Operations Director

Job description

Publicis Groupe is a global leader in communication. The Groupe is positioned at every step of the value chain, from consulting to execution, combining marketing transformation and digital business transformation.



Purpose of the Role:

Business partner to the Managing Director. Whilst the Managing Director focuses on growing the business, the Operations Director ensures it can support and scale effectively, maintaining efficiency and profitability. Their role involves running the organizations strategic goals alongside their leadership team, streamlining operations (using advanced Tech), leading change management initiatives, developing new systems, managing resources, and training staff to handle increased workloads whilst ensuring continued profitability as the business grows.



Key Responsibilities:

 Clients:

• Confidently engage with senior clients during fee negotiations, reconciliations, and in developing business cases for additional scope and funding alongside client leads and financial leads.
• Provide hands-on oversight and quality assurance on key, high-value projects, ensuring on-time, on-budget delivery.
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with key clients, ensuring operational alignment with client expectations.

Commercials:

• Enhance agency performance by implementing efficient processes, resource planning, technology adoption, and strategic hiring.

• Drive and manage Commit and RF planning cycles, ensuring FTE planning metrics are met across all client models and the overall agency. Manage all associated new hires, increases and productivity outcomes.
• Ensure 80% - 100% FTE billability of resources and propose organogram refinements to improve staff cost ratios.
• Lead the Account Management team on financial planning and optimisation.
• Manage contractors, freelancers or suppliers.
• Review and manage all agency’s budgets and delegated fees.
• Approve all travel costs and manage the travel budget.
• Manage and negotiate high-level vendor relationships (including South African print, web, production, and event partners) to ensure quality, cost efficiency, and alignment with agency objectives.
• Oversee agency production to maximize quality and profitability across all deliverables.

Planning:

• Lead high-level resource planning and strategic resource management across all agency functions (creative, strategy, social media, content marketing and client account management).
• Finding solutions for clients within and outside of agency functions which could include but not short of, data, production, PR, digital & media.
• Manage the Resource Co-Ordinators and collaborate with the Account Leads, Creative Leads, and team leads to implement plans effectively and maintain optimal resource utilization.
• Partner with the Leadership Team to align operational plans with the agency’s strategic vision.
• Identify and manage operational and project risks proactively, developing mitigation plans to protect agency profitability and reputation.

Processes:

• Champion change management initiatives, including stakeholder communication, training, and success measurement to ensure smooth adoption of new processes, tools, or structural changes.
• Continually evaluate, refine, and implement agency processes to ensure they are future-fit and scalable.
• Establish and document operational workflows that enable seamless delivery across creative, content marketing, strategy, social, production, Publicis partner agencies and account management disciplines.
• Implement processes to optimize resource allocation, ensuring balanced workloads and meeting project timelines.
• Develop and manage key operational metrics and reporting frameworks to measure and continuously improve delivery performance.

Technology:

• Evaluate, implement, and integrate operational software solutions relevant to South African agency needs (e.g., Chase, Altair, Roar or similar systems).
• Manage change adoption for all technology implementations, ensuring staff training and process alignment.
• Monitor and report on agency time tracking and billability metrics, driving efficiency and transparency.
• Leverage AI and automation tools where relevant to enhance productivity, while managing AI-related risks to the agency’s competitive advantage.
• Collaborate closely with the Publicis IT team to meet technology requirements, including South African POPIA compliance and data security best practices.

People:

• Ensure accurate and updated capacity planning, supporting optimal resource utilization.
• Foster a collaborative, high-performance culture across operational teams and departments.
• Work effectively with creative, strategy, content marketing and account management teams to deliver operational excellence.
• Partner with the Talent Team to support recruitment, onboarding, and retention strategies tailored to South Africa’s talent landscape while following Publicis ways of working.
• Champion a culture of continuous improvement and skills development within operational teams.
• Support the agency’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion by fostering inclusive processes and ensuring equitable opportunities across operational teams.

Requirements

• Proven operations management within a full-service advertising or creative agency.
• Experience managing multiple teams across creative, media, production, digital, and client service.
• Strong people management skills, with a focus on building inclusive, high-performing teams.
• Expertise in operational budgeting and financial oversight.
• Strong process management experience, including workflow design and optimization.
• Experience managing vendor relationships, including South African suppliers.
• Proven ability to foster a positive, collaborative agency culture.
• Expertise in performance management and driving accountability.
• Solid capacity planning and resource forecasting experience.
• Track record in leading change management initiatives, particularly in agency environments undergoing transformation.

Posted on 09 Jun 15:56, Closing date 8 Aug