Senior Producer - Fixed Term Contract

AKQA Media; Greater London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Made Thought is seeking a Senior Producer to manage the end-to-end production of a diverse client portfolio from our London base. You will lead production projects, coordinate cross-functional teams, and ensure high-quality output that aligns with client expectations and financial targets.

You will build strong relationships with third parties and partners, forecast resources, and escalate issues to protect project margins while maintaining creative excellence.

Qualifications

• A proven track record of managing high-profile client relationships across multiple sectors.
• Experience leading cross-functional production teams and delivering complex projects.
• Strong budgeting, forecasting and profitability focus across a studio portfolio.

Responsibilities

• Lead production projects across a designated client portfolio, delivering on time and on budget.
• Manage budgets ~£1–£1.5M per annum and forecast resource needs accordingly.
• Be the primary contact for third parties in the production process.
• Build and maintain relationships with industry partners and production banks.

Skills

Client relationships

Team leadership

Budget forecasting

Production management

Creative collaboration

Problem solving

Communication

Job description

Made Thought (part of AKQA and WPP) is a global creative office based in London and New York, driven by an obsession with intelligent creativity. Built on the belief that design has the power to propel companiesand cultureforward, we see creativity and compassion as essential tools in building a world we want to be a part of. As a collective of thinkers and makers, we use these tools to give intelligent ideas their most compelling form, building worlds that give both leaders, owners and operators a new way to be seen, and a new way to see themselves.

Made Thought collaborates with cutting-edge and leading brands of tomorrow, from Adidas, Feeld, MoMa, Pinterest, to Stella McCartney and Chandon. Our core purpose is to use the currency of creativity to deliver change for brands and the world in which they operate. Be that to culturally move a brand forward, commercially add value to that business or help the brand think deeply about its place in the world and its responsibility to the planet.

As a Senior Producer, you are responsible for the effective management and delivery of projects, ensuring the best creative
solutions across a designated portfolio of clients are achieved in the most efficient, profitable and imaginable way for the Studio while managing client expectations accordingly. You will be expected to lead production projects and delivery at Made Thought, as the go-to in the team for Production led projects. You will play a vital role in building and nurturing relations with key industry players, alongside lead creative, producing large productions on time and on budget. You must be creatively minded, and understand how to carefully balance the flexibility required of a business with creativity at it’s core, alongside the rigour and strong organisational skills which some of our clients can expect.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• — Work collaboratively with the Creative team to actively ensure the best creative solutions are delivered against each client
  brief. You will have the abilitiy to motivate people around you; both colleagues and clients, earning their trust and confidence.
• — Run and manager a number of projects in the studio totalling circa £1-£1.5M per annum (inc third party productions costs).
  You will be responsible for the allocation, planning and forecasting of all projects within your portfolio, ensuring they are set
  up for the success from the outset.
• — Be the key point of contact from Made Thought for all third parties related to the production process.
• — Create a presence within the industry to ensure talent are keen to work with Made Thought and be actively seen as the
  escalation point for production queries or issues within Made Thought.
• — Be accountable for production project budgets and timings, ensuring the project is delivered on time to budget maintaining an agreed project margin.
• — Utilising previous experience to think creatively and fluidly when providing solutions, escalating issues to Account Director or
  Client Services when needed.
• — Project dependent, support the Account Director (project lead) on larger / more complex projects to ensure all aspects of the
  day-to-day are executed efficiently and effectively.
• — Work with the Resource and Creative team to ensure the right team and timeline are in place. You will approach this
  sensitively and intelligently to allow for profitability whilst protecting the creative process.
• — Be accountable for your project commercials, with the ability to accurately scope, plan and deliver your projects on time,
  working closely with the Finance Team to ensure projects are delivered on budget.
• — Set and manage production budgets, to then provide weekly project status and cost reporting to the Finance and Client
  Services Director.
• — Forecasting production workflow for the upcoming quarter for your projects, highlighting any potential overruns before they
  occur and proactively working with the team to reduce them.
• — Conduct project wash-ups, sharing relevant findings with the wider team, and owning any improved ways of working
  identified.
• — Build strong and lasting relationships with our clients, maintaining regular contact to keep them updated on overall project
  progress, highlighting any potential delays or scope for overspend. You will respond with speed and assurance to their
  requests.
• — Support new business on writing proposals and casting a team to suit your projects. You will also be accountable for creating
  proposals from scratch (dependant on project size), seeking approval from Account Director where required.
  Safeguard internal processes that protect Made Thought’s unique culture and creative output, while consistently looking for
  and contributing towards improved processes and ways of working for the team.
• — Research, suggest and inform the project team of which third parties should be used for the concept and will creatively
  challenge in alignment with Made Thought’s creative ambition and budget / usage guidelines.
• — Be accountable for ensuring usage rights are agreed and flagging when a touch point is approaching the end of a usage
  period, negotiating extended usage accordingly.
• — Use comprehensive knowledge of copyrights legislation on usage rights, and seek updated rules that govern usages to
  ensure the company’s practices meets these standards.
• — Oversee image checks, crediting, picture quality, repro for online and offline formats.
• — Source new talent and production partners, build, update and maintain a MT production bank (including photographers,
  directors, models, locations, studios, glam and set teams, and suppliers).
• — Build strong relationships between Made Thought and shoot production industry (ie. Agents, production companies,
  photographers, set designers and stylists).
• — Manage and arrange commissioning of pre-existing assets from stock imagery to music, negotiating and agreeing usage as
  necessary.
• — Collaborate with internal creative team (AD / DD) to present relevant AD decks to clients throughout the production process
  – ensuring creative expectations are in line / within client budget and overall scope of production.

SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

• — A rich portfolio of client relationships across multiple sectors, with proven experience of successfully nurturing and growing
  client relationships.
• — The ability to work seamlessly with others, leading by example and getting stuck in where needed.
• — Bring demonstrable experience in developing and motivating teams, supporting people to reach their potential.
• — Be able to balance the big picture with the detail, being able to think ahead and prioritse the workload for both yourself and
  the team.
• — Be a strong problem solver who does so with diplomacy and charm, and who considers the best outcomes for both client &
  agency.
• — Have the ability to build trust within teams and inspire others.
• — Exceptional standard of written and oral communication.

NOTE: This role is within Made Thought, an AKQA Group company and part of WPP.