The Role

At HHCX, we believe in a future where the customer experience is fundamentally transformed, so that all brands have a contextually relevant and consistent conversation with every individual customer, across the full range of digital and human touch points. We help organizations align around the goal of delivering meaningful experiences. We use advanced data analytics, best-in-class technology, insightful strategy and inspiring design and content to help them deliver on that vision.

HHCX is looking for an Associate Director of Production, a leader who can flawlessly manage any project or program end-to-end (from initiation, definition, through to delivery). The Associate Director is a pivotal role within the agency that will provide direction across a range of accounts, pitches and internal initiatives.

The role would primarily support the Account, Creative, Data Technology and Strategy team members in delivering both standalone Data and Strategic projects for clients, but also full-service projects collaborating with other teams within HHCX globally as well as with agencies within HH&Y.

The role would suit someone who is an ambitious, enthusiastic and digitally savvy person looking for a new challenge in a demanding industry. There is opportunity to be able to shape with a clear path to climb the ladder for the right candidate.

Responsibilities

• Helps guide process efficiencies and has holistic view of the business, including staffing mix and allocations
• Ensures accuracy of all team SOWs; Include detailed assumptions in every SOW to protect the team, deliverables and budget
• Develops specific, measurable steps leading toward the accomplishment of the portfolio long- term goals
• Sets realistic objectives and schedules to achieve portfolio goals
• Understands the clients’ business and plans projects accordingly
• Consistently maintains a forward-thinking approach to the application of project management concepts and methods
• Supports VP in agency and network initiatives (pricing, workflows, efficiency exercises, etc.)
• Develops consolidated master Gantt to align with SOW
• Acts as primary point of escalation for project/team related challenges
• Facilitates retrospective to identify cause root issue/problems and provide actionable report and analysis; Exhibits a mastery of workflow for more complex projects, parallel paths and additional stakeholders (ie. 3rd Party Vendors)
• Participates in client status meetings as needed to support communication/understanding of executional tasks and processes
• Partner with Account Team to help problem solve executional challenges, develop process, and bring project to successful completion for client
• Manages workload across portfolio and drives difficult or complex production discussions with client and facilitates resolution
• Partners closely with Account when engaging with client discussions on production concerns to ensure client understands tradeoffs throughout the projects
• Partners with Resourcing and shifts client workload depending on priority needs across the portfolio in collaboration with Account
• Identifies and mitigates risk early in the lifecycle and demonstrates that value to direct reports
• Balances short-term operational priorities while driving long-term client and agency business goals
• Conflict and crisis management within team, exhibiting a sense of calm, control and solutions- based approach during high-pressure situations
• Enables the project teams to deliver their best removing project/department roadblocks
• Passes knowledge down to direct reports and properly maximizing strengths, coaching on weaknesses
• Strong analysis of internal teammates, effectively maximizing their skills to produce quality in a timely, cost-conscious manner
• Understands direct report’s capabilities/skillsets and assigns/reassigns work accordingly
• Assists Director in rolling out best practices and trainings for department

Financial Management

• Analyzes financial data to identify opportunities to drive efficiency and optimize portfolio/team performance
• Creates/reviews/approve annual SOW and secures approval across team leads
• Ensure lock-step coordination with Account leads and Finance on approach, tools and execution of financial management
• Expert Level portfolio budget management skills
• Regularly assesses and informs supervisor and senior agency management of factors that may impact approval of budgets, agency rates, and resources
• Ability to keep an eye towards revenue goals, partnering with Account leads to ensure revenue tracking is accurate and ladders up to agency goals

Experience

• Has managed a portfolio level of up to $10 MM
• 6+ years' experience working at an agency on at least one pharmaceutical brand, and a proven track record of delivery for data drive, user experience or digital programs
• Has managed a team of 1+ direct reports
• Has developed and managed an SOW for a pharma client
• Strong leadership skills, brilliant communicator, pathfinder and problem solver
• Able to think quickly and smartly under pressure
• Qualified as a certified Scrum Master or Agile a plus