Project Director

Overview

Project Director

Combining collaborative leadership, strategic thinking, creative planning, and clear communications, the Project Director holds the vision and steers the project course. Working in close partnership with the Creative and Strategic Director, they keep the plan, status, and what’s
on the horizon, front of mind.

The Project Director is accountable for balancing the highest standards of creative excellence and efficiency with the successful delivery of a project for the client.

Why the job exists

• The Project Director is accountable for driving and delivering the clients branding projects from the initial pitch and proposal through to completion and beyond — marketing the project, growing client relationships and identifying future opportunities.
• They are also responsible for driving the definition and creation of the internal processes and systems in the business.

Key relationships

All roles at the client are deeply collaborative by nature.

The Project Director:

• Reports directly to the Managing Director
• Works in close partnership with a project’s Creative Director, Strategy Director and other Project Directors
• Leads a project team with the Creative Director
• Line-manages any future project support staff
• Main point of contact for the clients and suppliers

Core responsibilities

• The role is focused on five overarching responsibilities that we believe critical for a projects’ success.
• The extent of each responsibility varies throughout a project’s lifecycle and from project-to-project.
• Direction strategic thinking, problem-solving, scoping and proposal writing, helping to pitch
• Planning project set-up, sequencing, mobilising workstreams, resourcing, workflow
• Delivery briefing, driving action, reviewing and sense-checking deliverables
• Communication team management, managing partners
• Client relationships Client happiness and developing new busines

Competencies WHAT a Project Director is truly capable of

Mindset and approach

• Thinks strategically about projects from all angles, balancing creative ambition with time, budget and client expectation.
• Helps others to see options that can inform the best decisions.
• A horizon-scanner. Armed with foresight they can clearly articulate potential challenges or pitfalls before they become problems.
• Ability to capitalise on opportunities ahead of time.
• Anticipates where further resource or a detailed level of scoping is required, suggesting solutions that work best for the team, the business and the client.
• Comfortable with uncertainty, looking to create structure from any chaos to drive action.
• Thinks how something can be better, greater, elevated — openly asking ‘what if’ and ‘why not?’
• Sound understanding of design processes, technical design knowledge and asset management.

Collaboration

• Fosters a strongly collaborative team dynamic to deliver projects in partnership with the Creative Director, Senior project manager and in turn other members of the team.
• Brings the client along for the journey, making them feel a welcome part of the team.

Drive and resilience

• Action-orientated — makes an impact by driving projects to completion through determination and rational decisions
• Keeps a clear, level-head.
• Remains calm under pressure, helping others to do the same, throughout the project journey — weathering the highs and the lows, using rational design thinking to resolving potential client panics.
• Detail-driven and diligent, a focus on getting things super-tight. Be it creating a well thought through process, brief, scope of work, through to ensuring quality, creative excellence, and the best experience for the client.

Leadership style

• Hands-on — a real presence in the room, promoting discussion and facilitating thinking.
• Marries energy and enthusiasm with sensitivity and empathy, knowing how to get the best from others.
• Thoughtful and on-point. Listening and looking to first understand.
• Considers ways to accelerate collaborative processes for efficient progress.

Communication

• An effective, engaging communicator both in person and in writing who is acutely aware of who should know what, when.
• Fosters strong relationships with teammates and clients alike, the ability to influence and persuade.
• Skillful at discussion and mediation around tension, confusion or perceived changes in scope.
• Able to filter requests, artful articulating responses, from quick wins to more involved collective problem-solving.
• Can concisely articulate a realistic and honest project status to both client and team, contextualising in a constructive way where needed.

Project management

• Sound understanding of design processes, technical and digital design knowledge and asset management
• Has a passion for processes and prioritisation — knowing exactly what needs to get done when, and by whom. With a willingness to collaborate on ‘how’ tasks are completed.
• Creative and imaginative — confident in writing, reviewing and analysing proposals, scopes of work and creative decks.
• Ability to chunk complex workstreams into tangible tasks and rigorously manage their delivery.
• Can effectively multi-task, managing resource, timelines, and budgets.
• Can design and create plans, briefings, design workshops, user reviews sessions, write surveys, summarise and present research and recommendations to support project delivery
• Holds the project status by keeping accurate project notes and recording lists of actions.

Experience Qualifiers

• 10+ years experience, predominantly in branding.
• Currently in a client services (account manager, producer, programme manager) or creative role (design director, strategist) at a reputable branding agency, looking for an opportunity to step-up and shine.
• Hands-on experience at every stage of a branding project lifecycle, from strategy to delivery.