Project Director in London

About Us Sparks is a leading global brand experience agency, specializing in the design and execution of award-winning experiences that forge deep connections between brands and audiences. Recognized by Adweek as Experiential Agency of the Year, we bring a unique blend of strategic insight and execution excellence to every brand activation, corporate event, trade show exhibit, and immersive experience. Our commitment to creativity, innovation, and flawless execution drives us to craft impactful experiential marketing solutions that deepen relationships, inspire action, and build trust—all around the world.

Summary The Project Director manages and executes global projects (of different scales) from start to finish ensuring adherence to client brief and a consistent and high quality of delivery. Proactively manages and frequently communicates with project team members, vendors, Producers, Creatives and Account Directors as needed. This person also has key involvement in pitches, proposals, tenders, client meetings and feasibility investigation. This role is eligible to work a hybrid schedule, generally requiring work in-office one day a week (typically Wednesdays) at our London location.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Client Management
  • Understand client needs and cascade to relevant departments
  • Build and maintain effective client relationships
  • Manage client expectations
  • Act as client key project point of contact on projects of all scales
  • Provide clear communications
  • Works with client and account team on planning, execution and post-event reporting
  • Run and plan client meetings
  • Take project brief/s for all project requirements & disciplines
• Resource / Team Management
  • Work closely with more junior / mentor and help
  • Manage resources via Operations
  • Manage other project managers working within different areas of project
  • Provides set-up assistance and on-site support as required
  • Maintains consistent and thorough communication with all involved
• Creative Management
  • Participate in creative brainstorms to generate ideas for clients
  • Execute the integrity of the creative treatment in all deliverables
  • Contribute and recommend ideas to enhance and add value to any experience
  • Aligning production and technical with creative solutions
• Project Management
  • Oversee large project and/or client accounts from a delivery point of view where you may have other project managers and/or producers within the project team
  • Provide project management through docs and processes (e.g.: status updates, regular meetings)
  • Manage and reconcile budgets
  • Lead budget creation managing and briefing all required departments / disciplines
  • Manage supplier and third party relationships / stakeholders
  • Standards, quality, best practice – differentiators
  • Runs weekly team and client meetings
  • Work with and alongside producers to make sure relevant event documentation for show elements are produced, such as running orders and show schedules
  • Manage and collate all required show and event documentation
  • Tracks and manages production timelines on active event programs; creates and manages budgets, vendor invoice/expense tracking and final reconciliation
  • Brief delivery teams on project scope / deliverables / track time
  • Monitors services & activities to ensure they are within budget
  • Ensures timely delivery of all necessary components, properties, and materials for each event
  • Oversees vendors and service providers efficiently and respectfully
  • Negotiates contracts/agreements with 3rd party vendors and team contractors and manages operations budget
  • Oversees signage/graphics and décor development, copy, creation and placement
  • Develops and organizes transportation plans
  • Provides various reports and show analysis; conducts audits, reconciliations
  • Works with other departments/agencies in order to produce, ensure quality, and deliver information/data to clients accurately and on time
  • Participates in RFPs, proposal responses and client interactions for key accounts
  • Contributes fresh thinking to challenge the status quo and helps implement continuous improvement and best practice

Education & Experience

• Minimum of 8 year’s event agency experience within a project manager / producer role (fulltime or freelance)
• Experience with various projects types, including live event, EXPO, consumer marketing, web, mobile, video, brand, and strategic consulting
• Working with, taking and interpreting client briefs (including RFI/RFPs)
• Project delivery within EMEA
• To be proficient in all software packages used within office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook)
• Full clean driving licence (preferred but not essential)
• UK National or relevant permissions to work in the UK
• Must have strong presentation, verbal and written skills
• Experience in mentoring others
• Excellent problem solving and challenge resolution skills
• Proven experience of managing budgets of £3m +
• Experience of international event delivery
• Experience in managing vendors, people, equipment, and timelines
• Experience in proposal development and pricing
• Ability to quickly recognize or anticipate problem areas and quickly develop solutions
• Exhibits an outgoing, upbeat personality, enjoys working as part of a team, and is efficient, considerate, and organized, with a keen eye for details

Travel Requirements

Travel 25% to 50%

What We Offer

The Freeman Company provides benefits that aim to empower our people and their families to thrive mentally, physically, and financially. These are a handful of the types of programs and benefits our full-time people may be eligible for. There may be some variances in specific benefits across regions.

• Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance
• Life, Accident and Disability
• Retirement with Company Match
• Paid Time Off

Diversity Commitment

At The Freeman Company, our commitment to diversity and inclusion is helping us to create not only a great place to work, but also an environment where our employees, our customers and our communities around the world can reach their goals and connect with each other. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status and other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.