Interim Creative Operations Executive in London

Creative Operation Executive (12-Month Fixed Term Contract)

Location: Hybrid, London, England, United Kingdom

Type: Contract

Department: Creative Services

Overview

We're looking for a proactive and detail-focused Creative Operations Executive to join our Creative Operations team, supporting the wider Creative Planning, Design Production, Artwork Production and Capacity Planning functions on the JLP account. At the heart of this role, you'll liaise closely with Client Services to support resource allocation and scheduling administration, helping ensure the right resource is in the right place at the right time. Alongside this, you'll support PAYG (Pay As You Go) quoting and help the wider team identify process efficiencies. This role suits someone who can work quickly and accurately across multiple platforms and systems, enjoys process and organisation, and takes a proactive approach to improving how the team works.

Key Responsibilities

• Resourcing & Scheduling Support: Act as a key liaison with Client Services to support resource allocation and scheduling administration across the design and artwork teams, working closely with the Head of Creative Planning & Resourcing, Creative Design Production Manager and Operations Planning & Capacity Manager to maintain accurate visibility of team availability and capacity.
• Maternity Leave Cover Support: Provide additional resourcing administration support during the Head of Creative Planning & Resourcing's maternity leave, helping ensure continuity of day-to-day resource allocation processes.
• PAYG Quoting & Administration: Assist the Client Services team and clients with producing PAYG (Pay As You Go) quotes, ensuring all details are accurately captured on the relevant Monday.com board, and support the booking of resource and scheduling on TOTO. Administer Synergist to create related estimates and quotes.
• Purchase Management: Manage and reconcile purchases related to the creative production process, ensuring accurate tracking and budget adherence, and actively seeking opportunities to negotiate with suppliers and reduce costs.
• Invoicing and Reconciliation: Assist with processing quotes, purchase orders (POs) and invoicing, ensuring all financial transactions are accurately recorded and reported.
• Coordination with Suppliers: Liaise with suppliers and our People team to onboard new suppliers, amend contracts, and chase up outstanding invoices or supplier payments.
• Process Improvement: Identify opportunities to streamline administrative and resourcing processes, driving both efficiency and cost savings.
• Support Functions: Provide general administrative support to the wider team as needed, including ad hoc tasks related to software use and operational efficiency.

Brief Intake & Triage

• Log and triage incoming briefs as they land, checking they contain the basics (deadline, deliverables, assets) before passing them into the scheduling and resourcing process.
• Support the Capacity Manager by maintaining and ensuring the 'TOTO' schedule is kept up to date.

Team & Tool Administration

• Manage user access and permissions, and carry out basic admin on tools such as Monday.com and Synergist, including adding new projects, closing out completed ones, and keeping boards tidy and up to date.

Reporting and Documentation

• Support the Operations team with utilisation reporting and preparing documentation for weekly dashboards, MI reports, presentations, and general administrative needs.
• Own agenda organisation and chair weekly briefing meetings, taking minutes and tracking actions through to completion.
• Maintain the design approval log, chasing outstanding actions through to closure.
• Support preparation for the Quarterly Resource Planning meeting by updating trackers and collating pre-read materials.

Process & Knowledge Management

• Maintain a central 'ways of working' or SOP library, so process documentation doesn't live only in people's heads.
• Support internal training and software rollouts with scheduling and distribution of materials.

Core Behaviours We Each Need To Drive

• Be time aware: Be mindful of how you're spending your time each day. Most of your time should be focused on delivering, and not spent chasing brief owners for clarity, or missing inputs or feedback.
• Have efficiencies front of mind: Always be looking for how we can improve, and be smarter in driving savings for JLP.
• Be commercially mindful: Treat every pound as if it were your own, and be thoughtful and responsible in your decision-making.
• Take pride in the role you play: in reporting your contributions to time and cost savings, and share the responsibility of our collective success.
• Positively challenge: Is the brief, deliverables and objective clear enough? What is the customer job to be done?

Who This Role Supports

This role provides operational and administrative support across the Creative Operations function, working closely with:

• Head of Creative Planning & Resourcing – assisting with allocating and scheduling resource, with additional support during an upcoming period of maternity leave cover.
• Creative Design Production Manager – supporting resource tracking, scheduling administration and briefing logistics for the design studio.
• Operations Planning & Capacity Manager – supporting capacity reporting, dashboard preparation and SLA tracking.
• Creative Artwork Production Manager – supporting artwork project tracking, PO and invoicing administration, and supplier coordination.

Please note: this role does not provide support across creative shoots or production.

Requirements

• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and prioritise effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and other Microsoft Office tools; familiarity with financial software or purchase management systems is a plus.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to liaise effectively with suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Strong attention to detail, particularly in financial management and reconciliation tasks, with a focus on identifying and implementing cost-saving opportunities.
• Ability to work independently and take initiative, as well as collaborate effectively within a team.
• Experience in a similar administrative or operational role, particularly within a creative or production environment, is beneficial but not essential.
• Knowledge of project management tools such as Monday.com, Lovable and Synergist is advantageous; experience with Adobe Creative Cloud is a bonus.
• Exposure to resource or capacity planning processes, or an interest in developing skills in this area, is beneficial but not essential.

Benefits

• Time off that works for you — 25 days' holiday + bank holidays, a paid Wellbeing Day, flexible bank holidays to honour cultural or religious observances, and the option to buy or carry over up to 5 extra days.
• Flexibility & lifestyle — Smart Working with up to 40% from home, and after 12 months, the option to work from abroad for up to 90 days a year.
• Family & life milestones — Enhanced family friendly leave, 3 extra days for your wedding/honeymoon, and an Employee Assistance Programme whenever you need support.
• Financial perks — Pension scheme, Corporate Medical Cash Plan, electric car salary sacrifice scheme, and tax-efficient payroll giving to your favourite charities.
• Growth & recognition — Funding for professional qualifications, monthly Employee of the Month awards (£250 bonus), and referral bonuses of up to £1,500.
• Community & wellbeing — Regular Wellbeing Workshops, 30+ Wellbeing Champions, a paid Volunteer Day, and an online perks platform with discounts on top brands, days out, and gym memberships.