Project Director

About Ogilvy

Ogilvy, part of WPP, has been creating impact for brands through iconic, culture-changing, value-driving ideas since it was founded. It builds on that legacy through Borderless Creativity – innovating at the intersections of advertising, public relations, relationship design, consulting, and health capabilities with experts collaborating across over 120 offices in nearly 90 countries. Ogilvy is the #1 global agency network for creative excellence and effectiveness by WARC, signifying its ability to deliver creative solutions that drive impact for clients and communities. Ogilvy is a WPP company. For more information, visit Ogilvy.com and follow us on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and Facebook.

About WPP WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. We unite media intelligence, data solutions, creativity, production, and strategic counsel in a single company – powered by talent and the WPP Open platform to help clients navigate change, capture opportunity and deliver transformational growth. For more information, visit WPP.com.

Department: PR, Influence & Social

Location: London

Contract type: 12-Month FTC

Full Time/Part time: Full Time

Reporting into: Project Management Lead

The Role

The role sits within our Social & Influencer practice and requires collaboration with the wider Ogilvy capabilities in Advertising, PR and Influence, and Consulting. You will play an integral role in the execution of standalone and smaller integrated projects within our creative agency, ensuring the successful delivery of projects from client briefings to final asset handover. You will take ownership of projects, work with cross-functional teams to build efficient collaboration, and ensure milestones are met. Supported by an Ops Director, you will organise all necessary resources, promote an environment where ideas are transformed into outcomes, and navigate changing requirements and unforeseen challenges while maintaining focus on broader business goals.

You will be a key point of contact for all briefs, responsible for managing and tracking scopes and resource allocation within the team. You will work with the Ops Director and Creative Director to ensure the right talent is assigned to each brief and that time spent is closely monitored to deliver on time and within budget. Your excellent communication and interpersonal skills will foster collaboration across the wider team and stakeholders, driving a unified approach that surpasses client expectations. Through meticulous attention to detail, you will safeguard the agency’s reputation for delivering work of impeccable quality. Over time there is potential for this role to expand and include producer responsibilities, involving greater involvement in final execution of social-first content and managing the production process from idea to delivery.

Key Responsibilities

• Be the Project Navigator – manage from kick-off to completion, including creating project schedules, cost estimates, scope of works, timelines, and budgets; anticipate change, manage budget challenges, justify and negotiate revised costs with the Account lead; carry out weekly burn reports to track projects.
• Be the Seamless Integrator – act as a liaison between agency disciplines, organise resources for project execution, collaborate with multi-agency teams, and foster strong relationships across the project team with support from the Ops Director.
• Be the Financial & Resource Steward – understand the client’s remuneration and commercial model; monitor and report on project finances, address resource allocation concerns, and work with the resource manager and Ops Director for effective management.
• Be the Proactive Risk Mitigator – identify and anticipate potential project risks and implement strategies to mitigate them to ensure smooth delivery.
• Be the Quality & Process Champion – uphold high standards of professionalism and documentation; gain knowledge of industry-standard project tools, processes, and platforms to drive efficiency.
• Be the Advocate – champion for project needs within the agency to ensure appropriate resources and attention.
• Be the Creative Problem-Solver – anticipate challenges and develop solutions with the Ops Director, pushing for creative excellence while keeping projects on track.
• Be ready to embrace AI in everything we do – apply AI and use WPP Open to create efficiencies, including tasks such as transcribing video calls.
• Be open to change – transformation is ongoing; stay engaged with continual improvement.

Key Skills

• 3–4 years’ experience as an SPM in a Social & Influencer environment is critical.
• Demonstrated expertise as a Senior Project Manager in a creative agency or similar environment.
• Proficiency in project setup, budgeting, resource planning and control, tracking and reporting.
• Experience on project/integrated accounts with understanding of Social & Influencer project dynamics.
• Financial acumen to manage budgets, monitor status, and forecast resource allocation.
• Proactive approach to identifying risks and mitigation with the Ops Director.
• Familiarity with industry-standard project tools, LLMs, processes, and platforms.
• Experience in meeting scheduling for comprehensive team participation.
• Impeccable attention to detail and commitment to high-quality project documentation and deliverables.
• Solution-oriented mindset and adaptability to change.
• Understanding of evolving trends within the creative industry.

How We Help You Thrive

• 25 days annual leave + 1 Volunteer Day
• Bupa Healthcare
• Enhanced Maternity, Adoption and Shared Parental Leave
• Flexible Working Model with core hours 10am–4pm
• 1.5:1 Matching Pension Structure
• Wellbeing and Health benefits including exercise memberships, Unmind and LifeWorks tools, annual eye tests, development budgets, and wellbeing incentives
• Season Ticket Loan and Cycle to Work Scheme
• Life Assurance

Ogilvy is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect and belonging. If you need assistance seeking a job opportunity or reasonable accommodation with the application process, please contact accommodations@ogilvy.com.

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