Ogilvy Social Lab, part of WPP, is setting global benchmarks in digital marketing and is driven by offering our expertise to both local and international clients through a multi-market footprint.
We have enabled 'borderless ways of working', operating as connected teams and providing Creative, Content, Media and Intelligence capabilities to Ogilvy agencies and clients in more than 20 countries.
Join our globally connected team and work on challenging projects that transcend borders. Embrace a career that takes you to new horizons and make a global impact!
About WPP
WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. We unite cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, world-class creativity, next-generation production, transformative enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel in a single company – powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform, WPP Open, to help our clients navigate change, capture opportunity and deliver transformational growth. For more information, visit WPP.com.
We are looking for a Senior Integrated Project Manager
Ogilvy Social.Lab seeks an experienced Senior Integrated Project Manager with a strong digital background to lead and grow key international brands.
The Project Manager at Ogilvy Social.Lab is a pivotal leadership role within the Client Service team. You will oversee and manage the successful execution of projects and client deliverables, ensuring seamless project delivery while maintaining the highest standards of quality, client satisfaction, and client growth. You will manage a team of team members across multiple disciplines mainly content, intelligence and media, guiding them to meet client deliverables and success. This role requires a deep understanding of digital project management principles, strong leadership skills, and a proven ability to navigate complex projects and client relationships. Ideally, candidates will have 5+ years of experience.
Project Delivery & Client Management:
- Oversee execution, coordination, and delivery across Media, Content, and/or Intelligence, ensuring timelines, deadlines, and budget objectives are met.
- Understand project briefs and objectives, managing timelines, resources, and scope to deliver successful, quality outcomes on time and within budget.
- Manage client expectations and communication effectively, building trust with key client stakeholders.
- Manage external stakeholder expectations and communication effectively.
- Lead case study development and contribute to building strong client relationships.
- Manage change requests, assess their impact on project objectives, and implement changes efficiently.
Team Leadership & Mentorship:
- Manage the internal team from an operational workflow.
- Mentor and develop Project Managers, providing guidance and support for their growth.
- Foster a positive and collaborative project team environment, focusing on individual growth and skill development of direct reports.
- Champion the vision within project teams and ensure project alignment with C2 vision.
Innovation & Process Improvement:
- Candidate needs to be open to working with AI workflows and integration across a campaign lifetime.
- Identify process improvements and innovative delivery approaches.
- Drive best practice initiatives and explore/implement new project management tools/techniques.
- Encourage experimentation and continuous improvement within the team.
Financial & Resource Management:
- Manage project resources and budgets across multiple projects, ensuring efficient resource allocation.
- Monitor project profitability and identify opportunities for cost optimisation.
- Manage SOWs and client revenue/finance functions.
- Manage Work in Progress (WIP) adjustments and support revenue forecasting for the portfolio.
- Analyse financial performance and identify opportunities to improve efficiency and profitability.
- Manage all the internal finance administrative duties such as WIP notes, reconciliation documentation, generating PQs, POs and invoices.
- Ensure efficient project delivery and accurate tracking of time and effort.
Role Requirements:
- Proven ability to manage multiple projects concurrently, demonstrating strong organisational and prioritisation skills.
- Excellent communication (written and verbal), interpersonal, and presentation skills.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
- Ability to work effectively under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
- Proven ability to lead and motivate a team.
- Proficiency in project management methodologies (e.g., Agile, Waterfall).
Reporting & Analysis:
- Develop and deliver strategic client reports, providing insights into campaign performance, market trends, and competitive activity.
- Proactively monitor industry trends and share relevant insights with clients and internal teams.
Desired Skills & Experiences:
- Bachelor's degree in marketing, Communications, Business Administration, or a related field.
- 3+ years of experience in a project management role within an agency setting, with at least 2 years of experience managing a team.
- Strong understanding of digital marketing across content creation, media, and strategy/intelligence.
- Experience working with cross-functional teams.
- Proficiency in project management tools (e.g., Asana, Monday.com, Jira) and Microsoft Office Suite.
- Experience with budget management and financial reporting.
- Understanding of Ogilvy's values and culture.
Skills Required
- 5+ years of experience in project management
- Proficiency in project management tools
- Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, business administration, or related field
- Strong understanding of digital marketing
- Experience managing a team
What We Do
In 1948, David Ogilvy founded the agency that would become Ogilvy & Mather. Starting with no clients and a staff of two, he built his company into one of the eight largest advertising networks in the world with more than 500 offices and 20,000 staff across 169 cities. Ogilvy South Africa’s origins lie with a small hot shop in Cape Town, founded by Bob Rightford, Brian Searle-Tripp and Roger Makin in 1976. After merging with Ogilvy in 1984, Ogilvy & Mather RS-TM dominated the local creative scene during the first decade and over the next twenty years was recognized as a brand-focused agency that acted with integrity. During the 1990’s, Ogilvy South Africa soared creatively under the leadership of Robyn Putter (1950-2010), who eventually went on to become the global creative head of WPP. Today, Ogilvy South Africa is the leader in the industry, focused on building and transforming brands. Employing more than 900 staff across three offices, Ogilvy remains true to David’s vision; we still see ourselves as a company that does more than ads and have proven that by maintaining our humility and an almost divine discontent at our past successes, we can do more than stay relevant. For more than 50 years, Ogilvy South Africa has created iconic advertising for clients such as KFC, VW, SAB, BP, DStv and Mondelez amongst others, and we continue to live by our founders credo of existing to “Make brands matter”.
