A day in the life of a Project Manager (San Francisco Edition)

Welcome to the second installment of ‘A day in the life…’. Meet Félix, one of our Project Managers to understand a typical day in his shoes.

What does your typical morning look like?

Having moved recently from the Paris team to San Francisco to join the Linkfluence US office, I have to get up fairly early to catch-up with the teams in Paris. I usually get up around 6.30 to get caught up on what happened overnight.

I try to get a bit of work done before settling down for breakfast (English muffins, granola, and a gallon of coffee). Afterward, I head to the office. I’m not really a morning person, so the transition has been difficult.

What does your work involve?

Being a Project Manager requires strong organizational skills, attention to detail and constant vigilance. That being said, I have two main responsibilities: The first is to make sure things are done on time, with the right level of quality, and with the right people — while remaining profitable in the process.

The second is providing strategic guidance on software deployment to my clients. We work with the largest organizations in the world. When I say large organizations, think of complex structures, internal politics, and a vast range of objectives and needs. My job includes making sure that what we build is adapted to their organization and that we maximize our client’s success.

I’m currently working on the deployment of our tool Radarly for a major client in the US, where we’re deploying more than 30 dashboards in a dozen countries, in collaboration with Linkfluence teams in San Francisco, Paris and New York.

What attracted you to Linkfluence?

I’ve always been fond of maps, and I discovered Linkfluence through their research on cartographies of communities on the Web. One of my first projects at Linkfluence involved mapping the Luxury industry on the Web.

Since then, practices on the Web have evolved towards social media, and Linkfluence has evolved, too — but I’ve kept a personal attachment to that past.

Why did you decide to move from Paris to SF ?

Having spent some time in Asia, Europe, and South America, I have been looking for opportunities in the US for a long time. San Francisco offers a unique blend of tech industry and counterculture which I had always wanted to discover.

Linkfluence goes a long way to make sure their teams have the ability to move within the company, and I was lucky to be part of that.

When I was offered the move to San Francisco to help deploy one of our largest accounts, I agreed without a second thought. Only later did it occur to me that my girlfriend might also have an opinion on this — we made it work eventually.

How did the process go? What does it take to move to the US?

It definitely took some time! I have been working at Linkfluence for three years on key Luxury clients before that opportunity came along, and even then, I had to be patient.

The tech market in the US is the most competitive in the world, and I was genuinely impressed by the grit and energy of our teams in the US. The experience so far has been humbling.

What kind of clients do you work for?

I have worked mainly for clients in the luxury and sportswear industries. Both industries, in their own way, are committed to excellence and performance and have high expectations.

At Linkfluence, Project Managers build long-term relationships with strategic clients. I’ve worked with some clients for more than three years — and stayed good friends with some of them.

What are some challenges you face on the job and how do you deal with them?

Part of a Project Manager’s responsibilities is to anticipate problems. A Project Manager is one of the first people involved when major issues arise with our clients. Our biggest challenges are often the most unexpected ones.

There are no simple solutions to these challenges. Solving them requires level-headedness, strong analytical skills… and most importantly, trusting in your coworkers. A cup of coffee and a whiteboard certainly helps as well.

Any hobbies outside work?

I’m a mountain guy. I go trekking, climbing or skiing whenever I can get out of town, all three at the same time if I can help it. Back in France, I usually go to the Alps, so I’m interested in trading good climbing spots both in France and the West Coast!

Can you tell us about the culture or values at Linkfluence?

Above anything else, Linkfluencers have each other’s back. At Linkfluence, you’ll always have someone to help you get stuff done — or to share a beer to make sure you take a break.

What would you say to someone considering a PM role at Linkfluence?

At Linkfluence, Project Managers build meaningful, long-term projects with their clients. We are passionate about data, we never do the same thing twice, we are curious by nature, we get to the bottom of things and we get stuff done.

If you like what you read in this post, get in touch here, and find out how to join our team!