Traffic Manager

An integrated, multi-disciplined communications and innovations company in Durban has a great opportunity for a Traffic Manager.

As the Traffic Manage, you will  into the Operations Manager.

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Responsible for briefing jobs that come into the agency, making sure that they are briefed to the right creative and that pre-planning is done to ensure timeous delivery at every stage of the creative process
• Provides a professional service internally within the agency ensuring that deadlines are met, no delays occur and that creative work is signed off by the relevant parties
• Responsible for the management of third-party supplier procurement, budget management and meeting of deadlines
  Provides a professional service to all of the agency’s clients, with a specific focus on quality and cost efficacies

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS REQUIRED

• Minimum of five years’ experience as a Traffic Manager in a reputable Advertising Agency
• Degree or Diploma in Project Management would be advantageous
• Superb interpersonal and communication skills
• Excellent organising and administration skills
• Meticulous attention to detail
• Ability to implement systems and procedures where applicable
• A solid motivator who has the ability to get good work out of the creative team
• Process-driven, with thorough understanding of the advertising creative process
• Pro-active thinker who can envisage problem areas and seek solutions
• Excellent planning, troubleshooting and decision-making skills
• Ability to control various processes and functions
• Negotiation skills and astute financial management abilities in order to manage budgets and revenue on all jobs
• Must practice confidentiality, transparency and good financial ethics at all times
• Deadline-driven

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

• Integrity and energy
• Hardworking, passionate and conscientious team player
• Must be self-managed and able to complete projects with limited supervision
• Assertive and confident
• Ability to develop relationships, striving to improve relationships thus gaining the respect and confidence of all
• Must have a hands-on and flexible approach to work
• Communication skills – concise and commanding, yet respectful
• Willingness to learn, accept instructions, correction and supervision

DUTIES

Creative

• Allocation of work to creative team on a daily basis
• Scheduling of all internal meetings with the relevant parties e.g. kick-starts, weekly status, reviews, brainstorming sessions etc.
• Working closely with the creative team to ensure that deadlines are met. If the deadline is not achievable then making the designated Client Service individual aware immediately
• Initiation of daily catch ups with creative team to ensure they are ready for reviews with client service / the client..
• Allocate Art Directors for shoots as well as retouchers once the shoot is complete.
• Opening of physical and electronic job bags
• Placement of all reference material / copy / imagery etc. into electronic job bags in readiness for studio
• Update and monitor the Creative leave schedule to ensure adequate resources are available at all times, advising relevant parties of leave allocations

Client Service

• Running production meetings three times a week as well as required status meetings with client service to follow up on work in progress / deadlines
• In addition to non-negotiable production meetings, liaising with client service on a regular basis regarding the project status in order to ensure project information is up-to-date/current and to alert them to any potential problem areas

Approvals

• Distribution of artwork to the necessary parties for internal sign-off and ensuring that all questions are answered by client service before any changes are made
• Implementation of the approval process for creative print work, and distribution of artwork to the relevant parties for internal sign-off (i.e. stamp approval from Design Director)
• Ensuring that any changes or comments from client service have been agreed by creative, before the job proceeds.

Production

• Working with the Production Department (Art Buying, Print Production, Electronic Production and Activations) providing them with briefs for shoots, recordings, print work etc.
• Briefing in Cost Estimates, Cost Estimate Approvals, Directors Orders etc. to Production.
• Monitoring the Production process (including timing plans, schedules, shoots, recording etc.) and ensuring transparency across the agency

Financial Management

• Holding regular status meetings to allocate work according to the hours required per person
• Ensuring that creative resources assigned to the job have adhered to the timing plan and the allocated hours, in order to meet deadlines (weekly recon)
• Ensuring that timesheets are always up to date (creatives on relevant jobs)
• Flagging client services (timeously) on jobs that are running over budget

People Management

• Reporting to the Business Unit Head on all projects and matters affecting the flow of work and the running of the studio.
• Indirectly overseeing creative by managing their workload and time, ensuring that each and every stage of the job is complete and to deadline
• Understand, and demonstrate, the value of knowledge-sharing
• Maintain knowledge in relevant field by staying current with new information