Account Director in London

Bearded Kitten is a global creative experience agency with a portfolio of award-winning work. Our mission is clear: to fearlessly champion fun and create the unforgettable. Don’t be deceived by our quirky name – Bearded Kitten is the real deal. From large scale brand experiences to cultural launch events, from building immersive worlds to conferences and employee engagement initiatives - we cover it all. It’s an exciting time to be a Kitten, in the past year the company has grown rapidly and we’ve worked with some of the world’s biggest brands. With an ever growing client base across the UK and beyond - this is an opportunity to join a fast paced, innovative team.

The Senior Project Manager is a highly client-facing role, taking responsibility for the client and agency relationship, and for the successful delivery and retention of projects and accounts. Working closely with the Director of Production, they will lead projects from pitch through fabrication and build, ensuring creative ideas are clearly scoped, accurately costed, and delivered with confidence. Guiding internal teams and clients through key decisions across the project lifecycle, they manage expectations and navigate complex conversations around budget, scope, and programme.

This role leads on quoting, cost planning, and commercial control, working closely with Production, Construction, and Technical teams to develop robust delivery strategies and bringing with them strong fabrication knowledge. The Senior Project Manager owns quality, budget, and timeline, securing client sign-off at key stages and ensuring work is delivered on time, on budget, and to the highest standard.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• CREATIVE & PRE-CONSTRUCTION
  • Act as a senior delivery voice during pitch and concept stages, ensuring creative ideas are feasible, safe, and commercially viable.
  • Collaborate closely with Designers, Production Managers, and Construction Managers to shape concepts that balance creative impact with practical fabrication and installation.
  • Translate creative intent into clear delivery strategies, aligning teams around scope, approach, and constraints.
  • Serve as a trusted internal advisor during early stage decision making, grounding creative development in real-world build knowledge.
• COST PLANNING & COMMERCIAL CONTROL
  • Lead initial cost planning by working with Production Managers, Construction Managers, and Technical Designers to develop accurate estimates for materials and labour and potential cost savings early in the process.
  • Update and refine budgets once technical drawings are complete, ensuring cost accuracy before entering the build phase.
  • Ensure all cost changes are clearly communicated to the project team and formally signed off by the client prior to fabrication.
  • Work with the project team to produce clear, client-facing budgets.
  • Monitor spend throughout fabrication and build, ensuring projects remain within agreed financial parameters.
• FABRICATION & BUILD OVERSIGHT
  • Oversee assigned projects through the workshop and build phases, and monitoring progress against programme and budget.
  • Hold regular check-ins with Production and Project teams to track fabrication status and resolve issues early.
  • Provide visual updates from the workshop for internal and client sign-off, supporting client visits and formal approvals where needed.
  • Ensure fabrication standards align with design intent, technical drawings, and agreed specifications.
• TECHNICAL & CONSTRUCTION EXPERTISE
  • Provide hands-on knowledge of scenic construction methods, materials, and finishes to support teams and decision-making.
  • Work closely with Technical Designers to review drawings, specifications, and construction methodologies.
  • Challenge proposed solutions where needed to improve buildability, safety, durability, or cost efficiency.
  • Support problem-solving during fabrication and installation, offering practical, experience-led guidance.
• PROJECT PLANNING & DELIVERY MANAGEMENT
  • Develop and manage project timelines, ensuring key milestones are realistic, tracked, and achieved.
  • Maintain up-to-date status reports for internal stakeholders, highlighting progress, risks, and dependencies.
  • Coordinate across departments to ensure smooth handovers between design, fabrication, logistics, and installation.
  • Proactively manage change, ensuring scope adjustments are documented, costed, and approved.
• STAKEHOLDER & CLIENT MANAGEMENT
  • Responsible for the client and agency relationship, and the successful retention of projects and accounts.
  • Act as a senior point of confidence for clients, supporting clear, calm, and transparent communication.
  • Understand client’s objectives, translating them into successful outputs that deliver results.
  • Manage stakeholder expectations through regular updates, structured reporting, and early issue escalation.
  • Maintain quality control from production to execution, ensuring client satisfaction exceeds targets.
  • Support Producers and Account Directors in navigating complex conversations around cost, programme, or scope changes.
  • Ensure client sign-off is secured at key decision points before progressing to the next phase.

THE PERSON

• Brings strong experience delivering complex, fabrication-led projects from pitch through to build.
• Has a solid, practical understanding of fabrication methods, materials, and construction processes, and knows how to apply this knowledge in both planning and live delivery.
• Is commercially astute, confident supporting costings at pitch stage and managing budgets through fabrication and build.
• Comfortable contributing to pitch decks, particularly around fabrication approach, build methodology, timelines, and delivery strategy.
• Highly client-facing and confident managing client relationships, expectations, and decision-making throughout the project lifecycle.
• Able to communicate complex technical and cost information clearly, calmly, and credibly to non-technical stakeholders.
• Comfortable acting as a connector between New Business, Creative, Production, and Project teams, keeping everyone aligned and informed.
• Solutions-focused, pragmatic, and calm under pressure, with a strong sense of ownership and accountability.
• Organised and detail-driven, while retaining a clear view of the bigger picture and overall project objectives.
• Collaborative by nature, with the confidence to lead conversations and the diplomacy to navigate competing priorities.

BENEFITS

• 25 days paid holiday, plus Bank Holidays.
• 1 additional day added per year of service up to 5 days.
• Approximately five additional days off over the Christmas/New Year period.
• Hybrid working. Compulsory office days are Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
• Flexi-time policy.
• Discretionary end of year bonus scheme.
• New Business Incentive Scheme from day one.
• Employee Referral Incentive Policy from day one.
• Sabbatical Scheme available after three years of service.
• Work mobile and/or eSim and work laptop.
• Employee assistance programme with free access to mental health resources.
• Enhanced maternity & paternity leave policy after 1 year of full service. 3 months full pay including statutory for lead carer or 1 month full pay including statutory for second carer.
• Monthly team socials, plus an annual team offsite with overnight stay.
• Season ticket loans offered.
• Cycle to work scheme.