The Senior Creative Resource Manager role is integral to the smooth running of Made Thought, ensuring that we deliver the best quality work for our clients in a timely, cost effective and imaginative way. The role sits at the core of the studio, providing a clear understanding of the resources available and what is required within each project, working hand in hand with the Project Management team to provide intelligent resource planning and effective casting across the studio. You will be responsible for allocation, planning and forecasting of projects ensuring the project is set up for success from the outset, with the right cast of team and right timeline in place. Ensuring the right level and skills are organised and deployed effectively to execute the work effectively. You will also be responsible for both freelance and permanent recruitment within the Studio, ensuring the best talent is effectively sourced and recruited. 

RESPONSIBILITIES 

— Maintain and enhance the Studio’s resource plan, focussing on both the immediate weeks and future quarters to optimise team capabilities, overseeing all edits made by the Resource Assistant 

— Lead the weekly resource planning meetings for both London and New York, leading negotiations and providing solutions between Account managers or others requesting resource. Coordinate, collate and plan resource requests from the Account Management team for both internal and freelance requirements, providing final sign off for actionable changes 

— Partner with Account Managers to ensure that processes are allowing for work to be delivered on time and on budget, optimising and re-working plans as required

— Identifying potential project or team risks before they occur and escalating to the relevant people to resolve issues ahead of time

— Effectively communicate the plan to Account Managers and Creative team leads, ensuring information is up to date and easily accessible 

— Work with the Client Services Director, Account Directors and Creative Team leads to map and monitor the long-term resource needs and skill requirements for the studio 

— Maintain and update an international ‘black book’ of reputable and trusted freelancers, managing bookings and introduce to the relevant teams so that briefings and equipment are set up in time for the booking 

— Manage all relationships with external recruiters, ensuring they have relevant and accurate briefs for all ongoing resource requirements 

— Oversee the Resource Assistant in accurately documenting all freelance bookings, whether through agents or directly, ensuring all invoices and timesheets are logged for each freelancer and managing this process smoothly between freelancer and wider team, reporting overall freelance costs and allocations to COO 

— Collaborate with Finance Team and Client Services Director to ensure rate cards are accurate and relevant based on Industry knowledge and awareness 

— Using the updated Resource Planner to provide clear and accurate information with regards to unallocated resource and cross-checking against wider financial Studio documents 

— Overseeing the Resource Assistant to ensure all freelancers have signed NDAs and consultancy agreements and that all relevant documents are kept up to date in line with UK and US laws and guidance

— Using long-term planning and short-term utilisation to forecast/judge the requirements for the different levels and skills required on projects 

— Monitor timesheets ensuring this is captured accurately weekly by permanent and freelance staff alongside the Resource Assistant, relaying relevant time impacts to Project Managers and escalating to line managers where relevant 

— Support Client Services Director, Growth Director and Account Directors with embedding new projects in the Studio, taking learnings from previous team set ups and project timelines 

— Work closely with finance in order to track and understand people spend against project work in the Studio at any point in time. Optimising people spend to ensure best use of budget and the optimum people mix across freelance, FTC and permanent employees 

— Approve all holiday requests Studio wide, liaising with project leads to ensure holidays are taken without disrupting project timelines and ensuring all relevant requests are updated on internal HR platform. Maintaining financial documents to document all time taken off taken out of financial opportunities for the studio 

— Support the Resource Assistant and People Assistant in reporting Sickness and other leave requests and ensuring relevant cover and support is put in place 

— Oversee the Resource Assistant completing and maintaining a Design Skills audit within studio team, escalating opportunities to develop talent across People team 

— Have a strong and clear understanding of the skillsets and levels of talent required at Made Thought – highlighting to Studio heads where skill gaps might opening and might justify further hires (freelance or perm) 

— Manage Talent boards for both New York and London – working closely with Resource Assistant to maintain current details for future talent, creating shortlists for future briefs

SKILLS & EXPERIENCE 

— Experience within a Studio environment essential with a clear understanding of creative practices 

— Knowledge of the creative industry and understanding of creative roles and requirements 

— A calm and methodical approach when problem solving within a high-pressured environment 

— Experience in people management, balancing multiple requests and personality types beneficial — Confidence with fee negotiation and contracts, with an understanding of tax law requirements for the UK and US 

— Interest in Design and the Creative industry essential

EXPERTISE 

— Excellent written and oral communication 

— Experience with interview structures and implementation beneficial 

— Microsoft office, Google workspace 

— Paprika software beneficial but not essential 

— Knowledge of Notion software beneficial