Executive - Communications & Project Management

Company Description

We help grow many of the world's most iconic brands at Leo Burnett. We help grow even more of the world's most talented people. You'll find at Leo Burnett an agency built on ideas and dependent upon the people behind them. A culture that doesn't just respect creativity but cherishes it. And a community where the path you choose is your own, the places you can go limitless. We believe creativity has the power to transform human behavior, and we use ours to help our clients' brands discover their "human purpose" and play meaningful, active roles in people's lives.

Job Description

A Communications & Project Management Executive is a junior project manager responsible for handling a company's ongoing projects. They report to the communications and Project manager and director and work closely with the communication consultants and the creative services manager. They're the core team for all 4 pillars (strategy, creative, content hub, production...). They work for the PMs to ensure that all project requirements, deadlines, and schedules are on track in addition to playing the lead role in planning the campaigns, resources, monitoring, and quality control until a project is closed. Responsibilities include submitting project deliverables, preparing status reports, and establishing effective project communication plans as well as the proper execution until the end product. 

Main Tasks

Technical & Product

• Proven experience in project management
• Ability to lead project teams of various sizes and see them through to completion
• Strong understanding of formal project management methodologies
• Ability to complete projects in a timely manner
• Budget management experience
• Ability to develop, implement, and review policies and procedures
• Ability to oversee budgeting, reporting, planning, and auditing
• Ability to address problems and opportunities for the company.

Business Acumen & Operational Efficiency

• Working with the creative services manager and aligning on projects timelines
• Managing the PMs and communications consultants on clients projects and organizing their projects from approval of concepts till the end
• Troubleshooting issues that could slow down the process efficiencies and cut costs
• Outsourcing and finding freelancers when needed
• Establishing effective project communication plans (CPS) and ensuring their execution on time
• Following the project's progress and bypassing problems
• Evaluating a post-project and identifying successful and unsuccessful project elements by preparing status reports
• Submitting project deliverables and ensuring that they adhere to quality standards 
• Facilitating change requests to ensure that all parties are informed of the impacts on schedule and budget
• Enforcing deadlines and maintains efficiency across teams
• Scheduling project-related meetings
• Allocating tasks and responsibilities to PMs, traffic
• Encouraging communication among team members

Innovative & Analytical Mindset

• Effective communication skills: being a good communicator so that he can connect with people at all levels
• Strong leadership skills: having strong leadership qualities such as being able to motivate the team and drive them to maximum performance so that they can achieve their goals
• Good decision maker
• Technical expertise: Since project management software and other related programs are essential in accomplishing the project goals, an effective project manager needs to have the knowledge to understand the issues that are related to the technical aspect. Knowledge of theory as well as the technical side can greatly help the manager in taking strategic initiatives when needed.
• Inspires a shared vision: A visionary person can lead his people to the right direction as well as easily adapt to the changes that come in the way. They are good at empowering people to experience the vision on their own.
• Cool under pressure
• Good negotiation skills: One of the qualities needed for effective project management is the ability to negotiate. In times when conflict arises due to differences in opinion, project managers need sheer negotiating skills to settle the issue and maintain harmony in the team.
• Problem-solving mindset
• Self-motivation and innovation
• Time management skills and efficient

People & Leadership

• Seeks others' feedback to develop self-awareness, strengths and address development area
• Is able to proactively raise issues to improve effective team working and collaboration
• Is able to communicate confidently in a clear, concise and articulate manner
• Collaborates with stakeholders and embraces an inclusive based environment
• Is able to make valuable contributions to discussions and brainstorming sessions, providing insight and point of view
• Able to build relationships quickly with others and engages personally with peers and clients
• Treats others with respect, listens to other perspectives, especially when they are different from own
• Able to tackle problems in a timely manner and develop contingency plans that focus on problem resolution
• Drives a culture of trust with Peers, clients and all other stakeholders

Self

• Is able to take ownership for actions and deals with consequences in a mature manner.
• Able to adjust performance based on experiences and feedback and showcases agility and flexibility.
• Displays openness to the ideas of others and leverages them when beneficial for the business.
• Showcases curiosity and open mindset towards new ways of doing things.
• Is able to set high impact objectives and goes above and beyond to exceed performance.
• Demonstrates the Growth Mindset and is able to take ownership of personal development and growth.
• Capable of constructively challenging the status-quo and takes risks to challenge internal and external perspectives.
• Approaches situations and individuals with honesty, integrity and humbleness.
• Displays resilience and maintains drives and a positive outlook when faced with challenges.

Qualifications

Education and Experience Required

• A successful candidate should have a bachelor’s degree in business, management, advertising, marketing, or related field 
• Excellent organizational, prioritization, and decision-making skills
• Strong analytical skills
• Good communication, interpersonal, and leadership skills