Associate Vice President
Mumbai
Edelman – Resource Management /
Full-Time /
As part of a global transformation project, Edelman is rolling out a new global resource management system and we are hiring seasoned professionals who understand the rigour and responsibilities of resource management. Additionally, Edelman is enhancing the approach to new business operations in order to improve win rates, increase organic growth and optimize the overall return on new business investment.
The Associate Vice President-Resource Management and New Business Operations (can be based out of Mumbai/Gurgaon/Bangalore) will work closely with team leads, client leads/partners, and business managers to plan for and cast the right talent to ensure client projects and new business pitches are staffed for success. It is critical this person can work within a process and tools-driven environment but can also pivot quickly when project and client needs change.
The ideal candidate demonstrates integrity, energy, and enthusiasm with an ability to multi-task while being able to motivate, inspire and lead resources in a collaborative way.
As part of the operations and resourcing teams both in market and across the region, you will support the agency’s operational excellence overall, helping develop and implement best practices to optimize resources, ensure client satisfaction, and maximize both new business investment and profitability across client accounts. This role will report to the Chief Operating Officer and will be in close collaboration with the new business and resource management leaders in the region.
What are we looking for?
- Strong agency experience in operations/resource management within communications, media, advertising, creative or marketing agency with strong planning and workflow management experience
- Ability to analyze, evaluate and plan for resource needs to ensure project success and operational excellence
- Inherent curiosity about the company’s practice areas and their skill sets; able to match talent to the right opportunity
- Capacity to manage a busy workload and tight deadlines with high productivity
- Responsive and flexible to ever-changing needs
- Strong organizational and problem-solving skills; exceptional attention to detail
- Strong communications skills: demonstrated ability to communicate clearly with all levels of a large organisation by addressing concerns and presenting mutually beneficial solutions
- Strong emotional intelligence and inter-personal skills; able to build consensus and resolve conflicts
- Strong character that is comfortable enforcing scheduling controls and setting realistic expectations with both junior and senior stakeholders. The ideal candidate will be firm yet fair in all situations and understand the changing environment
Key Responsibilities
- The following are key responsibilities for the AVP role-
- Work with client leads/partners, project managers, team/people managers and business managers to assess planning and project management needs on upcoming projects/retainers
- Manage project staff assignments within and across resource pools, serving as the single point of contact for portfolio teams to fulfill specific resourcing needs in partnership with client portfolio leads/partners and people managers, identify right staffing for projects across multiple resourcing pools, prioritizing staffing the best resources on key accounts (and new business teams) and aligning assignments with staff development needs where possible
- Liaise with individuals’ line managers to staff projects intelligently with the right talent, maximizing individual strengths and skill sets and career development plans
- Mediate competitions over resources using set project prioritization guidelines by acting as a conduit to prioritize resource allocation
- Manage periodic updates to staff plans throughout a project
- Compile regular reports on staff availability and billability (actual and forecast)
- Analyze project trends and forecast data to inform the headcount planning process
- Analyze skills gaps and in partnership with Client Partners and people managers, identify hiring needs and partner on hiring business case
- Flag with relevant PMs any changes or issues such as absence, in a timely manner
- Use resource management tool to identify potential instances of over-or-under-utilization, and actively work with client leads to address and solve any issues to balance workloads and promote profitability
- Ensure timesheets are completed timely and accurately to the right job codes
- Identify freelance needs and partner with client leads, finance and HR to secure and track resources
- Manage assessment process for contractors and freelancers
- Partner with HR and Recruitment to provide insights and advice on overall workforce planning
- Inbound/Qualification/Pipeline:
- First point of contact for new business inquiries into your market
- Driver of the qualification process to ensure adequate vetting of inbound opportunities
- Be a bridge to between incoming greenlighted opportunities and pitch leads
- Integration and Reporting:
- Ensure implementation of Pipeline and facilitate training where necessary
- Track new business opportunities across your market for analysis and to keep leadership abreast of current opportunities (e.g., updating pipeline, lead the preparation of new business quarterly/semi-annual analysis)
- Proactively elevate learnings/trends to market leadership and APAC regional leadership (Iron team)
- Support development of critical pitch materials including creds, standardized models, methodologies, insights and case studies
- Direct knowledge management processes within your market
- Share best practice tools and models with network
- Staff and resource pitches based on responses to qualification
- Act as lead point of contact and manage Edelman’s outreach to international network on multi-market pitches
- Support teams with RFI/RFP submissions/ procurement processes and keep policies and relevant information up to date
- Assist pitch lead with dissecting the brief/diagnosing the ask
- Act as coach to first-time pitch leads
- Relentless pursuit of excellence – bringing the best of ourselves and partners to our clients
- Freedom to be constantly curious – tenacious and thorough approach that drives creativity and growth for clients and ourselves
- Courage to do the right thing – being a trusted and resilient partner for clients, colleagues and communities
- Commitment to positively impact society – performing work with an environmental conscience, and a sense of tolerance, fairness and equality
Resource Management (approximately 50%):
New Business Operations (approximately 50%):
Live the Edelman values:
Edelman is a global communications firm that partners with businesses and organizations to evolve, promote and protect their brands and reputations. Our 6,000 people in more than 60 offices deliver communications strategies that give our clients the confidence to lead and act with certainty, earning the trust of their stakeholders. Our honors include the Cannes Lions Grand Prix for PR; Advertising Age’s 2019 A-List; the Holmes Report’s 2018 Global Digital Agency of the Year; and, five times, Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work. Since our founding in 1952, we have remained an independent, family-run business. Edelman owns specialty companies Edelman Data & Intelligence (DxI) and United Entertainment Group (entertainment, sports, lifestyle).
For more information please visit: www.edelman.com
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