At AKQA, we believe in the imaginative application of art and science to create beautiful ideas, products and services. With an entrepreneurial and collaborative approach, we design adaptive digital services and applications that capture the imagination, delivering impressive returns for our clients.

The Delivery team are at the epicentre of all projects, ensuring they’re delivered to the highest quality, on time, and that clients receive the greatest possible value from their investment.

The teams key focus is to build collaborative relationships and effective communication with project teams and clients alike. AKQA’s process and governance standards are industry leading; providing the tools, training and team support to make this possible.

The Associate Programme Director is responsible for delivery of a portfolio/programme of projects across one or more accounts, with revenue typically in excess of £2m.  The role ensures projects are delivered on time, on budget and to a high level of quality. The role contributes to the strategic development and direction of the Delivery team.

ROLE REQUIREMENTS

• Manage and deliver a portfolio of projects across a number of creatively led accounts with revenue typically in excess of £2m. Tracks and reports financial status of projects against current estimate. Escalate and resolve and financial issues.
• Build successful and collaborative partnerships internally with Creative, Strategy, Technology, Client Services and Delivery teams.
• Plan all resource requirements in advance for all disciplines across all projects with the support of the project managers responsible for the work and the department leads.
• Use burn reports to monitor and proactively mitigate potential overruns, highlighting clearly to the Executive Delivery Director when an overrun is likely to occur.
• Ensure the quality and peer review of all documentation and deliverables within the programme.
• Ensure compliance levels of 95% or above for timesheets and status reports for the programme. Deliver high scoring client satisfaction. Develop positive senior level relationships both internally and externally.
• Drive new business opportunities.
• Work closely with account teams, elaborate on their forecasts and plans ahead; ensure pipeline of work is visible to both resource management and recruitment.
• Monitor risks and dependencies across programme of work/each account with relevant support provided to project managers as required.
• Demonstrate advanced knowledge and application of delivery methodologies and of industry best practice. Strikes a balance between pragmatic project delivery practices and by-the-book, ‘ideal scenario’ delivery.
• Ensure all projects across designated accounts are delivered within the agreed EAC as per the AKQA Delivery overrun process.
• Effectively coach and mentor the team. Sets clear objectives and goals to direct reports, provides actionable feedback, and trains the team to reach its fullest potential.
• Motivate project managers to consistently deliver on time, within budget and to a high standard. Attract, develop and retain great talent.

QUALITIES AND EXPERIENCE

• A genuine interest in world class design, innovation and communications for leading global brands.
• Proven experience working within a creative, digitally led agency or consultancy environment.
• Ability to quickly build collaborative partnerships with clients and colleagues in a positive and professional way. Has a strong sense of personal responsibility for initiatives.
• Share the belief that their work is about generating results for clients, rather than taking individual credit.
• Actively builds strong relationships within the department/studio and helps build an environment where divergent views can be shared openly.
• Proven experience of coaching and mentoring a team and developing them to their full potential.
• Posses a strong bias to action and strives for perfection.
• Develop unique concepts that positions the company as a world-class, ideas-led agency.
• Excellent communication skills across all mediums – presentation, written, verbal; gaining the confidence of the business; credible and experienced at operating at all levels within it.
• Experience of project managing custom-designed, complex full life-cycle projects in excess of £500k and programmes of work in excess of £1m.
• Display creative approach to problem-solving and project management in general.
• Strong customer service ethos, a commitment to quality and constantly drives improvements. Commitment to high standards of excellence and integrity, and excellent attention to detail.

AKQA is an Equal Opportunities Employer, we believe that diversity is vital to AKQA’s ability to provide our clients with the best recommendations and are committed to fostering a varied and inclusive work environment. Your race, colour, ancestry, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability or veteran status have no bearing on our hiring decisions. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.