Senior Traffic Manager

Our client is a full-service creative agency known for delivering bold, innovative campaigns and solutions for their clients across a wide range of industries such as Lifestyle, Sport, Entertainment, Gaming. Their team is made up of dynamic professionals in strategy, creative, digital, and production, who work together to craft award-winning campaigns that make an impact. They foster a collaborative, fast-paced environment and are looking for a skilled Senior Studio/Traffic Director to manage the flow of work across all internal teams and help keep their operations running smoothly.

Location: Central Manchester

5 days in the Office/ Creative Studio

Salary: 50k-60k

Job Overview:

We are searching for an experienced Senior Studio/Traffic Director to oversee the resource management, traffic flow, and overall operational efficiency of their studio. This role requires a highly organised, proactive individual with a deep understanding of agency processes, from creative development to production. The ideal candidate will manage internal resources, coordinate freelancers, ensure project workflows are seamless, and keep a close eye on the wellbeing of studio staff. You'll work closely with account, creative, production, and strategy teams to ensure the right people are on the right projects at the right time, and that deadlines and budgets are consistently met.

This position is critical to the smooth operation of the agency, balancing the creative and operational needs of the studio while ensuring all team members are supported and their talents are effectively utilised.

Key Responsibilities

Traffic & Workflow Management:

• Oversee the day-to-day traffic and workflow management across all agency teams, ensuring a smooth and efficient flow of projects from brief through to delivery.
• Allocate and prioritize work based on project deadlines, resource availability, and team capacity.
• Implement and manage tools or software to track project progress, ensuring all teams are informed and deadlines are met.
• Regularly communicate project status, roadblocks, and timeline adjustments to senior management and internal teams.

Resource & Freelance Management:

• Manage internal resources, ensuring the optimal allocation of staff to projects based on skill sets and availability.
• Work closely with Ops Team and department heads to manage freelance talent pools, including sourcing, onboarding, and negotiating contracts with external freelancers.
• Monitor workloads to avoid bottlenecks or overburdening teams, while making sure the right talent is utilised effectively on the right projects.
• Forecast resource needs and recommend additional staffing support when necessary.

Studio Operations:

• Maintain a positive, efficient studio environment that supports creativity and collaboration while ensuring deadlines are met.
• Foster a people-first culture, making sure the studio staff is well taken care of in terms of workload balance, personal development, and general wellbeing.
• Organise and manage any studio-related initiatives, such as team-building events, creative workshops, or wellness activities to keep morale high.

Collaboration & Communication:

• Serve as the key point of contact between account, creative, production, and strategy teams to ensure cross-functional alignment.
• Hold regular meetings with department leads to assess current projects, future resource needs, and studio capacity.
• Communicate proactively with senior leadership on workflow challenges, resource constraints, and potential solutions.

Project & Deadline Management:

• Ensure all work is delivered on time, on budget, and to the highest quality standards.
• Anticipate and resolve production bottlenecks by proactively adjusting schedules and reallocating resources as necessary.
• Track and report on studio performance metrics, such as on-time delivery rates, budget adherence, and team productivity.

Process Improvement:

• Continuously review and optimize studio operations, traffic processes, and resource management tools to improve efficiency and productivity.
• Implement best practices for project management and resource allocation to maximize creative output and minimise operational friction.

Key Qualifications:

Experience:

• 5+ years of experience in a studio or traffic management role within a creative or full-service agency environment.
• Proven experience managing resource allocation, project workflows, and freelance teams.
• Strong understanding of agency processes, including creative development, production timelines, and delivery processes.
• Experience working closely with cross-functional teams, including creative, account management, production, and strategy.

Skills:

• Excellent organisational and multitasking skills, with the ability to juggle multiple projects, deadlines, and resources.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across departments and communicate clearly with senior management.
• Proficient in project management tools and software (e.g., Asana, Monday.com, Trello) and a keen understanding of traffic and resource management systems.
• Leadership and people management skills, with a talent for nurturing team dynamics and fostering a positive, supportive studio culture.

Attributes:

• Proactive problem-solver with a strong attention to detail and a knack for anticipating roadblocks before they arise.
• Calm under pressure, able to adapt quickly to shifting priorities and demands.
• Empathetic and people-focused, with a passion for ensuring that all team members are supported, engaged, and empowered to do their best work.