The role
This is a fundamental role in our fast growing business. We know that if we manage our people’s time properly, it has a positive impact on both the business commercials as well as, and often more importantly, the well being of our teams. We want to make sure we have the right people working on the right jobs with enough time so everyone can be at their best. Having someone to own this process and bring the experience to make this happen is integral to the success of our business.
We are looking for an experienced resource manager who is solutions focused, calm under pressure, reasonable, approachable and able to build relationships across all disciplines and seniority. We are looking for improvements and guidance to manage our creative and strategic resource scheduling as effectively as possible. You will work closely with:
Team Leads who are specialists in their disciplines to ensure we have the right skills across our client work
New business and marketing to also manage resource for internal projects and new business pitches/proposals
Operations and Finance Directors to input into utilisation, staff headcount and use of freelancers, supporting the business to achieve our commercial and operational goals
Freelance network to bring in additional skills as and when required
You’ll report into the Operations Director who will support you in succeeding in your role and ensure you have the tools and access to information that you need to do your job.
Day-to-day responsibilities
To give you an idea of what we anticipate from this person on a day to day, here is a description of some of the key tasks that you will be responsible for:
Managing day to day workloads across strategy & creative, working in collaboration with the client team and team leads
Introducing a resourcing tool/system/process that you can implement to deliver effective, efficient and accurate resourcing needs
Owning and managing resource requests by validating requirements and affordability based on brief and budget
Proactively engaging with teams to gain meaningful understanding of their skills, experience and aspirations, and identify the right opportunities for them
Leading casting meetings to understand impacts to resource needs (new projects, timeline movement, internal projects etc.) and facilitate risk/issue mitigations
Managing new business requests (pitches/proposals) planning team to work on new business and potential team to deliver if we win
Providing accurate and insightful reporting and analysis to team leads and the leadership identifying skills gaps and making strategic and thoughtful staffing suggestions to ensure FTE recruitment or FL needs are filled with the right person at the right time and at the right cost
Identifying current and potential future over/under utilisation, and work with leadership to address issues and mitigate risk
Maintaining a network of multi-disciplinary freelance contacts who can be called upon at short notice for project or pitch work. This includes recruiting FL talent, managing their contracts, timesheets and raising PO’s
Experience using Paprika as a resourcing tool (desired but not essential)
About you
You will have experience in resource management and have worked with strategists as well as creatives. You will be proactive in building a process that works for you and the agency, and feel motivated to make the job your own. You will be able to see the big picture and be a great communicator across all teams and leadership. You will be confident working with a senior team and advocate for what is needed during times of high pressure.
You will be comfortable working in a growing agency with ambitious recruitment plans and enjoy getting to know new people and understanding their skills. You will feel confident in your ability and are able to manage difficult resource based conversations professionally and constructively.
Recruitment process
Our first step will be a 30 minute phone call to understand a bit more about you and why you’ve applied. Next, we’ll invite candidates to a first round interview to get into more detail about you and the role, as well as taking a look at your experience together. The final stage will involve answering a short brief that will take no longer than a half a day of your time to prep. We’ll ask you to come into our office (if you’re comfortable doing that) to present your thinking.
For our people
Hybrid working, with only one fixed day in the office a week
We offer 26 days paid holiday per calendar year pro rata, plus public holidays. We also close the office between Christmas and New Year, which is in addition to your paid holiday allowance
Company bonus scheme
Pension Scheme with Aviva
Health plan with SimplyHealth
A tenure bonus reward after 3 and 6 years of employment
Work from anywhere for 1 month of the year, after your first year of employment
Access to our Given Campus for training and development needs
Interest free season ticket loan and Bike to Work scheme
Option and role dependent mobile phone for business and personal use (UK domestic calls only)
Given strives to be an equal opportunities employer and everyone’s commitment to this process will be expected. We are proud to be different and that starts with our people. We believe in equal opportunities for everyone. Individuality is what makes us great, we want everyone to bring their full self to work and create something amazing. We are happy to discuss flexible and agile approaches to working for all our roles - we can’t promise we will be able to offer you everything you want or need but we do promise to discuss it with you openly and honestly. If you have any reasonable adjustments required in order to fully participate in the recruitment process, please discuss it with our recruitment team.
About us
Given is the agency for purpose-driven brands. Everything that we do is about making brands a force for good, helping create positive change for people, communities and the world. Working with ambitious clients on the creation and execution of purpose, sustainable business strategies, innovation and creative campaigning and storytelling we are seeing the demand for the support that we can offer grow exponentially.
We offer great benefits, a collaborative and creative environment, impactful and meaningful work, brilliant career opportunities, and the chance to work with some of the biggest and best brands in the world. Our work has helped national and international brands like IKEA, John Lewis & Partners, Nespresso and Bupa, define and execute on their brand purpose. We fundamentally believe it takes both insightful strategy and imaginative creativity to change things for good, so we have both under the same East London roof.
