Program manager in City of London

Jones Knowles Ritchie (JKR) is a branding business, founded in 1990 and proudly independent ever since. We started out in the world of packaging, but now we’re worldwide—from three founders to more than 350 of us across the UK, USA and China. Together, we build and deliver brands across the entire consumer experience. But even more important than what we do, is why we do it. We’re here to inspire brands and people to be their true selves. To be brave. Be tenacious. And above all, be yourself. Because we believe that’s the only way to truly be distinctive, everywhere.

JKR is looking for a Program Manager, reporting into our Operations Director and Senior Program management team, joining the busy team that supports Client Services and Creative Design on large, complex consumer brand and packaging projects. If you are a program or project manager in a fast-paced creative environment looking for a role that focuses on best in class delivery, we’d love to hear from you.

Program Manager Purpose: Deliver greater value to clients through leveraging internal and external talent and expertise to orchestrate the best creative outcomes to client opportunities. In this role you will work as part of a client services team that spans both Account direction and Program management, whilst still client facing your role will be detail led on the delivery including but not limited to:

• Internally: Champion and demonstrate collaboration between internal teams to get to the best creative solutions through meticulous planning and organisation. Ensuring all workstreams are well coordinated.
• Externally: Develop client trust and advocacy through effective planning and delivery across all briefs, while partnering client services to provide a consistent and excellent experience for our clients.

Other responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Creative Delivery: Inspire client confidence through effective project delivery, harnessing the creative intent, across a variety of channels. Effectively manage multiple project timelines across multiple clients within a hub ensuring all deadlines are met and tangibles delivered. Partner the Creative team, to ensure creative intent is preserved across mediums. Be a key partner to the client service team, proactively driving the project through the studio internally enabling client services team to effectively manage client expectations.
• Communication: Collaborate closely with Creative Services team to determine most suitable internal and external expertise required for the Client opportunity and support in articulating the design intent in order for them to source talent for specialisms. Effectively and proactively manage internal and external communications. Constantly push for outstanding collaboration, internally and externally, to get to great creative output. Build strong relationships with partners, experts and collaborators, in order to develop advocacy and attract the best talent. Adapt communication style to audience and situation, whilst always delivering a consistent message. Listen actively and openly.
• Creativity and Brand centricity: Work with Design Director and Creative Services to determine the right talent for projects, based on in-depth knowledge of capabilities, efficiency, costing and desired outcomes. Proactively offer creative ideas and solutions to client challenges, considering different ways to approach the brief with an understanding of the client’s brand and business. Anticipate client needs and expectations, striving to deliver the best solutions, and exceed expectations wherever possible, ultimately translating into future opportunities. Act as a source of expertise to teams, sharing knowledge and experience. Demonstrate flexibility and adaptability to client needs.
• Commercial Awareness: Use knowledge of how the business charges and resources projects to drive efficiency and profitability of projects, while ensuring the highest level of creative output. Work in tandem with client services to ensure project quotes accurately reflect project, acting in an advisory capacity based on previous projects and experience, providing information to assist negotiations. Work closely with Creative Services to ensure quote is reflected in resourcing requirements. Recognise, raise and resolve individual project issues resulting in overburn with the Hub team and Finance as necessary.
• Leadership & Relationships: Motivate, support and inspire the JKR internal teams effectively and responsibly to manage situations to positive outcomes. Provide tools, techniques and mentoring to inspire others to take responsibility for their own work and personal development. Display integrity, honesty, reliability, responsiveness, openness, to instil trust by clients and internal teams. Manage conflict, leaning into issues as they arise. Quickly & proactively react to change instilling calm across internal and external stakeholders.

In order to be well suited to this role you will be able to demonstrate:

• Experience working in program or project management
• Your knowledge of Brand and/or end to end creative design processes
• Excellent ability to partner with colleagues
• A proactive, 'get the job done' attitude
• Top notch communication and interpersonal skills

Pension Plan Training & Development This role is offered as a permanent role. Location: Shoreditch Hybrid working: min 2 days pw in the studio (or as required by the team).