Senior Project Manager

Department: PR, Influence & Social

Location: London

Contract type: 12-Month FTC

Full Time/Part time: Full Time

Reporting into: Client Partner / Project Management Lead

About Ogilvy: 

Ogilvy UK has been creating iconic ideas that deliver impact at scale for clients ever since David Ogilvy founded the company in 1948. Ogilvy UK specialises in bringing together brand advertising, customer experience marketing, PR, influence and consulting, all fuelled by Behavioural Science. Our world-class award-winning creative campaigns deliver solutions for clients including Molson Coors (owner of Madrí beer), Valeo Foods UK (owner of Kettle Chips and Rowse Honey), Argos, Mondelēz International, Unilever, TK Maxx and Pernod Ricard.  

In 2023, Ogilvy UK celebrated their 75th anniversary and was the most awarded agency in Europe. Ogilvy is home to the largest influencer marketing practice globally and hosts the world’s biggest festival of behavioural science and creativity, Nudgestock – now in its 12th year. 

The Role:

We have a fantastic opportunity for an experienced dynamic and energetic Senior Project Manager to join one of our Top 10 accounts. 

Samsung is a high performing team, where everyone plays to their strengths delivering award-winning campaigns. We have developed strong client relationships which spans over 7 years working with their UK B2B, European B2B and European B2C teams on projects that spans Strategy, Creative, Social & Influencer, Product Launch Marketing, CRM, Events and Measurement.

The role sits within our Social & Influencer practice and requires collaboration with the wider Ogilvy capabilities in Advertising, PR and Influence, and Consulting. 

You will play an integral role in the execution of standalone and smaller integrated projects within our creative agency.  In this capacity, you will ensure the successful delivery of projects, spanning from client briefings to the final asset handover. 

Your expertise will be key as you take ownership of projects. You will work with cross-functional teams to build efficient collaboration and ensure milestones are met accurately. Supported by an Ops Director, you will organise all necessary resources, from creative to technical, and promote an environment where ideas are transformed into outcomes. Your foresight and sound judgment will propel projects forward, enabling you to navigate changing requirements and unforeseen challenges while always maintaining a focus on our broader business goals.

You will be a key point of contact for all briefs, responsible for managing and tracking scopes as well as managing resource allocation within the team. You will work with the Ops Director and Creative Director to ensure the right talent is assigned to each brief and time spent is closely monitored to ensure work is delivered on time and within budget.

Your excellent communication and interpersonal skills will foster seamless collaboration across the wider team and all stakeholders, driving a unified approach that consistently surpasses client expectations. Through meticulous attention to detail, you will safeguard our agency's reputation for delivering work of impeccable quality.

Over time there is potential for this role to expand and to include producer responsibilities This will entail you being more involved in the final execution of social first content and managing the entire production process, from idea to delivery.

Key Responsibilities: 

• Be the Project Navigator –Effectively manage from kick-off to competition – including creating project schedules, cost estimates, scope of works, timelines, and budgets, guaranteeing precise and timely delivery. Anticipate change, manage budget challenges and confidentially justify and negotiate revised costs with the Account lead.  Carry out weekly burn reports to track projects.
• Be the Seamless Integrator – Act as a liaison between agency disciplines, organising resources for project execution. Collaborate with multi-agency teams and foster strong relationships across the project team supported by the Ops Director.
• Be the Financial & Resource Steward –You will have a comprehensive grasp of the client's remuneration and commercial model. Monitor and report on project finances, proactively address resource allocation concerns, and collaborate closely with the resource manager and Ops Director for effective resource management.
• Be the Proactive Risk Mitigator – Identifies and anticipates potential project risks and works with Ops Director to implement strategies to mitigate them and ensure smooth, uninterrupted project delivery.
• Be the Quality & Process Champion – Uphold the highest standards of professionalism, precision, and excellence across all project documentation. Begin to acquire and maintain thorough knowledge of industry-standard project tools, processes, and platforms to drive operational efficiency.
• Be the Advocate – Be the advocate for your project needs within the agency, ensuring it receives the resources and attention required to succeed
• Be the Creative Problem-Solver – Anticipate challenges and proactively develop solutions with the help of the Ops Director. Push for creative excellence while ensuring projects stay on track. 
• Be ready to embrace AI in everything we do – apply AI and use WPP open to create efficiencies whether that be transcribing video calls or other tasks.
• Don’t be afraid of change – transformation is continuous be open and willing to engage with continuous.

Key Skills:

• 3-4 years’ experience as an SPM in a Social & Influencer environment is critical.
• Demonstrated expertise as a Senior Project Manager in a creative agency or similar environment.  
• Proficiency in effective project setup, budgeting, resource planning and control, project management tracking and reporting. 
• Experience working on project/integrated accounts and demonstrate an understanding of the dynamics all Social & Influencer projects.
• Financial acumen to manage project budgets, monitor financial status, and forecast resource allocation. 
• Proactive approach to identifying potential project risks and work with Ops Director to implement mitigation strategies. 
• Familiarity with industry-standard project tools, LLM’s, processes, and platforms. 
• Experience in meeting scheduling to ensure comprehensive team participation. 
• Impeccable attention to detail and dedication to maintaining high-quality standards across project documentation and deliverables. 
• Solution-oriented mindset, particularly in challenging scenarios. 
• Flexibility and adaptability to navigate change and innovation in a dynamic work environment. 
• Understanding of evolving trends within the creative industry. 

How we help you Thrive:    

•  25 days annual leave + 1 Volunteer Day 
• Bupa Healthcare
• Enhanced Maternity, Adoption and Shared Parental Leave
• We have a Flexible Working Model with core working hours: 10am – 4pm
• A 1.5:1 Matching Pension Structure
• Wellbeing and Health: Up to £25.00 per month towards physical or online exercise class membership, Unmind membership, LifeWorks tool and annual eye tests and development budgets and Wellbeing incentives and activities throughout the year 
• Season Ticket Loan and Cycle to Work Scheme
• Life Assurance