Lead Project Manager

Ride Shotgun; City of Westminster; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading strategic brand agency in the UK is seeking an experienced Lead Project Manager to oversee large-scale client projects. This senior role requires strong leadership in CGI and technology-led environments, ensuring projects are delivered on time and to high standards. Candidates should have proven experience in project management, excellent stakeholder communication skills, and a solid understanding of technical workflows. The position is hybrid, based out of London or Manchester, with competitive salary and benefits.

Benefits

Competitive salary

25 days holiday

Birthday off

Company Sick Pay

Pension contribution

Cycle to work scheme

Tech & Home Scheme

Qualifications

• Proven experience in senior project management within CGI or digital production.
• Strong understanding of CGI workflows and AI-driven processes.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the successful delivery of all projects for a key client.
• Act as the escalation point for project issues.
• Manage risks and ensure projects meet quality standards.

Skills

Project Management

CGI Workflows

Stakeholder Management

Organizational Skills

Job description

Overview

Ride Shotgun, is a bit different. Not only are we one of the fastest growing strategic brand, activation and production agencies in the UK but we think big, go big creatively and deliver big in production to deliver fully joined-up brand journeys for clients of all shapes and sizes.

Role Summary

We are seeking an experienced Lead Project Manager to take full ownership of for all projects primarily for a single, large-scale client. This is a senior, CGI- and technology-led role, responsible for ensuring projects are scoped, resourced, and delivered to a consistently high standard across multiple workstreams. Acting as the central point of accountability, the role will sit above day-to-day project management, providing oversight, escalation, and strategic direction across all client projects.

Primary Responsibilities

• Project Leadership & Oversight – Hold overarching responsibility for the successful delivery of all projects for the assigned clientli>
• Act as the escalation point for Project Managers and Producers, resolving issues around scope, timing, resourcing, and budget.
• Maintain a forward-looking view across early-stage, in-flight, and upcoming projects, identifying risks and opportunities well in advance.
• Ensure projects are delivered on time, on budget, and to agreed quality standards.
• Client & Stakeholder Management – Serve as a senior, client-facing lead, liaising directly with key stakeholders and managing expectations throughout the project lifecycle.
• Attend client site visits as required, while remaining primarily focused on internal delivery excellence.
• Provide regular client status updates, highlighting progress, risks, mitigation plans, and upcoming milestones.
• CGI, Tech & AI Delivery Expertise – Apply strong knowledge of CGI production pipelines, technical processes, and AI-enabled workflows to accurately assess timings, dependencies, and delivery approaches.
• Advise internal teams and clients on efficient ways of working, technical feasibility, and process optimisation.
• Ensure technical complexity is appropriately reflected in scoping, resourcing, and scheduling.
• Risk, Capacity & Resource Management – Take an overarching view of the client's total workload and forecasted pipeline to proactively identify bottlenecks and pinch points.
• Work closely with Resource Management, Production, Studio, and Post teams to ensure appropriate Project Managers and Producers are assigned across all work.
• Balance competing priorities across multiple projects to minimise clashes and delivery risk.
• Brief Refinement & Scoping – Partner with Client Services to refine and shape client briefs, ensuring requirements are clearly defined and technically viable.
• Support the gathering of relevant information at brief stage to reduce ambiguity and downstream risk.

Skills & Experience

• Proven experience in a senior project or production management role within CGI, tech-led, or digital production environments.
• Strong understanding of CGI workflows, technical pipelines, and AI-driven production processes.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex, multi-project client accounts with confidence and authority.
• Excellent client stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to challenge constructively.
• Highly organised, proactive, and comfortable operating with a wide, strategic view.

Location and Working Hours

You will be based from London or our Manchester office, Monday - Friday, 9am - 5.30pm. This role is open to hybrid working (London client meeting attendance required).

Culture & Values

We make it happen. We own it – we want to feel proud of the work we do every day. So, we step up, we crack on and we take responsibility. And when we do that, our infectious and genuine passion for our work shines through. Lead early‑stage scoping across multiple projects, providing guidance on costs, timings, resourcing models, and recommended ways of working.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and additional benefits including 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
• Birthday off
• Additional holidays through salary sacrifice
• Childcare salary sacrifice
• Company Sick Pay
• Cycle to work scheme
• Tech & Home Scheme
• Pension contribution
• Westfield health cash plan
• Profit share scheme
• Discounts portal with access to thousands of retailers

Equal Opportunity Statement

Ride Shotgun is committed to promoting equal opportunities in employment. All job applicants will receive equal treatment regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation (Protected Characteristics).