experienced in resource and workflow planning
• Ability to multitask, deadline driven
• Excellent time management and the ability to prioritise
• Accurate and timely reporting
• Thorough knowledge and understanding of different creative disciplines