OPERATIONS MANAGER: PR & COMMUNICATIONS AGENCY
Public Relations / Corporate Communications, Operations Manager – Operations / Traffic / Production
JHB – Gauteng
Are you the person who brings order to the chaos of a busy creative agency?
We have a fantastic hybrid opportunity for an organised, solutions-driven Operations Manager to join a dynamic PR and communications agency in Johannesburg.
You’ll work closely with the agency’s leadership team to keep operations running smoothly, strengthen internal systems and processes, and ensure teams have the structure, resources and support they need to deliver their best work.
This is a role for someone who enjoys seeing the bigger picture while keeping a firm handle on the details. Combining agency operations with traffic and workflow management, you’ll oversee resources, manage competing priorities, improve processes and keep teams and projects moving efficiently. You’ll play a central role in making the agency more organised, accountable and commercially effective.
You don’t necessarily need a PR background. Experience in operations or traffic management within an advertising, digital or other agency environment could be just as relevant. What matters is your ability to bring structure to a fast-paced business, anticipate challenges and make things happen.
If you’re a natural organiser who loves improving the way things work and helping creative teams perform at their best, we’d love to hear from you!
Here’s where you’ll make your mark
- Oversee the agency’s day-to-day operations, ensuring systems, processes and internal workflows run efficiently across teams.
- Develop, implement and refine operational procedures, reporting structures and project management systems to improve productivity and reduce unnecessary administration.
- Manage resource allocation, team capacity and competing priorities, identifying potential bottlenecks and addressing them before they affect delivery.
- Provide operational oversight across client accounts and projects, monitoring deadlines, budgets, deliverables and performance without taking over day-to-day project execution.
- Set clear operational expectations, coordinate teams and hold team members accountable for agreed responsibilities, timelines and standards.
- Support the leadership team with operational planning, staffing requirements and HR-related administration, including recruitment, onboarding and performance processes.
- Prepare and monitor project budgets, client quotations and cost estimates, including supplier costs, agency fees and profitability considerations.
- Oversee supplier and freelance resources, including sourcing quotations, managing costs and ensuring service standards are maintained.
- Maintain accurate operational records, trackers and management reports, providing clear visibility of workloads, expenditure, risks and performance.
- Act as a central point of coordination between leadership, account teams, suppliers and, when required, clients, resolving operational challenges and keeping communication flowing.
What you’ll bring to the table
- Relevant experience in agency operations, traffic management, resource coordination or a comparable operational role, ideally within a PR, advertising, digital or creative agency environment.
- Proven ability to develop and implement systems, processes and workflows that improve efficiency and accountability.
- Strong team coordination and resource planning skills, with the confidence to manage competing priorities and hold people accountable.
- Solid financial and commercial awareness, including budgeting, costing, quotations, supplier expenditure and project profitability.
- Excellent organisational, analytical and problem-solving abilities, with a proactive approach to identifying and resolving challenges.
- Confidence using spreadsheets, budget trackers, reporting tools and project management platforms.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively with leadership, internal teams, clients and external suppliers.
- Exceptional attention to detail, sound judgement and the ability to work independently, follow through and meet deadlines in a fast-paced agency environment.
City: Johannesburg
Level of Expertise: Junior-Mid
Remuneration: Negotiable
Consultant: Christine
Reference Number: #Chris2630
