Resource Manager

About Burson

Burson is the global communications leader built to create value for clients through reputation.
With highly specialised teams, industry‑leading technologies and breakthrough creative, we help brands and businesses redefine reputation as a competitive advantage so they can lead today and into the future. When you work at Burson, you are part of a global community of lifelong learners who thrive at the edge of innovation.

Burson MENA is one of the largest and most respected communications agencies in the region, delivering impactful strategies rooted in craft, curiosity, counsel, and camaraderie. We serve clients across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Bahrain and Egypt, combining strategic expertise with AI‑driven insights to craft compelling narratives that influence key decision‑makers.

We are seeking a strategic and proactive Resource Manager to spearhead our end‑to‑end resource planning and allocation across multiple markets and practices. You will optimise deployment of talent to meet client commitments and business priorities, proactively forecast needs, and resolve staffing challenges in close partnership with leadership. This pivotal role drives operational excellence by managing real‑time utilisation, owning resource planning systems, leveraging data for commercial insight, and providing critical support for new business growth and external vendor management.

• End‑to‑End Resource Planning & Allocation:
  Manage resourcing across multiple markets and practices, ensuring optimal deployment of talent.
• Strategic Forecasting & Stakeholder Partnership:
  Partner closely with Practice Leads, Client Leads and leadership to forecast needs, identify capacity constraints and proactively solve staffing challenges.
• Real‑Time Coordination & Utilisation Management:
  Facilitate regular planning meetings across geographies and time‑zones, monitor utilisation and flag over‑ or under‑allocation.
• New Business & Growth Support:
  Provide resource assessments, capacity planning and staffing input to support pitches, new client engagements and large‑scale opportunities.
• Systems Ownership & Visibility:
  Own and optimise resource planning tools, trackers and processes to provide clear visibility into who is working on what, capacity availability and emerging pressure points.
• Data, Reporting & Commercial Insight:
  Improve timesheet compliance and data hygiene; develop dashboards and reports that enable utilisation tracking, commercial oversight and leadership decision‑making.
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration & Operational Excellence:
  Act as a trusted partner to Client Services, Finance and People teams, supporting profitability, talent planning and continuous improvement initiatives.
• External Resource & Vendor Management:
  Manage freelancers and vendors as needed, coordinating scoping, contracting, booking and compliance in line with project needs and budget parameters.

• Resource & Operations Expertise:
  Proven experience in resource management, operations or project coordination within fast‑paced, complex environments (agency, PR, professional services or similar).
• Strategic Resource Planning:
  Strong ability to manage competing priorities, balance supply and demand, anticipate challenges and think several steps ahead.
• Tools, Commercial & Change Acumen:
  Proficiency in Excel, resource planning and project management tools; solid commercial understanding (profitability, utilisation); experience driving change and adoption of new processes.
• Influential Communicator:
  Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to influence without authority, build trust quickly and navigate diverse stakeholders diplomatically.
• Structured & Detail‑Driven:
  Highly organised and detail‑oriented, capable of creating structure, processes and clarity in ambiguous or evolving situations.
• Proactive Problem Solver:
  Solutions‑focused mindset, comfortable addressing challenges in real time and driving practical outcomes.
• People‑Centric Approach:
  Genuinely supportive and empathetic, with a strong focus on enabling colleagues’ success and understanding the…