Production Manager (Project-Based Role)

Job Disclosures:

Project-Based Role: This is a project-based role with an anticipated duration of 2+ years.

Location:

Santa Fe, NM

Job Summary:

Are you a natural when it comes to project management and do you flourish in a creative environment? Join Meow Wolf’s Visual Development team as a Production Manager, where you’ll create and manage relationships with a variety of internal teammates (cross functional & interdepartmental) as a leader and individual contributor to ensure the successful completion of creative development and deliverables on time and within budget. The Production Manager must be able to anticipate and troubleshoot potential problems in a project and within the team to keep the deliverables on target. The role requires a proactive approach with strong strategic, analytical, communication skills. Additionally, the position must act as a conduit between vested stakeholders to ensure project requirements are met. If you are a high energy creative, collaborator, and resourceful individual who can balance a workload of highly creative content projects, this is your role.

The Production Manager acts as a day-to-day manager of the Visual Development Team on assigned projects, supervising the workloads of any assigned staff or vendors, and determining strategies to ensure the successful completion of all assigned deliverables, concepts, and campaign briefs. The Production Manager must be proficient in guiding and articulating the concepts and experiences that define the project’s creative vision and to motivate the teams and individuals who are responsible for its development and implementation.

Production Managers work with the Visual Development Team to manage the operation workflow, quality, and schedule adherence. They also monitor production activities to make necessary adjustments to the schedule to ensure that all assets are delivered on time, develop ideas for process improvements, and adjust the creative development duration to maintain the quality of the deliverable.

Requirements: You will oversee the completion of visual design deliverables with precision and tenacity, thereby contributing to the high-quality work our creatives produce.

Key Responsibilities:

• Serve as a functional leader to a group of Visual Development Team members, as well as a short-term team leader for mixed-talent creative production teams. Functional management responsibilities include: time tracking, managing PTO, hosting performance reviews, recommending hires and facilitating HR discussions for the Production Manager’s direct reports
• Schedule and participate in each kickoff and subsequent review meeting from concept through creative development and production that the Production Manager is to lead. The Production Manager should come away from these meetings with a solid understanding of the creative intent, the design limitations, the materials budget, and the project due date or labor limit.
• Work closely with Sr. Director of Visual Development and fellow Production Managers to establish the creative development process and review the schedule for each project.
• Contribute to project staffing decisions for internal VisDev project teams, taking into account the talent needed to complete a project and the desire for all team members to develop new skills.
• Work with Show Managers, Campaign Managers, Marketing Producers, and Creative Producers to understand and establish goals, timelines, and build plans and process for work performed by Visual Development.
• Help the Visual Development team meet its deliverables by the agreed end date or labor limit and stick to the agreed scope and budget
• Serve as a side-by-side mentor to the Concept Artists and Graphic Designers, aiming to build the skills, advise on industry standard working practices, and raise the professionalism of the members of the Visual Development team.
• Help Visual Development team members to try out new techniques, tools, and methods of working that continually expand each person’s comfort zone
• Identify conflicts that may arise during a project, whether technical or personal, and work with the involved parties to find resolution
• During the creative development process, the Production Manager will keep in close contact with the Campaign Manager, Director of Sales and Marketing, Creative Producer, Show Manager, Production Designer, Technical Director, and the Creative Director to give status updates as needed and ensure ongoing adherence to the project plan and limitations
• Other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications:

• 5+ years working in art administration or production management.
• 3+ years interfacing directly with creatives.
• 2+ years experience as a personnel supervisor.
• Experience with the creation of permanent art installations or exhibitions.
• 5+ years experience in graphics, marketing activations and production, concept art, or related fields.
• Experience leading creative development teams.
• Excellent problem solving skills and the ability to demonstrate strategic and resourceful thinking.
• Effective and seamless communication skills.
• Passion for building and mentoring teams.
• The ability to anticipate roadblocks or conflicts and navigate through them with a positive attitude.

Work Environment and Physical Demands:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed must be representative of the knowledge, skills, minimum education, training, licensure, experience, and/or ability required.

Work Environment:

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and scanners. This position also works in an indoor setting with exposure to noisy environments, dim lighting, strong visual effects including strobing lights, special effects, fog machines and small and/ or enclosed spaces.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Physical ability to walk, stand, take stairs/slides/elevators, and navigate the elements during the day and night. Employee may be required to remain in a sitting or standing position for prolonged periods, and repeat motions that may include the wrists, hands, and/or fingers.

The employee will comply with company and OSHA standard workplace safety protocols. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Work Schedule:

This is a full-time position, and hours of work and days are Monday through Friday, 9ma.m. to 5 p.m. or 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required as job duties demand.

Supervisor Responsibilities:

This position does require supervisory responsibility.

Travel

This position will require minimal travel (<10%)

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

IMPACT:

Meow Wolf is committed to our DIY roots and grassroots community support principles. To document that commitment, we converted our legal designation into a Delaware Public Benefit Corporation and have certified as a B Corporation. As a B Corp, we have a triple bottom line of supporting financial, social and environmental wellbeing in our community.

INCLUSION:

Meow Wolf is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. We are committed to ensuring all employees enjoy and thrive in a work environment where differences make us the vibrant, wonderful community we are! All employment decisions at Meow Wolf are based on business need, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, disability, gender identity, results of genetic testing, veteran status, service in the military or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.

BENEFITS:

The choices we make concerning our benefits during enrollment periods are among the most important we select for ourselves and our families. As part of the total compensation package for full-time employees, Meow Wolf offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes various options to meet individual healthcare and financial needs along with many perks.

• Medical Insurance options: PPO & HDHP*
• Dental and Vision Insurance*
• HSA, HRA, and FSA options*
• 401k Retirement Plan
• Company paid Life Insurance Policy and Disability Coverage(s)*
• Voluntary Critical Illness and Life Insurance Policies*
• Company Paid Employee Assistance Program
• Paid Parental Leave for 12 weeks
• Discount off Meow Wolf Gift Shop Merch and Cafes
• Admission to Meow Wolf attractions for employees and guests

*Regular or Project Based Full-time positions

Please visit www.meowwolf.com/careers

for more information.