Studio Traffic Manager

Make it Good; Somerset West; Hybrid; ZAR 391,000 - 614,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Provident fund

Hybrid work with flexi hours

Structured studio with clear systems

Job summary

Make it Good in Stellenbosch, Western Cape, is hiring a Creative Operations Lead to own the workflow from brief to studio output. You will lead the creative operations team, including the studio coordinator, and manage freelancers within budget, ensuring timely delivery.

The role requires 5+ years in ad agency environments, strong leadership, and an ability to prioritise amid fast-paced, high-volume production. Hybrid work with in-office Tue–Thu and flexible hours is offered.

Qualifications

• 5+ years' ad agency or similar creative operations experience.
• Proven experience leading a studio or traffic function.
• Strong communication and collaboration with cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Own the workflow from brief through to delivery in studio and production.
• Lead and manage the creative operations team, including the studio coordinator.
• Assess briefs, deadlines and capacity; schedule work by priority.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Multitasking

Relationship-building

Tools

Office 365

Outlook

Excel

Teams

SharePoint

PowerPoint

Job description

Location: Stellenbosch, Western Cape

Work model: Hybrid (in-office Tuesday to Thursday) with flexi hours. Need to be able to legally work in SA to be considered.

Salary: R35 000 - R55 000 CTC (depending on level of experience)

Why you'd want to work here:

Hybrid working with flexi hoursProvident fundKind, respectful peopleA structured studio with clear systemsGreat staff retention (lots of people leave and come back)Fast-paced, varied work across retail, commercial and consumer brands

About our client:

Our client is an established retail marketing agency with over two decades behind it and a growing portfolio of commercial and consumer brands. The work is high volume, detail-heavy and deadline-driven, so they need someone who can bring calm and order to a busy studio. This is a high-ownership leadership role for a systematic, optimistic team player with a heart of gold.

What the job involves:

• Owning the workflow from brief through to studio and production output
• Leading and managing the creative operations team, including the studio coordinator
• Assessing briefs, deadlines and capacity, and scheduling work by priority
• Reprioritising quickly when urgent briefs or curveballs land
• Keeping a big-picture view of studio workload, capacity and competing priorities
• Sourcing, managing and allocating freelancers within budget, including invoicing and monthly reporting
• Monitoring workflow and delivery daily, and clearing bottlenecks before they become problems
• Translating deliverables into realistic creative and production timelines
• Championing the agency's values, systems and ways of working

What you need to be considered:

• 5+ years' ad agency experience
• Proven experience leading a studio or traffic function
• Excellent computer skills, including Office 365, Outlook, Excel, Teams, SharePoint and PowerPoint
• A fully functional home office for remote days
• Outstanding multitasking skills and attention to detail
• Resourceful, practical and quick on your feet
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills
• The ability to lead with empathy while staying firm, fair and diplomatic

Bonus points if you:

• Have used Chase for traffic, or know your way around Monday, ClickUp or Basecamp
• Use AI tools day-to-day and like finding ways to streamline creative work
• Speak design and procurement, with a solid understanding of print techniques and processes
• Bring a calm head, empathy and good energy to the studio