Production Manager (D&AD Awards Programmes)

Job Title: Production Manager (D&AD Awards)
Reports to: Operations Manager
Direct Reports: Temporary Production Team of 15 from Feb–May 2025
Role: Full time, Fixed-term contract: December 2024–June 2025
Office Location: D&AD HQ: E2 6EH, Shoreditch, London
Deadline:15 November 2024
Interviews:W/C 18 November 2024
Location: Hybrid working
Salary: £30,000 per annum
Hours: Monday–Friday (9:00am–5:00pm)*

*You will be required to work four fixed days in our London office from 1st Feb 25 to 31 May 25. Outside this timeframe there will be flexibility to work a minimum of two days a week in the office.

*Flexibility will be required when working to deadlines and Judging period 17–21 May 2025 on-site at County Hall for D&AD Awards Judging and Southbank Centre for D&AD Festival and Ceremony*

About D&AD

Founded in 1962, D&AD is an organisation that is all about the pursuit of creative excellence within advertising and design - inspiring it, celebrating it and enabling it. A fundamental way of us achieving this is through our world class learning programmes which up-skill the current and future workforce.

Whilst our remit focuses on the advertising and design industry there is a broader goal, to demonstrate the positive impact that creativity can have across education, the economy and within society.

Purpose of the Job

The D&AD Awards showcase the world's finest creative work across commercial design, advertising, production, and craft disciplines, judged by over 260 global creative leaders, practitioners, and innovators.

We are seeking an experienced Production Manager to join our dynamic team and take a crucial role in delivering the prestigious D&AD Awards. You will be responsible for ensuring the smooth and efficient execution of the entire awards process. From ensuring each submission meets the required standards and specifications to managing every stage of production—from initial planning to final delivery—you will ensure the highest quality experience for entrants and jurors alike.

This role includes recruiting and managing D&AD's temporary production team, ensuring they are working effectively to meet tight deadlines. Additionally, you will be responsible for continuously reviewing and enhancing workflows, processes, and procedures to keep operations innovative and streamlined for future award cycles.

Duties & Responsibilities

General Production Management

• Lead and manage the full lifecycle of awards production, ensuring smooth planning, execution, and delivery
• Oversee the handling and processing of all submitted work, ensuring it meets the required standards for judging
• Maintain a clean, organised workspace and work closely with the Office Manager to ensure effective office management
• Track entrant submissions and ensure packages arriving at the office are processed and filed correctly
• Provide high-level customer service, liaising with entrants and the customer service team to resolve any issues
• Collaborate closely with the Operations Manager, reporting risks and updates as needed to ensure all deadlines are met
• Manage relationships with external partners and suppliers to ensure projects are delivered on time and to a high standard
• Review and refine production workflows and processes, bringing innovation to keep the awards fresh and efficient for future cycles
• Support the office manager where necessary including the removal of waste as of awards submissions received
• All other reasonable duties as and when required and instructed by the line manager

Team Management

• Work with the Operations Manager to recruit and train a temporary team of 15 Production Assistants
• Line manage the Production Assistants, ensuring they meet targets, adhere to deadlines, and follow established policies and procedures
• Conduct regular one-on-one and weekly meetings with the team to track progress, offer guidance, and address any challenges
• Ensure the team is trained on technical systems and processes, overseeing workloads to optimise efficiency

Entry Management & Quality Control

• Use the D&AD logging system to accurately record and monitor all entry data
• Process and organise physical and digital entries, including labelling submissions for returns or managing missing materials
• Conduct regular quality checks on all entries (moving image, stills, web/app) to ensure compliance with entry requirements.
• Perform weekly thorough quality checks on all physical entries to identify and rectify any errors
• Resolve any entry-related issues, working directly with entrants where necessary and escalating complex issues to the Operations Manager

Judging, Ceremony & Festival Support

• Ensure all work is correctly prepared and presented for judging, collaborating with the operations team on the logistics of transportation and setup
• Manage the changeover of physical work jury sessions and the transitions of judging rounds
• Oversee communication with entrants regarding the retrieval of returned entries after the awards
• General support to the results room to help resolve any problems and queries
• Audit physical winning entries for exhibition partners, ensuring proper documentation and handling
• Oversee the transportation and coordination of winning entries in collaboration with the Festival team for exhibition during the D&AD Festival
• Provide administrative support during the D&AD Awards Ceremony and Festival to ensure smooth event operations

Skills required for the job

• Project management experience
• Excellent customer service skills
• Excellent process management
• Confident written and spoken communication skills
• Meticulous attention to detail
• Ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines
• Good database and systems skills
• Excellent organisational skills

Preferred Experience

• Experience in working in production management, preferably in events, awards, or the creative industries
• Experience managing teams, particularly at the junior or entry level, ensuring they are well-supported, meet deadlines, and adhere to processes
• Experience/knowledge of the creative industry/ and or other awards shows

Personal Qualities

• Self-motivating and works well under pressure
• Team Player
• Keen interest in design and advertising
• Sense of humour

D&AD is committed to diversity, equality, equity, inclusion and respect for all. Providing a work environment in which all employees are treated with fairness, respect and dignity and which is free of discrimination, victimisation, bullying and harassment. At D&AD we are interested in every individual bringing their ‘Whole Self’ to work and this includes you! Please email vanessa.knight@btinternet.com to let us know if you need any reasonable adjustments to be made for any part of the recruitment process.

In order to comply with the Prevention of Illegal Working, Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act, you will need to provide appropriate documentation that proves that you are eligible to work in the UK.

Due to the number of applications we receive, we regret that you will not be contacted unless you are shortlisted for an interview. If you have not heard from us within three weeks of the closing date of your application you should assume that you have not been successful on this occasion.

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