Client Delivery- Managing Director

Hogarth Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa Client Delivery - Managing Director Hogarth is the Global Content Production Company, part of WPP. We partner with one in every two of the world’s top 100 brands, including Coca‑Cola, Ford, Rolex, Nestlé, Mondelez and Dyson. With a breadth of experience across an extensive range of sectors, Hogarth delivers relevant, engaging and measurable content across all channels and media – both established and emerging – and positions itself as a trusted partner for brands that need speed, personalised solutions and a wide range of channels. About the Client Delivery Centre of Excellence (CoE) Our CoE in Johannesburg is a world‑class hub designed to elevate Client Delivery capability, efficiency and scale across our global business. The CoE strengthens Hogarth’s position as WPP’s global production engine, ensuring best‑in‑class, client‑facing delivery for some of the world’s best‑known and most prestigious brands. Hybrid Working Model We adopt a hybrid approach, with teams in the office around four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process. What you’ll lead - Build and scale the Client Delivery Centre of Excellence - Define Client Delivery strategy, standards and performance - Drive commercial performance: profitability, utilisation, margin - Maintain senior client relationships and cross‑functional partnerships - Lead a high‑performing, motivated Client Delivery team The Role Reporting to the UK Managing Director, the Client Delivery‑Managing Director is a senior leader accountable for establishing and delivering the vision and strategic direction for Hogarth’s regional CoE. You will build the CoE from the ground up – recruiting, training and establishing the team whilst implementing best practices, and creating the operational frameworks that uphold Hogarth’s highest standards. You will oversee all Client Delivery functions within the CoE, ensuring world‑class quality of service, on‑time and on‑budget completion of deliverables, and consistent and exceptional client experience across all client accounts. As the ultimate point of escalation for Client Delivery across the CoE, you will be responsible for operational discipline, performance and commercial outcomes. You will collaborate with senior leadership based predominantly in the UK and other regional hubs, including Production, Finance, Client Growth, Commercial and Technology, to deliver with excellence. As a cultural architect, you will inspire high performance and ensure a cohesive, inclusive and empowering environment across the CoE. Key Areas of Responsibility Strategy and Financials - Build Hogarth’s Client Delivery Centre of Excellence, ensuring the CoE drives efficiency, excellence and commercial performance. - Lead the Client Delivery organisation to meet utilisation, margin and staff cost ratio targets. - Formulate and activate strategic Client Delivery solutions based on insights, performance indicators and forecasted pipeline of work. - Ensure full utilisation across Client Delivery roles, aligning resource structures to client revenue and managing team resources effectively. - Develop and manage a fixed + flex resource model to protect margin and support workload peaks. - Proactively identify and pursue organic growth opportunities across the Client Delivery portfolio. - Ensure the right team structures, roles and capabilities are deployed against client scopes and business needs. - Own commercial performance across the Client Delivery portfolio, ensuring projects are profitable and billed accurately and on time. - Govern freelance and external resource costs to maximise efficiency and protect margin. Collaboration - Build strong, trusting relationships with senior client stakeholders and internal partners across Client Growth, Production, Technology, Commercial and Finance. - Navigate complex cross‑functional priorities and influence decision‑making at a senior level. - Lead the onboarding of new clients, implementing optimal Client Delivery structures and ways of working. - Represent Client Delivery at the highest levels of the organisation, championing its role and impact. Process and Operations - Implement and refine processes, workflows and standards that define best‑in‑class Client Delivery. - Align the CoE to global workflows, SLAs and KPIs, ensuring full consistency with UK delivery standards. - Set, enforce and continuously elevate delivery quality standards across all teams. - Lead operational reviews, performance frameworks, SLAs, KPIs and governance to ensure excellence across the CoE. - Drive continuous improvement, simplification and standardisation across Client Delivery. - Ensure stakeholders have access to data, insights, systems and tools that enable informed decision‑making. - Ensure adoption, training and compliance across all delivery systems, tools and workflows. - Implement remedial plans for talent underperformance and lead operational transformation where required. Leadership - Create a culture of excellence, accountability, inclusion, learning and growth. - Inspire and lead the CoE Client Delivery team to deliver their best work. - Hire, develop and retain world‑class Client Delivery talent, fostering progression. - Model Hogarth values through exemplary leadership, professionalism and behaviour. - Act as the ultimate point of escalation for Client Delivery issues, resolving challenges swiftly and decisively. Talent & Capability - Serve as the Production Delivery Subject Matter Expert (SME), providing expertise and best‑practice guidance, acting as the key representative for delivery excellence both with clients and across internal teams. - Own onboarding frameworks and capacity ramp‑up, ensuring new hires reach delivery readiness rapidly and consistently. - Maintain full quality and performance parity with UK delivery standards, ensuring a consistent client experience. Risk - Identify and mitigate risks across the Client Delivery portfolio. - Intervene directly when business‑critical issues arise. - Ensure operational stability, continuity and resilience across all Client Delivery environments. Requirements - Senior leadership experience in Client Delivery (Project Management), operations or production within a global or complex organisation. - Proven ability to create and scale high‑performing teams. - Proven track record in building a team and leading multi‑market Client Delivery functions or organisations. - Expertise in model implementation and transformation. - Demonstrated commercial ownership, including profitability and utilisation. - Ability to build and lead large teams within matrix environments. - Experience driving excellence across complex portfolios of clients and projects. - Outstanding communication, negotiation and executive stakeholder management. - Understanding of Client Delivery ways of working across production disciplines. - Experience working with hybrid, onshore/offshore resource models. - Ability to confidently present to senior and executive clients and internal stakeholders. What you’ll bring - Extensive senior leadership experience in Client Delivery / Project Management. - Production/creative background and multi‑disciplinary production knowledge. - Proven success leading multi‑market or large‑scale delivery organisations. - Strong commercial acumen and financial ownership. - Senior stakeholder leadership and communication skills. - Experience delivering transformation and cultural change. Benefits - Retirement Annuity - Discovery Medical Aid - Discovery Risk Benefits - Employee Assistance Programme - 15 days of leave in addition to public holidays - Additional full day for your birthday - Parental Leave – 4 months and 10 days paid leave shared between both parents for a new baby Diversity and Inclusion Hogarth is committed to diversity and inclusion, through our ideas, our people, how we behave and conduct ourselves. We create a truly inclusive culture at all levels of the organisation, encouraging different points of view and a sense of belonging. Hogarth Values - Heart and Soul – We love what we do and always look for better ways. - Hands on – We don’t wait, we get on with it and do what it takes to get the job done. - Honest – We speak openly and clearly, operating with integrity and living up to our promises. - Happy family – We enjoy working together, putting out support and keeping perspective. - Hungry – We are curious, experiment and constantly seek new opportunities. - Inclusion and Impact – We foster a culture of respect and opportunities for all. WPP is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to particular characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers. Please contact if you need the job advert or form in another format. 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