Head of Projects & Partnerships

Job Title: Head of Projects & Partnerships

About Us

Creative Lives in Progress is an inclusive creative careers resource, on a mission to transform the way emerging talent access, understand and connect with the industry.

We encourage greater transparency and representation within the creative working world by sharing advice and insight, highlighting entry-level opportunities, as well as hosting events that bring talent and industry together.

The Role

Line management of a team of x2 account managers across partnerships and bespoke projects, overseeing all aspects of account and project management including building and shaping client proposals and presenting them clearly, being the senior point of contact for clients and nurturing client relationships, leadership and strategic guidance of the internal AM team, managing internal reporting, financials and legals/contracts and contributing to annual business strategy, overseeing all projects ensuring they are running smoothly, navigating challenges and stepping in where necessary. This role covers both UK and US based clients and may require flexibility with working hours as necessary. 

Key Responsibilities

• Line management of x2 team members including annual reviews and day to day leadership and support
• Senior point of contact for clients and internal escalation point 
• Close collaboration with HODs, finance, co-founders, MD, HR and Ops to ensure internal systems are running smoothly and depts are aligned
• Overseeing all projects and proposals running through the business, as well as running larger projects
• Reporting and tracking on financials, ensuring the financial health of all projects and dept budgets

For proposals:

• Build out the strategic framework, and approach, brief in departments to feed into the deck 
• Review the deck refine the overarching strategy so it ties back to the client goals and build out the budgets for each project to ensure they are feasible 
• Align with operations and/or other depts to plan resource and workflow
• Creating SOWs etc/Contract communication with legal and finance

For live projects:

• Lead on client and internal briefings ensuring all documents and decks and timelines are set up + budgets
• Ensure departments are clear on budgets available to them and freelance resource are being hired in time
• Strategic problem solving and maintaining client expectations

For Partnerships:

• Leading the strategic direction of the department ensuring we are meeting the needs of partners
• Supporting partnership account managers
• Providing solutions and setting internal and external expectations
• Creating opportunities for collaboration across departments 
• Working with other depts to ensure the department has what it needs to run successfully

What We’re Looking For

Skills:

• Strong managerial and leadership skills
• Financial acumen and attention to detail
• Client services and account management including negotiation, presenting proposals, relationship management
• Expert project management including budgeting, timelines, planning and resourcing
• High emotional intelligence and collaboration skills 

Experience Level:

• 6+ years of experience in project or account management or adjacent role
• 2+ years of management experience, managing a team or overseeing junior staff
• Ideally within an creative agency or studio but not essential - as long as you are creatively minded and comfortable in a creative environment

Behaviours and Mindsets:

• Proactive and autonomous, confident in making decisions and being accountable 
• Collaborative and creative, able to navigate both internal and external stakeholders with style and bring new ideas to the table 
• High EQ, able to manage and lead with tact and sensitivity
• Strategic and business-minded

Benefits

• 25 days annual leave
• Flexi-time hours
• Enhanced sick leave
• 20 days Remote Work from Anywhere
• Mental health support via our EAP
• Health cash plan
• 5 week paid sabbatical after 5 years
• Christmas shutdown period (5 days off)
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Learning and Development programmes

Key Details

• Salary: 48k - 57k, DoE
• Contract: Full Time & Permanent
• Seniority Level: Head Of
• Reports to: Managing Director
• Application deadline: 13th March (though we do review applications on a rolling basis and may close this advert early if we receive a high volume of strong candidates. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible)
• Interviews from: mid to late March
• Start date: ASAP
• Hours: 9am to 5.30pm (flexible hours between 8am - 6pm)
• Location: Hybrid - 2 days based in our London studio on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with the rest of the week at home