Resource Manager

Position Summary

The Resource Manager plays a key operational role within the Malaysia studio, reporting directly to the Studio Director. Working closely with studio team leads and account teams, this person ensures the studio is efficiently resourced, operationally sound, and consistently delivering to a high standard. The role spans day-to-day resource planning, freelance talent management, pitch cost scoping support, and studio administration. The ideal candidate is highly organised, proactive, energised by variety, and confident in navigating a fast-paced creative production environment. Someone who thrives on being the person who makes things happen, builds trusted relationships across the business, and is ready to step up when the opportunity presents itself.

Position Responsibilities

Resource Planning & Allocation

• Manage day-to-day resource allocation for project coming into Malaysia studio, matching the right talent to the right projects based on skills, availability, and workload on both local and regional resources where needed.

• Maintain an accurate and up-to-date view of studio capacity, flagging resource gaps, backfill resources to the studio team leads, and account team in a timely manner.

• Collaborate with account teams, producers, and studio team leads to understand upcoming project demands, resource availability, and constraints to effective resource allocation plans.

• Monitor utilization trends and making proactive adjustments to ensure optimal resource allocation.

• Identify potential bottlenecks or resourcing imbalances and proactively propose solutions before they impact delivery.

• Review incoming project briefs to access resource requirements, identifying the skills disciplines, and estimated effort needed to deliver the work before allocating to the team.

• Familiarity with AI and automation tools used in creative production; ability to assess studio capability and readiness to work on AI-assisted or automated deliverables.

• Play an active role in upholding brief quality across the studio; partner with account team to shape and interrogate incoming briefs on selected project only.

Freelance Talent Management

• Build and maintain a strong pipeline of freelance creative talent to be engaged on an as-needed basis, covering skill gaps not available with the studio or capacity shortfalls during peak period and public holidays.

• Source and evaluate freelancer portfolio and experience, and onboard approved candidates in line with studio standard and internal procurement processes.

• Raise and manage Purchase Orders (POs) for freelancers, ensuring accurate documentation and timely processing in accordance with finance requirements.

• Maintain accurate records of freelancer engagements, rates, availability, and performance for future reference.

Pitch Support & Cost Scoping

• Support the Studio Director, team leads, and account teams during pitch processes by providing resource cost estimates, headcount recommendations, and skill-based team compositions.

• Assist in estimating production costs related to resourcing new business opportunities, ensuring estimates are realistic and aligned with studio capacity.

• Support account teams post-pitch win by collaborating with studio team lead on job route, advising candidate profiles and skill requirements needed to deliver the scope.

• Estimate resourcing cost and prepare cost inputs for pitch scoping, with outputs subject to Studio Director for review and approval.

Studio Operations & Administration

• Own and maintain the resource management tool (Monday.com), keeping data accurate and up to date to ensure full visibility of studio capacity and scheduling.

• Support the adherence to studio processes, procedures, governance protocols, and escalate non-compliance to the Studio Director where needed.

• Maintain clear and organized documentation related to project brief, resource schedules, freelancer onboarding, POs, and operational reporting.

• Lead weekly studio meetings to provide updates on studio utilization, upcoming capacity gaps, and resources planning.

• Provide monthly studio utilization reports, key insights, and recommendations to both local and regional stakeholders.

• Collaborate with resource managers and studio teams across other markets and regions to share capacity, align cross-market projects, and support regional resourcing needs where required.

• Day-to-day coordination responsibility for studio-led client engagements, if needed.

Required Experience & Skills

• Minimum 3 - 5 years of experience in a resource management, project management, studio operations, or traffic management role, preferably within a creative agency or production environment.

• Solid understanding of creative production workflows and the ability to assess skills across design (digital & print), 3D retail, video, animation, and content disciplines.

• Experience sourcing, onboarding, and managing freelance talent, including raising and tracking Purchase Orders.

• Proficiency in project management tools such as Monday.com or similar platforms; comfortable working with scheduling and capacity planning systems.

• Strong understanding of resource planning, allocation, optimization principles, and methodologies.

• Strong organizational and administrative skills with a high attention to detail; able to manage multiple priorities simultaneously without dropping the ball.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to liaise confidently with account teams, producers, studio leads, and external vendors.

• Analytical and data-driven mindset; able to track utilization, identify trends, and present insights clearly.

• Proactive and solutions-oriented; comfortable escalating issues early and working collaboratively to resolve them.

• Diploma or Bachelor's degree in Business Administration/Management, Project Management, Creative Arts/Media, Marketing, Communications, or a related field. A combination of relevant education and work experience will be considered.

•Fluent in English is a must; Mandarin or Cantonese is an advantage.