Hi, I’m Allison, originally from Canada, and an account manager at CAST PHARMA. I studied economics at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, before getting into project management and getting a certificate from the Sauder School of Business and UBC Continuing Studies.
At CAST PHARMA, I look after both our North American and European clients. That’s really exciting, because I get to deal with very different markets and project requirements. That way I also stay on top of the latest technologies.
This job is all about possessing social skills
and a talent for organization.
My Typical Assignments
My Day
When I arrive at the office in the morning, the head of production tells me that the animation sequence has been rendered overnight and is ready for me. This challenging scene is the last piece of the puzzle in a 3D animation film whose production I have been supervising for the past four months and which my client expects me to present to her team tomorrow.
First, I have a quick talk with the editing team who will fit this last sequence into the film; that will involve post-production steps such as color corrections, animated text insertions, and references. I then fire off a short email to my client: everything is working out as planned and we can talk after lunch to sort out the final details.
The team meeting at 11 focuses on resource planning, because my colleagues and I have to work around the temporary absence of our art director. My organizational skills are needed to reprioritize some assignments. We figure out the solution and enter it into our agency software before breaking for lunch.
I’m feeling good when I pick up the phone to speak to my client in the afternoon: after all, we’ve got that final scene sorted. There aren’t going to be any last minute glitches. My client also brightens up considerably when she hears she’s already going to get the film today. The success of this major project is very important for her, too.
Throughout the day, I get various emails and phone calls from clients, asking for my assistance. Some want a technical question cleared up, others need access data for their client area on our website. Most of the questions I can deal with quickly and I can discuss the options with the team if there’s anything a bit more complicated.
At the end of the day, I press the upload button and put the animation film for our client online — another quick email to her to confirm, and I’m all done!