From “A Bit of Everything” to Real Control - in Progress
As one of Romania’s leading agencies, GRF+ faced increasing operational complexity as it grew.
In this case study, Elena Ștefan, Operations Director at GRF+, and Alexandru Jac, former Integrated Project Coordinator, share their experience implementing LEADING Job and the lessons learned while building a more structured and scalable way of working.
The Situation: Growing Complexity in a 120-Person Agency
GRF+ is one of the largest agencies in Romania, with a team of 70, part of an ecosystem of around 120 and complex client structures. As the agency grew, so did the operational challenges - more projects, more coordination, and increasing pressure on profitability.
Like many agencies, their setup evolved over time. Different tools were used in parallel – planning in e-mails, communication in MS Teams, and reporting often handled manually in spreadsheets. This allowed the team to deliver work, but it did not provide a connected, reliable system across the agency.
As Alexandru Jac, who led the initial implementation of LEADING Job as Integrated Project Coordinator, described it: the team was “using a bit of everything” - but without real control over processes, data, or profitability.
The Decision: Not Another Tool – an ERP-Level Approach
When evaluating alternatives, GRF+ looked at several tools, including Asana, Monday, ClickUp, and local solutions. However, it quickly became clear that a typical project management tool would not be sufficient.
The requirement was clear: a system that could connect project work, time tracking, and financial data – closer to an ERP than a standalone PM tool.
The final decision was made at C-level, with a strong focus on completeness and long-term scalability rather than simplicity.
Implementation: Friction and Gradual Adoption
Like in most agencies, adoption was not immediate. Teams had to manage their day-to-day work while learning a new system at the same time. This created friction and required changes in how projects were planned, tracked, and evaluated. Over time, usage increased step by step.
Even partial adoption already improved visibility, but, as Elena Ștefan, Operations director noted “the full potential of the system depends on continuous alignment of processes and data, onboarding of all teams and focusing on short term wins as well as integrated process and long term perspective”.
The Reality Today: Structure Takes Time
Today, the system is being further developed and adapted under the responsibility of Elena Ștefan, Operations Director.
Rather than presenting a finished solution, the focus is on building a system that can realistically handle this level of complexity over time.
“Our setup is complex, and we’re not in a position where everything is fully under control yet. What LEADING Job gives us is not a perfect solution, but a system that is capable of handling this level of complexity in the first place. That’s the key difference compared to what we had before.”
The Outcome: A System You Can Build On
The biggest shift for GRF+ is not perfection, but direction.
This creates a foundation for better decision-making and more transparency over time – even if processes are still evolving.
As the organization continues to refine how the system is used, LEADING Job provides a stable base that can grow with the agency’s requirements.
The result is not a finished state, but a clear path toward more control, better visibility, and scalable operations.
Facing Similar Challenges?
Interested in how LEADING Job could support your agency's growth and operational complexity? Book a personal demo and discover how leading agencies gain more transparency, control, and scalability with LEADING Job.
Elena Ștefan, Operations Director at GRF+ leads the ongoing use and development of LEADING Job within the agency.
Alexandru Jac acted as Project Coordinator at GRF+ and led the implementation of LEADING Job at the agency. He is now working as an independent consultant.
GRF+ is a Romania-based communications agency, supporting brands with strategic communication, campaigns, and reputation management.The agency works on complex, multi-stakeholder projects, combining strategic thinking with execution across teams and channels.