Director, Production & Planning - Animation Studios

Job Description

Overall Responsibility

Supports the SVP, Production and VP, Production & Planning in strategically planning the different projects that are simultaneously being produced within the studio and to explore alternate production and slate scenarios. This position is responsible for the overall utilization of data from past production projects to inform future planning, highlight areas to review complexity, efficiency and budget and identify recommendations for improvement. Supports the efforts to evolve and maintain generic production plans for the studio. Collaborates with Studio and Departmental Leadership and all Productions, while managing a team that creates dashboards, reports, and tools, and drives production analysis that informs production efficiency and decision making.

Direct Reports: Production Tracking Manager, Production Resource Specialist, Production Analyst

Main Responsibilities
• Manage Studio's generic templates for features, episodic and shorts projects. Update as necessary, prepare scenario analysis, and assess studio impacts in collaboration with Studio leadership
• Creates initial production plans and resource schedules for projects that do not yet have an AP assigned to them, working with Development to incorporate the development timeline into the overall production plan. Works collaboratively with Finance to translate these early show plans into budgets
• Creates and consolidates production scenarios to provide recommendations on how best to optimize studio resources, minimize production risks and provide options for slate planning based on studio and creative goals
• Responsible for data from past projects and uses this data to generate production dashboards, reports and presentations to highlight areas to review complexity, efficiency and budgets to inform decision making and future planning
• Partners with Production leadership to create consistent production milestones and dashboards to improve cross-show consistency in data tracking and reporting
• Partners with Production Finance to realize financial impacts at both the production and studio levels that are driven by production planning assumptions
• Manages a team that:
• Develops the production tracking tool (Shotgrid) and the generation of meaningful and consistent dashboards that will help provide the basis for analysis and inform recommendations for future projects
• Develops workforce planning tools and the generation of meaningful and consistent dashboards as it pertains to resource planning for the studio and to enhance the studio's production planning and workforce planning capabilities
• Partners closely with the Sr. Manager of IS to help prioritize initiatives for future process improvement tools and helps guide the development of such tools
• Key Stakeholder and responsible to partner with the Analytics team in their efforts to create trend analysis, and predictive production and workforce forecasts

Knowledge, skills and experience
• Creates an inclusive and safe work environment by carefully managing sensitive information, making rooms feel open and comfortable, creating space for everyone to have a voice and addressing bias when it occurs
• Specialized knowledge of the production process in animation, deep understanding of animation workflows and the management of production environments
• Strong leadership, communication, time management skills
• Thinks critically and analytically with a high aptitude for strategic planning and tactical execution on a multitude of simultaneous projects. Demonstrates the ability to identify and track priorities
• The ability to effectively communicate, interact and partner with production leadership, creative talent and executives inside the Company is crucial.
• The ability to drive result and to generate and promote new and innovative ideas is required, adaptable in an ever-changing environment
• 10 or more years of production experience
• 5 or more years of production leadership experience is preferred
• Proficient in Excel, Powerpoint/Keynote, Google platforms, Shotgrid
• Must be customer service-oriented and an intuitive trouble shooter
• High level of confidentiality and discretion required

The hiring range for this position in California is $127,039 to $164,404 per year. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to the full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.

The Walt Disney Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Disney Animation continues to build on its rich legacy of innovation and creativity, from the first fully-animated feature film, 1937's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, to our 62nd animated feature, Wish, releasing November 2023. Among the studio's timeless creations are Pinocchio, Sleeping Beauty, The Jungle Book, The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Frozen, Big Hero 6, Zootopia, and Encanto.

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-r06pbm-3-147-104-248-42 in your application.