Project Manager at Ogilvy South Africa

• Ogilvy Social.Lab is looking for an experienced Project Manager, with a strong digital background. The role is pivotal in orchestrating and steering a diverse range of digital projects spanning various markets and brands across Media, Content and intelligence. The Project Manager oversees the coordination and execution of these projects, guiding them from initial briefing to successful delivery. 
• We believe that strong, agile & capable project management fuels our business growth through seamless collaboration with our solutions teams to deliver brilliant work that impacts our clients' businesses. 
• This role involves meticulous planning and follow-up. Crucial to this position is a comprehensive understanding and appreciation of digital marketing across content creation, media and strategy.  As a Project Manager, you are responsible for ensuring work is produced efficiently, on time, and within budget.

Client Management & Project Delivery:

• Own client projects from start to finish, acting as the primary point of contact for all project-related communication.
• Develop a deep understanding of client business objectives and translate them into actionable project briefs for internal teams.
• Develop and manage project status documents, reporting back to relevant stakeholders regularly.
• Collaborate effectively with internal creative, strategy, and production teams to ensure seamless project execution and delivery of high-quality work.
• Proactively manage project timelines, budgets, and resources, ensuring projects are delivered on time and within scope.
• Identify and mitigate potential risks and roadblocks throughout the project lifecycle.
• Manage client expectations effectively, providing regular updates and proactively addressing any concerns.
• Conduct post-project reviews to identify areas for improvement and optimize future project delivery.
• Ability to manage a creative team in relation to both capacity and effective resourcing, flagging any potential capacity risks in advance. 
• Ability to QA creative work against brand guidelines with a strong attention to detail. 
• Understands the creative process astutely ensuring timelines & resources are aligned from start to finish. 
• Comfortable in debriefing a team of creatives and allocating tasks accordingly. 
• Ability to track project delivery against original SLA or scope. 
• Seamlessly manages & organizes creative presentations, folders with proficient skills in Google slides. 
• Ability to debrief & work through client feedback in order to provide a clear direction for a creative team. 

Team Collaboration & Leadership:

• Foster a collaborative and positive team environment, promoting open communication and knowledge sharing.
• Forecast necessary resources aligned with project requirements.
• Responsible for the day-to-day operations, including scheduling, task management, and communication within the project team. 
• Support the Project Director/Business Unit Director in client-facing engagements, including presentations and meetings.
• Identify opportunities for process improvement to aid overall performance, and contribute to the ongoing development of the broader Client Service team.

Financial & Administrative Management:

• Develop and manage project scopes of work (SOWs) and budgets.
• Create and submit accurate and timely purchase orders (POs) and pre-approval authorization forms (PAAFs).
• Manage project invoicing, ensuring timely and accurate billing.
• Track and manage project expenses, ensuring adherence to budget.
• Accurately track and record time spent on projects using the Ogilvy platform.
• Provide timely and accurate internal and client reconciliations as needed.

Desired Skills & Experiences:

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 3+ years of experience in a project management role within an agency setting, preferably with a focus on social media and digital marketing.
• Proven track record of successfully managing multiple projects simultaneously, delivering high-quality work on time and within budget.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and presentation skills, with the ability to build strong relationships with clients and internal stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of digital marketing – content creation, media and strategy/intelligence. 
• Experience working with cross-functional or global teams, managing cultural nuances and diverse perspectives.
• Ability to keep a team motivated and moving forward. 
• Experience with project management tools and software (e.g., Asana, Monday.com, Jira).
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team in a fast-paced environment.