Project Director

Responsibilities:

Group Project Leadership:

• Translate client objectives into comprehensive project and execution plans.
• Establish project scope, timelines, milestones, budgets, deliverables, and responsibilities.
• Lead project kick-offs, production meetings, rehearsals, event-day operations, and post-event reviews.
• Maintain overall control of project progress, quality, cost, and delivery.

Client Management:

• Serve as a senior point of contact for key clients.
• Understand client objectives, expectations, priorities, and constraints.
• Translate client requirements into actionable internal briefs.
• Manage client approvals, revisions, expectations, and scope changes.
• Provide proactive project updates and recommendations.
• Build strong relationships that drive repeat business and long-term accounts.

Creative & Production Integration:

• Work closely with creative teams to translate concepts into executable productions.
• Assess the feasibility, cost, timeline, and operational requirements of creative ideas.
• Ensure the final production remains faithful to the approved concept.
• Identify opportunities to elevate the event experience without compromising commercial objectives.

Budget & Commercial Ownership:

• Lead project budgeting and cost planning.
• Review supplier quotations and negotiate where appropriate.
• Monitor project expenditure against approved budgets.
• Protect project margins and commercial performance.
• Identify cost-saving opportunities without compromising quality.
• Manage scope changes and ensure additional requirements are appropriately costed.
• Work closely with management and finance on project financial performance.

Team Leadership:

• Build and lead high-performing project teams.
• Allocate responsibilities across project managers, coordinators, creatives, production teams, freelancers, and vendors.
• Establish clear expectations and deadlines.
• Monitor team performance and intervene when delivery is at risk.
• Develop project managers and junior team members.
• Create a culture of ownership, urgency, professionalism, and excellence.

Event-Day Command:

• Take senior operational leadership during major events.
• Ensure all teams and suppliers are fully prepared before event commencement.
• Oversee setup, technical checks, rehearsals, guest arrival, programme execution, and breakdown.
• Make rapid decisions when unexpected issues arise.
• Coordinate with clients, production leads, technical teams, venue management, security, and other stakeholders.
• Ensure the event is delivered seamlessly from the audience's perspective.

Risk & Crisis Management:

• Identify operational and production risks during planning.
• Develop appropriate contingency plans.
• Conduct site and production risk assessments.
• Anticipate technical, logistical, financial, safety, and reputational risks.
• Take decisive action when issues arise.
• Escalate critical matters early with recommended solutions.

Quality Control:

• Establish and enforce Oaken's event delivery standards.
• Conduct quality checks across all event workstreams.
• Ensure production elements are delivered according to approved specifications.
• Identify gaps before event day.
• Conduct post-event reviews and implement lessons learned.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Event Management, Project Management, Business Administration, Hospitality, Communications, or related discipline.
• 8–12 years of experience, with substantial experience in event production and project leadership.
• Proven track record managing high-value corporate events, conferences, experiential activations, launches, awards, or large-scale productions.
• Strong experience managing budgets, clients, vendors, creative teams, production crews, and multiple stakeholders.
• Experience working with premium corporate clients and brands is highly desirable.
• PMP, PRINCE2, or other recognised project management certification is an advantage.