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.

As a Resource Manager, you will be responsible for the management of the internal talent pool in your studio whilst partnering with the wider region to promote collaboration and efficiency. You’ll be a creative problem solver, meticulous planner and empathetic negotiator; partnering in creating a better future for our clients and people across the AKQA network. You’ll constantly monitor your studio's needs, adjusting and shaping the team to meet both current and predicted future client needs, while meeting commercial targets of high resource utilisation and a cost-effective resource pool. You will work closely with each Head of Department to understand current and future resource needs and be the key point of contact for Project Management, Client Services and the Executive Leadership Team for any matter relating to resource management.  You will deliver a high level of service across your key resource functions, and work closely with the rest of the Operations Team, Talent, People and Finance teams to ensure a joined-up service from Core Services.

Please note this role is a three month fixed term contract. 

ROLE REQUIREMENTS

• Ensure smooth running of projects, by liaising with project owners and heads of departments across the business.
• Monitoring whether work is progressing to schedule, identify potential for overruns, and champion efficient working practices.
• Make recommendations for on-going development of process and best practice within departments,
• Monitor utilisation data for the studio you are responsible for, following up on areas of below target utilisation, unexpected internal or external time, and inaccurate data.
• Drive resource costs down by ensuring the mix of permanent, freelancer and outsourced talent is optimised.
• Oversee weekly schedule for departmental resources.  Match requests to skill sets for optimal use of resources, being aware of the current skills and career aspirations of team members.
• Resolve resource conflicts with support as required from the senior team.
• Identify freelance requirements, leading the search for freelance talent, owning contract negotiations and onboarding.
• Manage the freelancer budget, reporting on predicted and confirmed spend. 
• Work with the Heads of Department to establish new teams or optimise existing teams to match changes in demand.  
• Liaise with Client Services, Delivery and Heads of Department to maintain a forecast of resource requirements over the coming months.  
• Identify in advance where demand for resource cannot be met internally, due to capacity or skill constraints.  
• Work closely with the Heads of Department to shape teams against forecasted requirements, while supporting personal development across the team.  
• Monitor and feed updated information into the recruitment team, including resource plans, forecasts and freelance costs.
• Produce and maintain internal documentation related to operational practices, processes and policies, including guidance on using business systems.

QUALITIES AND EXPERIENCE

• Maintains a detailed knowledge of the company’s departments and services.  Develops a full working knowledge of processes to plan, complete and monitor work in progress.
• Negotiation and conflict management - achieves the best possible outcome in every negotiation. Establishes empathy in all negotiations and anticipates, defuses and resolves conflicts between colleagues and clients.
• Captures specific (skill) requirements to anticipate resource requests. Ability to identify and investigate potential challenges to assist Project Managers in ensuring mitigation strategies or firm solutions are in place in advance. 
• Recommends strategies for providing adequate resource during spikes in demand or maintaining productivity during dips in demand.  
• Formalises means of tracking anticipated demand and communicating capacity.
• Ability to identify skills gaps within studios/teams and communicate a staffing strategy with Heads of Departments and the Recruitment Team. 
• Up to date knowledge of the freelance market and a network of freelance talent in the region. 
• Analytical capabilities: Identifies key information, issues and trends from operational reports. Identifies and designs operational reports to provide further insight into business activities where required.
• Multi-tasking - ability to work on multiple projects and tasks simultaneously ensuring the highest standards of service and delivery.
• Problem solving - uses creativity to unblock issues and problems.
• Experience in a traffic, project management or HR role within a project-based strategic, creative or technical agency environment. Knowledge of digital processes, techniques and technologies preferred.
• Experience of working in a dynamic and fluid environment where clear structure and process may not always be apparent.  
• Understanding of project lifecycle and process: able to interrogate requirements, interpret briefs, and recognise potential risks and dependencies.
• Experience using Workbook or a similar business system.
• Proficient in excel.
• Excellent customer service, documentation, presentation and communication skills.
• Proven ability to work well under pressure, with a high degree of flexibility and fluidity and to have an objective focused and positive approach, and be comfortable working independently, be self-motivated and self-driven.
• A passion for innovation and business strategy.
• Ability to build successful ‘trusted advisor’ relationships with key senior client contacts.