Studio Manager & Assistant to Creative Director

Our client is well-known Fashion Head Office. We are currently looking to secure a multitalented individual who will be working closely with e Creative Director in addition to managing the studio.

Reporting to the Creative Director, the ideal candidate will be seasoned with related experience in creative project management & people/culture management. This role ensures the smooth operation of the design studio and staff, project management between departments, as well as administrative support to the Creative Director.

ROLE: DESIGN STUDIO MANAGEMENT, PEOPLE & CULTURE

• Negotiation with external work-related agencies
• Recruitment and retention
• Staff welfare and administration-centred activities, as well as strategy and planning working practices

• Work closely with various departments, alongside central HR/Legal, assisting line managers to understand and implement policies and procedures

• Liaise with a range of people involved in policy areas such as staff performance and health and safety
• Implement policies on issues like performance management, disciplinary procedures and absence management
• Prepare & manage department guidebook
• Administer and maintain employee records
• Supporting CD in dealing with grievances
• Plan and sometimes deliver training, including new staff inductions
• Analyse training needs in conjunction with departmental managers.
• Design Studio Management – Working with Heads of Categories & leveraging staff as needed to manage the shared studio space, booking in the rooms for necessary meetings, ensuring each team has left the shared spaces with respect

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

• Ensuring the smooth running and successful delivery of all projects, championing best practice, processes and systems that support and enhance a creative environment, always encouraging efficiency and the highest quality output.
• Manage end to end delivery of creative assets for brand, working with multiple stakeholders where required, creating timelines, and ensuring adherence to deadlines
• Support CD in Defining briefs at strategy level with stakeholders, setting realistic deadlines and allocating resource according to the teams’ capacity, ensuring objectives are met
• Support with project management of special projects
• Act as point of contact for special projects, from brief to implementation and through to completion
• Oversee the project management planner, ensuring briefs are submitted within deadlines.
• Plan and manage workload of the workstream alongside CD and ensure work is prioritised accordingly
• Work creatively with suppliers, stakeholders, and the teams to ideate solutions for projects
• Work closely with project owners and stakeholders to ensure expectations are met and managed
• Building and maintaining exceptional relationships with key stakeholders business wide.
• Work closely with all Directors and Heads Of to drive projects forward in an inspiring and collaborative way, ensuring teams are progressing as needed in each area.
• Work closely with the Creative Director and multiple teams to hold strategic reviews of processes and systems, identifying ways to enhance and improve
• Take responsibility for capturing, outlining and, where necessary, questioning the deliverables and budget across projects
• Provide necessary leadership, planning and communication on projects, while seeking the best possible strategic and creative outcome
• Manage risks, issues and escalate as required, providing appropriate options to self-solve situations
• Partner with Creative Director and/or key departments to manage the team in terms of

resourcing and project allocation, to ensure the smooth running of initiatives.

• Tracking multiple projects to keep on brief, on time and to the agreed budget. Using

project management methodologies appropriate to successful completion. Tracking daily task lists throughout the project life cycle from initial scoping and concepting, through to production and delivery

• Supporting senior management and operations team members on larger initiatives
• Any other support to Creative Director as needed by the Business.

ASSISTANT TO CREATIVE DIRECTOR

• Working directly in support of the Creative Director
• Administrative duties including accurate Diary & Expense management.
• Responsible for organising internal and external appointments and attending on behalf of CD where necessary.
• Coordinate and attend regular team meetings, taking notes and progressing agreed

actions.

• Booking travel; researching travel options when required and preparing full travel itinerary.
• Booking appointments
• Being the first point of contact for any queries relating to or concerning Creative Director.
• Interpret policies and guidelines as and when necessary • Hold responsibility for various components of project assignments
• Working with relevant internal and external stakeholders (e.g., marketing, comms, press and sales teams) to ensure queries are answered.
• Project managing and execution of various business concepts, collaborations,

partnerships, creative projects, coming on set (photo shoots, film…) when needed.

• Able to work from various locations when required. Ad hoc duties

Skills, Experience & Personal Attributes

• Over 8 years’ experience in relevant roles, at least 4 years in project/studio management
• Business awareness and management skills
• Interpersonal skills to form effective working relationships with people at all levels
• IT and numeracy skills, with strong IT skills required if managing/operating computerised

systems

• Organisational and planning skills
• The ability to analyse, interpret and explain written terms and conditions, agreements, contracts
• Integrity and approachability, as managers and staff must feel able to discuss sensitive and confidential issues with you
• Teamworking skills and the ability to collaborate well with others
• The ability to compile and interpret statistical data and communicate it in a professional and understandable manner
• Influencing and negotiating skills to work interdepartmentally inside and outside the business
• The ability to work well under pressure
• Previous PA Experience
• Competent typing and dictation skills
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal. Computer literate
• Confident and with proactive approach to work
• Ability to be flexible and to enjoy working in a cultural environment
• High attention to detail
• Trustworthy and organised with the ability to work under pressure in a busy environment
• Experience as a Project Coordinator or Manager or in a similar role in an integrated creative/design environment

• Experience in managing workflows across creative and production teams
• Strong attention to detail and ability to handle multiple projects, contending priorities
• simultaneously within a fast-paced environment
• Impeccable organisational skills and avid user of Excel
• Demonstrate a sound understanding of the creative and production process across multiple disciplines
• Be proactive, self-motivated and enjoy working as part of team.
• Commercially aware, forward thinking, and excellent problem-solving skills
• You love working with teams to support the creation of big creative solutions
• You will be that mix of calm, diligent, confident, optimistic, and approachable