Head Of Department - Animation

Job Description

Founded in 2001, MR. X is an award-winning visual effects company specializing in High-Concept series episodic and feature films. With year long relationships with some of Hollywood's top creators, MR. X has delivered the visual effects for critically acclaimed titles like; The Shape of Water, Roma, American Gods and Vikings, to name a few. By partnering with our clients through every stage of their project, we help shape and guide what makes it to the screen, in some of the world's most exciting film and television content. MR. X has facilities in Toronto, Montreal, Bangalore, Los Angeles and Adelaide, with a combined staff of over 800 filmmakers, artists, and programmers. We are MR. X. Partners in storytelling.

An HOD is responsible for ensuring the smooth and effective running of their department from a creative, technical and workflow perspective. They are responsible and held accountable in 5 key areas:

Department planning and maintenance:
• Create good communication channels with other departments, show production and senior management to ensure complex information is disseminated appropriately
• Manage the recruitment and casting of Leads in accordance with the global needs of the business
• Assign appropriate artists to the various projects, balancing the financial, technical and creative considerations of the task
• Report crew assessment to DM (Department Manager)

Show planning and maintenance:
• Work with the lead artists, supervisors and show production to bid or plan shots, and ensure the project methodologies, quality and schedule expectations are consistent and achievable
• Ensure that work is delivered to MR. X's global standards, on time and on budget
• Assist other artists, departments and supervisors' issues as they arise during production, delegating work where necessary
• Work with CG supervisors to plan for future challenges and problem solve current issues
• Work with Department Developers and R&D to address software issues on a show
• Communicate to the up and downstream departments to ease ingest and handoff challenges
• Work with VFX and DFX supervisors to enable the best creative output from the team

Mentoring and supporting:
• Nurture creative vision and technical ability, while ensuring a balanced, personal and professional development
• Have a compelling strategy and vision for the future of the department
• Regular 1:1s with key members of the team. (High potentials, Leads, Core)
• Encouraging and supporting leads to delegate and support their teams
• Pairing up team members to enable learning
• Supporting or delegating support to employees under performance management

Training and documentation:
• The HOD is responsible for their team to be trained to a level in which they can perform their duties.
• Manage the integration of new artists into the existing team and ensure they receive proper training either by providing the training or delegating to leads and other team members
• Ensure training documentation is up to date and coordinate with team members to create the training material when necessary

Standardized workflows:
• Implement the products and services as needed to ensure department efficiency
• Keep up to date with industry developments and tools
• Ensure the department remains relevant in an ever-changing global industry
• Propose and oversee the development of new tools, workflows or techniques as required for successful and efficient delivery of shows
• Monitor workflow and techniques used in the team
• Collaborate with other Heads of Departments to design workflows between their teams
• Be the visionaries for their department
• Report on workflows to the Head of Creative Officers

Qualifications

Attributes:
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills
• Strong attention to detail
• Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills
• Exercise patience, problem-solving and mediation skills
• Ability to cope with stressful situations and conflict with composure
• Ability to work in an inclusive and diverse organization
• Strong creative ability and flair
• Strong sense of aesthetic
• Excellent team building skills
• Strong business acumen
• Understanding of financial impacts of business decisions

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-gw9k62-216-73-216-56-42 in your application.