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Traffic Coordinator Job Description

We are a small (8 person) graphic design, advertising and public relations agency in the Sacramento, CA area. We need to hire a traffic coordinator for the first time. Does anyone have a job description that they would be willing to share? Also, what salary range is appropriate? Thank you.

Rochelle Barcellona
President
Barcellona Communications, Inc.

I have pasted a job description I had in our HR binder. I think we picked it up from Second Wind awhile ago...perhaps some of it is useful...

Traffic Manager/Coordinator

Duties: Ñ Opens all agency jobs; makes (2) job jackets (Accounting, Production). Ñ Reviews daily work schedule with Creative/Art Production Department. Ñ Writes up any Job Change Orders from AEs/clients. Ñ Revise schedules and publishes for distribution to all departments. The TM is responsible for publishing a weekly production status report, and daily "Hot Sheet" listing most pressing jobs for the day and their current status, to ensure all departments are advised of schedules and job progress. Ñ Expedites all "crisis jobs." However, the majority of work should flow through Creative/Production on a reasonable, scheduled basis, and directed and supervised by the PM and CD. Ñ Notifies AEs/Production Manager when it is necessary to contact clients for any materials, information, etc., required to complete scheduled projects. Contacts clients directly only when requested to do so by AE/PM. Ñ Keeps account service and media informed about the current status of all jobs in progress in creative/production, with regular frequency, based on input from the PM and CD. Ñ Conducts weekly traffic meetings involving personnel from all relevant departments. Ñ Reports any problems affecting job quality, due dates and costs to Account Service, after being advised by the PM and CD. Ñ Works with PM in selection of vendors for all jobs, based on quality control, budget, timing, etc. Assists Production Manager in estimating of jobs, vendor specifications, etc. Ñ Oversees quality control in conjunction with Creative Department and PM. Ñ Deals with vendors on deliveries, scheduling, etc. Ñ Schedules daily pick-ups and deliveries for all jobs, working with Receptionist/Controller; supervises delivery person. Ñ Obtains quotes from art and photo suppliers, freelancers, other vendors, and reviews with PM. Ñ Issues purchase orders to vendors on approval from PM. Ñ Makes sure samples are delivered to client and agency for all completed jobs. Ñ Works with Media Department to obtain publications¡ specifications and extensions when necessary. Ñ Coordinates scheduling of collateral materials to arrive before final deadlines. Ñ Processes paperwork for all stock photography. The TM is responsible for returning all stock photography to photo house within the assigned usage period. Ñ Maintains all in-house client mechanicals/artwork and photo files. Ñ Regulates time to allow for an internal review of all concepts with AE. Ñ Assists with billing. Ñ Forwards completed jobs to AE who, after review, closes job and sends to Accounting. Ñ Researches specialty items and purchases items for clients. Ñ Provides internally approved copy, layouts, etc. to PM/AEs for client approval. Retrieves client-approved materials from PM/AEs to continue production process. Ñ Photocopies and collates all material for presentations and client meetings. Ñ Maintains updated agency sample files. Ñ Assists in answering telephone calls according to agency protocol

Roxanne Cowan
Rutherford Bolen Group Integrated Marketing

We have a job description for this type of position. We call it "Production Manager" but it should encompass many of the responsibilities of your job title. It's currently only saved in Quark on my computer, and I'm not a designer, but administrator (accounting, etc.), so will try to get this to you later today after I get it saved as a pdf or whatever. Thanks for your patience and the best of luck. As far as salary goes, we are in the Washington/Baltimore area so don't know if salaries are similar or dramatically different in your area. But, we would pay a "green" prod. mgr. (one who needs to be groomed and mentored) in the $35k range and one who has some experience in the $40 - 50k range depending on the number of years experience. Hope this helps! BTW, we are extremely fortunate to have a production manager who is a trained graphic designer so she understands the business and work flow issues very well. She was originally a designer for our company but evolved to her current position, which also includes marketing. Been with us over 11 years and is like a partner rather than an employee. Just an aside.

If you can groom some one from within your company who is willing to try on this hat, and you think he/she may have the skills needed, this approach might work even better than hiring from outside.

Kay Rosburg
V.P., Dever Designs

I've worked at the top agencies in Chicago. I do not have a job description, but I think the salary would be around 35K.

Noreen Rosdahl
Production Manager
Creative Marketing, Inc.

Our traffic manager is a "jack of all trades". We are a 14 person agency. Here it is:

JOB DESCRIPTION Date: 5/16/02

Job title: Traffic Manager/Production Coordinator Exemption status: Non-exempt

Summary of duties and responsibilities:

I. Traffic Manager As the Traffic Manager your primary duties involve responsibility for the timely processing of all client jobs. The Traffic Mgr must : 1. Stay apprised of all active jobs. 2. Have an overall understanding of each production team member's duties. 3. Oversee team member assignments for each active job. 4. Perform daily job status updates of each active job. 5. Have communication skills that require notifying AE's of possible missed deadlines and possible job cost overruns as well as notifying production team members of changes to active jobs. 6. Have organizational skills that allow for daily status code updates to jobs so as to facilitate the Finance Dept with accurate billing. 7. Be able to set and monitor accurate deadlines, and identification of available resources for even distribution of work. 8. Prepare and distribute a weekly Production Priority List to the production team via email. 9. Prepare weeking Estimates vs Billings report, analysis it and research potential problems by asking questions. 10. Review all estimates as new jobs are opened. Ask questions, make sure POs are prepared when appropriate, find trends that can be applied to future jobs, etc. 11. Conduct two traffic meeting each week.

II. Trafficking Media Jobs. Media jobs require a highly organized individual to oversee that the correct media (script, artwork, video-tape, mp3 file) is forwarded to the appropriate media vendor in a timely fashion for the media flight. Since multiple campaigns may be occurring simultaneously it is vital that communication be made daily between the Traffic Mgr and AE's and between the Traffic Mgr and the Media Buyer. The Traffic Mgr is also responsible for maintaining up-to-date logs of TV & radio scripts and archiving such scripts electronically.

- III. Systems Administration/Help Desk As the System Admin/Help Desk you are the first line of contact for any and all computer related questions. This includes hardware and/or software related problems. This can range from helping someone with an offline printer to researching potential software and hardware purchases.

IV. Archiving completed/closed jobs. Part of systems administration involves archiving files for completed jobs. Completed jobs for production purposes get a status code of "910". Once jobs get a status code of 910 they are ready for archiving. A standard naming convention must be implemented as well as a standard in file creation and hierarchy. If the previously stated standards are not met then the job must be returned to the production team member responsible for its creation. Instruct staff when conventions and adequate archiving methods are not adhered to. Once the standards are met then 5 to 12 copies of pertinent artwork are included in the job ticket envelope as well as one set of the following reports generated from C&P. Job Ticket Job Ticket & Task Job Schedule Job Traffic Creative Brief Work Order Printing Specifications Job Diary

V. Purchase Orders. The Traffic Manager prepares purchase orders with the accounting assistant as the backup. Follow the procedures for preparing purchase orders in the Agency Operational Procedures Manual located in Outlook/All Public Folders/Policies.

Mary Henry
Kleier Communications