Project Director

Publicis Groupe UK; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A global marketing and communications company seeks a Project Director for an exciting opportunity in London. This role requires expertise in managing complex programs, stakeholder engagement, and operational efficiency. You'll lead the strategic setup and ensure alignment across teams for a new telecommunications client. Ideal candidates are experienced in production environments and excel in communication with senior stakeholders. Embrace an inclusive environment while supporting a diverse team.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading complex programmes within production or creative environments.
• Strong programme and project leadership capabilities; accreditation desirable.
• Exceptional communicator with the ability to engage senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end setup phase across workflows and systems.
• Act as the senior point of contact for all stakeholders.
• Partner with senior business leads and operational workstreams.

Skills

Programme Leadership

Project Management

Stakeholder Engagement

Operational Efficiency

Communication Skills

Job description

BRAND: Publicis Media
Job Function: Client Management
Location: London, United Kingdom
Experience Level: Specialist
Workplace Type: Hybrid

Company description

Publicis Production harnesses the power of Publicis Groupe's entire global production capabilities.
Through our family of production brands, we access best-in-class production talent, models and technology worldwide.
Our purpose is to deliver seamless, relevant and impactful consumer experiences across every touchpoint in every market. We do this with pioneering production solutions that drive performance in a data-led marketing landscape and help brands to win in the platform world.

Overview

We're looking for a Project Director to lead the strategic setup, alignment, and operational readiness of a new telecommunication client. This role sits at the centre of cross-functional planning, ensuring teams, systems, processes, and stakeholders are fully aligned for go‑live and long‑term success.

As a Project Director, you will operate as the senior delivery lead: driving clarity, shaping workflows, anticipating challenges, and influencing decision‑making across multiple markets and workstreams.
You'll partner with senior leadership across Publicis Production and the client to enable a seamless transition into full operational delivery.

This role is both strategic and operational, ideal for someone who enjoys working in complex environments, navigates senior stakeholders with confidence, and can unify teams behind a shared plan.

Key responsibilities

• Programme Leadership & Coordination
• Lead the end-to-end setup phase across workflows, systems, reporting, governance, and cross-agency teams.
• Define and oversee programme operating models, delivery structures, and integration points.
• Partner with senior business leads, technology teams, and operational workstreams.
• Build and validate workflows incorporating project management tools, collaboration platforms, and production tracking systems.

Stakeholder Leadership

• Act as the senior point of contact across all internal and external stakeholders.
• Build strong relationships with clients, agency leadership, operational teams, and vendor partners.
• Develop and manage readiness plans, ensuring they are understood, approved, and actioned across teams.
• Facilitate executive-level updates, steering forums, and cross-functional check‑ins.

Production & Operational Alignment

• Embed the Publicis Production model (Explore / Originate / Execute / Optimise) into workflows and day‑to‑day delivery.
• Partner with Production Leadership to ensure frameworks, standards, and best practices are fully aligned.
• Define success metrics and monitor early-stage performance: delivery timings, quality, stakeholder satisfaction, and operational consistency.
• Proactively identify risks, resource gaps, and operational inefficiencies, developing mitigation strategies and escalation pathways.

Key skills

• Proven experience leading complex programmes within production, creative, or integrated content environments.
• Strong programme and project leadership capabilities; accreditation desirable.
• Deep experience in multi-stakeholder programme setup, transformation, or operational rollout.
• Confident navigating matrix organisations and coordinating work across multiple markets and time zones.
• Exceptional communicator with the presence to engage senior stakeholders and influence decisions.
• High operational IQ: anticipates challenges, drives clarity, creates structure, and brings order to complexity.
• Strong leadership skills, decisive, collaborative, and calm under pressure.

Additional information

Diversity and inclusion is a core part of who we are at Publicis Production. We're committed to building an inclusive culture that encourages, celebrates and supports our wonderfully diverse employee group - whatever their age, gender identity, race, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability or ethnicity. Diversity and inclusion doesn't just fuel our creativity and innovation, it brings us closer to our people and audiences. We will continue to strive to create a culture and environment where everyone feels empowered and more importantly comfortable enough to bring their full, authentic selves to work. We are committed to providing reasonable adjustments for employees with disabilities and for candidates in our application process. If you need assistance or adjustment due to a disability, please contact us.