We are seeking an experienced and established Production Lead/Senior Production Manager to join our film team based at our offices in Imperial Wharf, London SW6. Reporting to the Head of Film, the Production Lead is responsible for the smooth production of film projects and the successful delivery of all films.
This is an exciting and varied role that requires a pro-active and capable individual who is comfortable working in a fast-paced dynamic agency and can remain calm under pressure.

Responsibilities:
• Working alongside the Head of Film, you will oversee the production of all projects going through the department, ensuring the right team and workflows are matched to each project so they achieve the proposed creative on budget and on schedule. This involves careful planning and establishing clear communication throughout the process; from project kick-offs with defined roles and responsibilities, to monitoring and setting milestones and creative reviews to ensure progress is being made.

• Scheduling and managing the allocation of projects across our team of talented producers, animators and editors, and working with external suppliers and freelancers to augment our production team. This involves working with the producers to gain a clear understanding of the brief and treatment and what resources each production needs as well as ensuring the right balance between workload and quality.

• Continuously appraising the status of ongoing projects, ensuring they have the skillset and resource needed to achieve the creative ambition. Identifying issues before they become problems, finding solutions and implementing them. As well as reviewing pipeline projects to ensure we have resources in place to meet client needs.

• Assisting and advising the Head of Film to ensure the Film Team has the optimal structure to not only achieve our standards for quality and service, but also take advantage of industry trends and innovations. Being the guardian of the production process, you will take both a detailed and holistic view of the workflow and output, continually looking for better, more efficient ways to work.

• Managing production budgets and schedules in collaboration with producers, ensuring that KPIs are met. As well as working with client services to ensure accurate quotations for pitches.

• Commercial management including negotiating with suppliers (personnel and resource), cost tracking and updating the Head of Film and clients with project status reports, schedules, current and projected spend and production cost reports.

• Overall responsibility for ensuring all financial, contractual and production administration is accurate, on time, and completed according to Media Zoo and client policy and procedures. This includes: invoicing, purchase ordering, risk assessments, health and safety processes, insurance and post-production paperwork.

• Line managing and on-the-job training of junior production/administration team.

• Liaising with clients and ensuring stakeholder expectations are managed.


Skills
• This role requires a strong pro-active organiser, planner and excellent communicator who will effectively manage the workflow of the team, creative planning, budgets and production across all film projects and support the Head of Film.
• You will have a detail-oriented and focused approach with experience working with tight deadlines.

• You should have strong leadership skills, be able to enforce and influence, yet understand there can be flexibility and value harmony in the team.
• You will have strong customer service skills, managing expectations and handling changing client requirements and schedules.

Experience
• You will have extensive experience in production management and producing in an agency environment across a broad range of output, along with substantial knowledge of end-to-end production workflows. You will be confident arranging productions from commercials, high-end brand films and dramas through to ENG style editorial content.

• You will be confident managing multiple shoots both in the UK and internationally, post production and animation booking, the hiring and negotiation with freelancers and contractors and have an established black book of trusted industry contacts.

• You will have extensive budgeting experience, be able to produce detailed line-by-line budgets and cost reports as well as examine and question producers' budgets in relation to a brief and treatment.

• You have experience in managing and scheduling an in-house team and working closely with producers. As well as line managing junior staff and helping to develop and bring the best out of your team and those around you.

• You have experience working with production management software, preferably Farmer's Wife, ensuring the input of accurate information. You will know how to generate reports to track production KPIs and monitor department performance to support the Head of Film in reporting to the Board. You will be able to use reports to provide insight into any roadblocks or client issues, formulate solutions and successfully implement them.

• You will have knowledge of production insurance, health and safety and risk assessments.

• You will ideally have proven experience in driving change, providing continuous improvement and efficiencies and can demonstrate improved production workflows.



Media Zoo Perks
• Media Zoo wants to make sure all staff have a good work/life balance and will give all full-time employees 25 days paid holiday (plus bank holidays) per year.

• As a birthday treat, all full-time employees can take a paid day off on their birthday. If your birthday falls on a weekend or there are work commitments, you can take the next available day off.

• Company funded NEST pension scheme with a company contribution of 2% and employee contribution of 3% of salary.

• All full-time employees are signed up to Perkbox. Perkbox offers hundreds of great perks including big discounts on gym memberships, money off in restaurants and cut-price cinema tickets.

• Cycle to work scheme through Cyclescheme.

Please send CV and covering letter and please include your notice period in your application.
We endeavour to get back to all applicants, but if you do not hear back from us within 2 weeks of applying then, unfortunately, your application has not been successful this time.