Head of Client Services London - Events

We are now recruiting a Head of Client Services based in the London office. This is a pivotal role that requires a very experienced and well-rounded individual who is particularly strong at developing relationships with clients, growing key accounts, and inspiring a team of live event experts to deliver outstanding live experiences in multiple international markets for our globally-recognised roster of clients. 

It is essential the successful candidate has a deep knowledge and experience of all aspects of delivering live events. 
Our focus is creativity with a practical head – we offer creative solutions for our clients that fit within budget and brief and we are always looking to push creative boundaries, try new products, processes and materials and create industry talking points

The role will suit a level-headed ‘people person’ who is most comfortable being at the centre of multiple tasks, making quick informed decisions and ensuring quality control of the work, but who has the strategic ability to play a key role as part of the leadership team helping the agency develop and to deliver its ambitious plans. 

What is the purpose of the job?

• Working in London office you will manage the team of in house Producers to ensure excellent project delivery and client satisfaction across all clients
• Part of DS leadership team, working in partnership with equivalent position in the US to deliver coherent work
• Play part in development and Implementation of business strategy 
• Support CEO, Development Director, Business Development team in delivering New Business with existing and new clients, generating growth against KPI’s
• Lead new project proposals and client pitches
• Ensure excellence in the delivery of all projects, being hands on to manage larger/high profile projects
• Manage, mentor and develop line reports to ensure continuous improvement 

What do you have to achieve?

• Satisfied clients and excellent client relationships
• Ensure our clients receive superior service while motivating a team of professionals to achieve sustainable results
• Develop an in-depth understanding of each client’s business needs and deliver creative solutions that enhance performance and achieve goals. 
• Deliver increased growth and profitability across multiple accounts
• Key leadership and input in pitches and development meetings
• Embedding team culture, effective team communications and avoiding silo working
• Ensure that the brief has been met and delivered upon
• Efficient working across international teams to include DS NYC and LA offices

Job Activities – what do you have to do?

Leadership & Strategy 

• Highly collaborative thought leader that can work cross-functionally with a variety of people and work styles achieving innovative results. 
• Review, simplify and monitor ways of working, processes and policies
• Ensure effective communication channels across all disciplines and office
• Ensure implementation of agreed business strategy for FY and support creation of 5 year strategy plan
• Demonstrate consistent leadership and understand how to drive strategy, excel in client management
• Motivate, inspire and lead your team, fostering a culture of accountability and solution provision
• Provide exemplary leadership to all teams, role modelling high performance behaviours at all times
• Deal with any conflict situations providing appropriate guidance compliant with legislation and company values

Client

• Create research-driven, strategic solutions that meet or exceed client objectives
• Leading and overseeing project team and all projects 
• Communicate regularly with client to ensure they are satisfied with progress
• Making sure we don’t over deliver or over complicate whilst still having satisfied clients
• Client and vendor contracts including MSAs etc
• Ensure team work efficiently in planning, execution, and closing of any project from initial brief to execution on site
• Lead the production of creative proposals & presentations to clients

Team

• Maintaining the high project delivery and quality control standards of DesignScene and its impeccable reputation
• Ensure that project teams are delivering project excellence
• Ensure legal compliance with projects and people
• Ensure operational efficiency across teams through effective forward planning
• Plan ahead in terms of managing time zone differences across international teams 
• Ensure team carry out debriefs with client to understand issues and take forward any learnings. Participate in high profile or difficult meetings.
• Embed performance management culture including setting appropriately stretching individual objectives. Mentor, coach and support all team members, and ensure staff is constantly developing abilities through on-the-job- training and outside influences
• Develop staff to become capable of assuming more senior roles
• Monitor and deal with team performance including freelancers
• Help attract new talent and work to build a team with diverse views and backgrounds

Commercial

• Demonstrate clear understanding of core financial constructs including revenue, profitability, pricing structures, budgeting and forecasting
• Ensure that projects are delivered to agreed budget constraints
• Review and analysis of project billing ensuring that team are managing costs, driving billable time
• Continuously improve overall quality, gross margin to achieve best-in-class service to our clients
• Ensure team invoice clients at the appropriate time and follow up/escalate as required 
• Play part in the process to manage invoicing and cash flow forecasting
• Champion and analysis of PROCIM to ensure it is being used properly by the project team
• Maximise personal billable time 

Financial Planning

• Mastery of core financial constructs including revenue, profitability, pricing structures, budgeting and forecasting
• Negotiate client contracts and manage client budgeting process
• Develop and manage accurate client project budgets and Master Service Agreements
• Ensure work team follows DesignScene financial policies and processes

Business Development

• Develop relationships to bring in additional business form existing clients increasing growth and profitability across multiple accounts
• Business development - seek opportunities to gain new clients or additional activations
• Play part in the development of the Business Dev & Marketing strategy
• Deliver own part to play in delivering the strategy
• Lead new business proposals as required

What are the skills required?

• Creative head on your shoulders
• Understanding of creative, design and production technology and ability to recognise suitable products and suppliers
• Excellent communication skills with clients, wider project team and suppliers
• Be a self-starter that is a highly organized multitasker, project manager and presenter
• Proven time management skills
• Work under pressure, deal with ambiguity and the ability to identify and manage risk 
• Quick thinking, intuitive and analytical
• Detailed – it’s all in the detail – on site execution, budgets, plans, schedules 
• Line management responsibility, with a proven ability to develop and coach people

What technical knowledge do you need?

• Competent use of Google Apps, Microsoft Office, Apple Keynote, Dropbox and Slack
• Ability to read and interpret CAD drawings
• Experience in PROCIM a bonus

The DesignScene values we must deliver on:

• Confident
• Creative
• Quality
• Collaborative