Job title: Project Director, Dazed Studio

Reporting to: General Manager, Dazed Studio

About Us:

Dazed Media is the world’s leading independent fashion and culture media brand. Twenty-five years ago, Jefferson Hack and Rankin Waddell set up a magazine that would become a movement: Dazed & Confused. The title became a lightning rod for cultural provocation – radically reframing international style culture. Today, we are an agenda-setting publishing powerhouse and the most efficient way to reach the world’s most influential audiences.

Dazed Media powers an ever-evolving network of premium digital channels and iconic print titles including Dazed, AnOther, Dazed Beauty and Nowness.

Dazed Studio is the commercial heart of Dazed Media. The Dazed Studio team brings the creative, editorial, design and production capabilities of Dazed Media to clients, working across a mix of brands and sectors, with a particular expertise in the fashion, luxury, lifestyle, and beauty space.

We build and deliver bespoke commercial projects, partnering with some of the world’s most ambitious brands and agencies to create brave, pioneering ideas for a global influencer community, including 360 campaigns, award-winning video production, stills and editorial, branded content, partnerships, events, and experiential, as well as strategic and creative consultancy.

About the role:

As a Project Director, you will be responsible for supporting the seamless delivery of Dazed Studio’s 360 offering, overseeing internal project workflows across departments, and championing best practice Project Management and Client Servicing across the team. You are a key player in client relationship management throughout projects and play a critical role in retaining key accounts. You work closely with the Commercial team as strategic partner from briefing through to delivery and reporting.

You will apply your knowledge and understanding of Dazed Media and the Studio’s vision and mission, to support the evolution and development of our core offerings, across both our white-label and co-branded workstreams, including strategy and insights, creative consultancy, shoot production, experiential and events, social and editorial, media & distribution, Dazed Club and space etc.

You will motivate and inspire the wider creative, production and project management team, leading by example to encourage a positive attitude, and solution focused approach at all times, while becoming a trusted, strategic partner to our clients, staying informed about industry news, key market trends and operations (across the US, Europe, and China).

Duties & Responsibilities:

Project Management:

- Supporting the seamless delivery of Dazed Studio’s 360 offering, overseeing internal project workflows across departments, and championing best practice Project Management and Client Servicing across the team - the essential link between all internal departments and external partners

- Overseeing and/or leading on internal creative meetings, and applying knowledge of best practice, as well as audience and platform understanding, to positively inform our responses to briefs.

- Monitoring creative integrity to ensure we’re consistently meeting agreed objectives. Delegating various admin tasks including meeting notes and actions, status reports, maintaining schedules, case studies and proposals

- Attending shoots / events, ensuring clients are happy with the run of the day and being the buffer between client requests and the creative team. Working very closely with the production team to ensure smooth running of the day and everything is being captured against PPM.

- Attending key client meetings.

- Overseeing and/or leading on internal project wash ups, identifying key learnings, and areas to optimise our approach process and moving forwards.

- Applying your knowledge and understanding of Dazed Media and the Studio’s vision and mission, to support the evolution and development of our core offerings, across both our white-label and co-branded workstreams.

- Having a macro view on the way Project Management interacts with the rest of the business and involve PM support where it could be helpful to the wider teams.

Client Servicing:

- Establishing effective communication with clients, showing clear rationale and consideration to reinforce their understanding of the development and approach.

- Navigating client communication with tact and confidence, always maintaining a solution focused approach. First point of escalation.

- Establishing and retaining strong, trusted relationships with clients, championing innovation, and working with other departments to identify opportunities for organic growth with our core client base.

- Building a strong rapport with clients from key brands, who are returning clients and continue to work with us each year, to help facilitate retention and brief generation.

- Gaining and demonstrating knowledge of the clients’ businesses and brands.

- Becoming a trusted, strategic partner to our clients, staying informed about industry news, key market trends and operations across the US, Europe, and China

Finance:

- Informing the structure and requirements of master project management templates, such as Budgets, SOWs, Project Plans, etc. to support optimum process and efficiency.

- Reviewing and approving Estimates, Budgets, SOWs, Project Plans, etc, directing amendments as needed to ensure they are watertight and fit for purpose.

- Overseeing all financial management of assigned projects / clients, monitoring project burn, margins, invoicing, and reporting on financials to senior stakeholders

- Working closely with finance and production to ensure cash flow for projects is always healthy

and tracking against client invoicing and payment terms.

- Monitoring the scope of work throughout the project and identifying if/when additional asks have arisen , and facilitating the appropriate conversations and overages internally and externally

Team management:

- Managing the project management team (senior to junior level), sustaining and developing growth plans for all members of the team.

- Motivating and inspiring the wider project management team, leading by example, to encourage a positive attitude and solution focused approach at all times.

- Maintaining an active role in the management and nurturing of the junior project team.

- Lead PM team inductions, training, annual leave requests, and general team management.

- Line managing PMs, supporting their growth and development, including bi-appraisals and objective setting.

- Assigning resource and briefs across the Project Management team and ensuring all teams are working to a healthy capacity.

- Working with HODs across studio to develop solutions for resources gaps, ensuring all projects are staffed appropriately from start to finish

Stakeholder management:

- Working closely with the Co-Founder on high profile projects, ensuring direct and continuous communication is kept, all feedback is actioned and keeping him informed of key project milestones and gently updating him on complications that may arise.

- Meeting weekly with COO and Head of Finance to update on all finance related topics, discuss budgets and profit margins for new projects and make them aware of any flags during live projects.

- Keep in close contact with Dazed Studio General Manager and keep them informed of key updates across the business, auditing, updating and creating processes, tools and operational frameworks

- Maintain a strong relationship with the Chief Marketing Officer and keep up to date with Dazed Media areas of focus to translate through client briefs, opportunities and filter down to the wider Dazed Studio team.

- Work closely with all HODs to ensure smooth running of projects, processes and be a contact for any feedback across the Project Management team.

Culture:

- Being a team player, with a collaborative approach and positive energy.

- Being a Dazed ambassador internally and externally.

- Being actively interested in learning about the Dazed brand.

- Taking part in the wider Dazed Media culture.

Skills, experience & personal attributes:

- 8+ years’ experience within an Account / Project Management function in a creative agency or studio environment.

- Experience working across 360, integrated accounts (editorial, events, content, social, etc.), and a deep understanding of the creative and production processes, including print, digital, social, photography, editorial, film and events.

- Personable and flexible with ability to maintain focus and keep calm when working under pressure.

- Organised, reliable and time conscious, solution-focused, problem solver.

- Ability to work effectively, both independently and as part of a team; a self-starter with the confidence to lead, and the humility to listen.

- Experience of leadership/people management

- Experience and skill in financial management, running seven-figure + accounts.

- Excellent communication and client service skills.

- Experience in senior stakeholder management, both internal and external

- Passionate about film, fashion, arts and culture with a keen understanding of the Dazed brand, values, culture and heritage and appreciation of the distinct market value we can offer to our clients.

- Experience working with luxury, lifestyle and fashion brands is preferable.

- Competence in MAC OSX, Excel, Word, Keynote.

These duties and responsibilities are indicative and not exhaustive but serve to give a realistic overview of the role and requirements. The company reserves the right to change this role description in response to the changing needs of the business.

At Dazed Media we promote a working environment in which diversity is recognised, valued and encouraged. We acknowledge the multicultural and diverse nature of the UK workforce and society in general. We are committed to principles of fairness and mutual respect. We particularly welcome applicants from those who are significantly underrepresented in our sector.

If you require any reasonable adjustments to be made to the application or interview process please don't hesitate to let us know via the message function.