Simon Hopwood

Simon Hopwood - Professional Summary:    

 

Position Sought: Design Studio Manager / Traffic Manager or similar

Availability: Immediate                  

Profile:

A self motivated and experienced studio manager with wide studio and team management experience. Proven leadership skills involving studio management, organising, motivating and developing teams and studios together with 18 years creative and artworking experience.

Core Skills:

 

Studio Management: (12 years experience)

Recruitment and selection                         Team training

Workflow process                                   Project Management

Appraisals                                             QA

Resource Management                             Budget Management

 

Design Management: (12 years experience)

Client Liaison                                          Briefing                           

Proofing                                                Planning and Scheduling

Monitoring                                             Print Management             

 

Design: (18 years experience)

3dMax                      Photoshop               CorelDraw               Acrobat

Dreamweaver           Illustrator                InDesign                

 

Employment:

Contract (various)                                             Sept 2009 – Present

Various contracts/freelance work undertaken involving design work – leaflets, brochures and websites plus project management contracts, the latest of which being the project management and roll out of Microsoft web banners in multiple languages. This entailed setting up the studio, identifying skill-set required and then hiring freelance production staff to work in either a QA tester or digital artwork capacity, scheduling, assessing and monitoring proposed timescales and real-world reporting of same, project managing the set up of initial automated asset stripping software, problem resolving, developing a clear view and understanding of the way in which this complicated project should work and passed on this information down the line in order that all involved understood their particular role and it’s importance, upward reporting of progress, issues etc.. I was also involved in the hands on production of graphic elements for two other national client web accounts.

 

Design Studio Manager - Ecosigns Ltd                Nov 2007 – June 09 (redundant)

Turned the studio from a low esteem, inefficient team with no process or QA into an efficient, quality driven team.

Working closely with the Sales/Account Management team I identified and implemented a new workflow process within the company including a transparent quality control process.

Range of work included design and production of large format print projects, print, 3d visualisation, email marketing and some website creation and maintenance.

Responsible for managing a team of 3 designers together with studio/project management and design duties.

Managed the IT support for the company through external IT support company. Maintained an IT fault log and was first point of contact for any technical issues. Managed email and password system plus regular backups.

 

Studio Manager - Dark Horse Agency                              Feb 2006 – Nov 2007

Working as a conduit between the Account Management Team and the Studio I was tasked with implementation of new workflow processes and procedures, analysing existing office work ethic and adapting attitudes and procedures to maximise efficiency and workflow. I also liaised (and implemented) with the Creative Director regarding proposed Studio resource requirements and general ‘ambience’ of the working environment.

Range of work included design and production of print projects ranging from direct mail to full advertising campaigns.

Responsible for design and production schedules, resourcing, print-buying, outsourcing, final sign off for all work leaving the company, stock photography/shoots and for managing all aspects of a team consisting of four art workers, three designers and freelancers as and when I identified that they would be required.

I managed the IT requirement for the company through our IT technician.

When time allowed I also carried out design and artwork duties.

Studio Manager - CPM Environmental Design                   2003 – 2005

Managed a team of three designers and a 3d visualiser.

Responsible for the design and production of all internal and external Client projects such as 3d visualisation, print work and websites together with an extensive range of internal promotional material.

I took a lead role in the origination of design concepts and the production of graphic requirements.

Planning work through the studio/controlling budgets against requirement/quality control. Reporting directly to the Board of Directors, I was also a member of the Marketing Team and the Operations Team.

Design Manager - First Option Limited                          1998 – 2003

Managed a team of six designers and two software developers within a busy digital studio. I was responsible for initial design and wire-framing of web based projects.

Producing CD-ROM training materials (for world-wide usage), web based applications and sites for Jaguar and General Motors, Ford Dealerships, Nat West Bank and many other clients.

Responsibilities included project managing all projects through the team, ensuring that all projects were produced on time, within budget and to the highest production standards.

I also spent a successful 9 months combining these duties with a stand in Account Management role for the Jaguar account.

 

3d Lead Designer - Dorling Kindersley Multi Media 1993 - 1998
 

3d team lead on 'Children’s Encyclopaedia' and 'Interactive World Atlas` with responsibility for scheduling, collating information and models, briefing management on 3d progress etc., liaising with outside contractors (Russian studio/asset suppliers) and 3d work production.

Ensuring that targets for 3d production were met.

Responsible for both the modelling of pre-rendered scenes and the modelling of real-time objects for CD-ROM multimedia titles, including The Ultimate Human Body 2, Interactive World Atlas and Children’s Encyclopaedia

 

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