Project Director

Full Job Description

ABOUT THE CLIENT

My client is an award-winning London-based live experience agency that connects the world’s biggest brands with their audiences. They deliver delivers a broad variety of event formats, ranging from exhibitions for 16,000+ delegates to private dinners designed to facilitate the conversations that matter.

Based in South-West London, the company nurtures a high-achieving and supportive culture, with regular company outings and incentives for development.

ROLE OVERVIEW

They are looking for a switched-on, proactive Project Director to take the lead on their live events and exhibitions from the beginning to the very end. You will need to have a can-do attitude, experience managing both large project teams and direct reports, and be passionate about bringing creative, objective-lead live experiences to life.

RESPONSIBILITIES

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

● Project manage high-quality, complex, and production-heavy events from design and planning through to onsite delivery

● Demonstrable leadership qualities with experience in event strategy, understanding client aims and objectives and translating this into an event concept and actionable internal critical path with the ability to effectively communicate it

● Working to tightly managed deadlines personally, but also effectively managing deadlines across the entire project team

● Leading project meetings and communications with internal and external stakeholders throughout the project cycle (including senior management)

● Client management and relationship building. Understand competitive scenarios, challenging the brief, and adding value in discussions and presentations where appropriate

● Detailed, accurate, prudent budget management from planning to delivery and post-event reconciliation. Negotiating favorable supplier costs and providing regular budget status updates for clients and internal finances. Keen eye on profitability levels throughout a project, maximizing revenue opportunities and profitability.

● Ability to anticipate risks or challenges and implementing solutions to mitigate them. Reliably checking in on team progress and monitoring for potential roadblocks.

● Fire-fight and provide solutions calmly in collaboration with the project team

● Responsibility for international venue sourcing, site visits, and contracting, with a focus on quality and cost reduction. Global destination knowledge.

● Monitor existing supplier performance and seek out new, innovative, and high-quality event partners

● Attend venue site visits and create site visit reports for internal and client review

● Create branding scope & deliverables briefing documents specific to different venues and actively propose branding opportunities to the client to upsell client services while also achieving event goals

● Implementing internal processes and overseeing the activities of the rest of the team, ensuring junior understanding and adherence

● Create and/or assign team members to create onsite docs, manage host schedules, supplier and staff contact lists, crew lists, running orders, run of show and team briefings

● Experience in resource planning, including internal, multi-discipline teams with the addition of leveraging freelancers. This will involve ensuring time is budgeted correctly, and in collaboration with the Resourcing Manager, that freelancers are onboarded correctly and their time managed

● Where necessary, train and monitor junior members of the team to ensure correct implementation

● Gather and share post-event feedback and learnings within the team and suppliers.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

● Manage pitch proposals from start to finish including creative solutions, presentation, and

budget preparation, venue and supplier research through to presenting ideas to the client,

which could include senior stakeholders. Ability to tell a story.

● Identify potential opportunities with existing clients, acting with a commercial

approach to client management.

● Apply principles of new business to managing sponsors, to help clients maximise sponsorship

but also have a good knowledge of where sponsors could be potential future clients

and build strong relationships for future new business opportunities

● The ability to forge strong relationships with existing and potential clients, winning and

developing business through your excellent experience and advice without being pushy or

‘salesy’

● Providing Social media content when attending networking events, FAMs, exhibitions, etc

PEOPLE MANAGEMENT

● Demonstrable experience in mentoring, guiding, and managing other junior members of the

team. Senior management will rely on you to support junior team members, including direct

reports, across different projects and provide accurate reporting.

● Maintain an understanding of the team’s skills, catalysing team strengths to push performance.

When there are issues with the ability to deliver projects, helping team members to improve

and better their skills

● Deliver against your direct reports’ employment milestones (probation, performance

management, 121s etc)

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE, SKILLS & ATTITUDE

● Minimum 6 years’ experience within event delivery, with 1 year as an Event/Project Director

● Proven experience in directing and managing large-scale live experiences, leading

multi-functional/cross-disciplined teams.

● Extensive budget management experience (ideally including multi-currency) up to £3m+

● Track record of delivering successful projects on time, working calmly under pressure

● A creative thinker, suggesting innovative live experience formats and/or solutions

● Proven track record of client and employer confidentiality

● Great, confident communication skills, on phone, in person

● Adaptable to different situations

● Highly self-motivated

● Enthusiastic

● High attention to detail

● Able to prioritise your own and others’ workload effectively, ensuring key deadlines are met

● Pragmatic and able to problem solve under own steam, highlight risk areas and keep projects

on track.

● Collaborative team-player, with the ability to develop positive, strong working relationships

● Comfortable in negotiation with suppliers and clients (e.g price, services, scope, timings, etc).

● Demonstrates best practice and mentors junior members of the team

● Able to travel when required

● IT literate (MS Office)

● Desirable software knowledge: Procim/Google docs

● Being multilingual would be beneficial

ABOUT YOU

We are seeking individuals who represent the following:

● Enthusiasm towards the role, the company and your colleagues

● Naturally proactive, self-motivated and thrives in a fast-paced environment

● A true team player who works collaboratively and provides excellent support

● Enjoys being involved in a wide variety of projects

● Actively seeks and welcomes feedback

● Works in calm and composed manner when managing multiple projects and deadlines

● Leads by example with the ability to inspire and motivate others - particularly when

inevitable challenges arise

● Maintains the resilience and stamina required to sustain performance when under pressure

● Enthusiastically responds to every task, no matter how menial

● Passionate about supporting your peers to be better

● Embodies the values of the team

● Operates to an exceptional level of delivery

● Balances an excellent eye for detail whilst considering the overall project objectives

● An ability to build long term, mutually beneficial relationships

£55 000-75 000 pa

On-site in SW-London office