Skydance offers a dynamic, inclusive, and ever-evolving culture where innovative ideas are welcomed, and growth fostered. The partnership between unique creativity and technological advancements are demonstrated within each pillar of the company. At the heart of it all is a commitment to boldly entertaining and relevant storytelling.
While all Animation studios look to hire people who are creative and hard-working, Skydance Animation is specifically looking for pioneers who seek to push the limits of what the world’s most collaborative art form can achieve, and to give those pioneers the space and the resources to build a new studio that’s doing something different.
If you’ve ever dreamt of what the early days of Hollywood must have been like, of what it takes to roll up your sleeves and break new ground, figure out a new process, and to one day say, “I was there when it all began,” then welcome aboard…
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The Technical Program Director at Skydance Animation will be responsible for all project and process management within the technology department including requirements gathering, scoping, scheduling, budgeting, tracking, delivering, and reporting. The TPD will oversee all purchasing within the technology department, including process, approvals, budget tracking and forecasting, and receipt of goods. The TPD will also assist with staff development and resource management within technology. The Technology department provides a wide range of services, including IT infrastructure, software development, production pipeline engineering, technical support, and oversight of collaboration and presentation spaces.
Responsibilities
- Develop short and long term technology strategies in collaboration with technology leadership
- Develop technology initiatives into actionable, measurable, deliverable plans that include requirements, schedules, budgets, resource planning, and acceptance criteria
- Present updates on projects to leadership and executive stakeholders
- Deploy processes, standards, and communication tools to the technology department staff
- Identify areas of process improvement, clarity of communication, optimization of resource utilization to improve studio efficiency
- Oversee technology initiatives from inception to completion, presenting updates, summarizing changes, clarifying concerns, and representing the needs of the technology team
- Facilitate and instruct on internal task and project planning sessions, including daily standups, backlog prioritization, requirements gathering, and post-mortem reviews
- Establish and maintain relationships with external technology vendors to review new technologies, understand the feasibility, and secure contracts
- Foster and maintain strong relationships with production and studio counterparts and external animation production vendors
- Oversee and maintain the technology purchasing process
- Assist with overall technology staff development, coaching, and continued education
- Directly supervise technology project managers and coordinators with organizing, prioritizing, and communicating as well as developing and coaching to meet their professional career goals
Requirements
- 8+ years of experience in project management role in a technical or software environment
- Undergraduate degree and/or experience to equal that level of knowledge and professionalism
- Experience with Software Development Lifecycle paradigms, i.e. Waterfall and Agile Scrum
- Proven experience demonstrating superior critical thinking and negotiating skills
- Demonstrated ability to manage the day-to-day tasks of diverse teams
- Proven ability to inspire, motivate and lead a team to produce quality work
- Demonstrated ability to connect, influence, and drive others to consensus
- Experience with documentation and ticketing software, i.e. Atlassian Confluence and Jira
- Proven ability to monitor and manage solutions through delivery
- Excellent communication skills in all areas
- Certified Scrum Master or Product Owner a plus
- Experience in the Visual Effects, Animation, or media and entertainment industries a plus
Skydance is a diversified media company founded by David Ellison in 2010 to create high quality, event-level entertainment for global audiences. The Company brings to life stories of immersive worlds across its feature film, television, interactive, and animation divisions.
Skydance is proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to building and fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce. We welcome and consider applicants for employment regardless of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, citizenship, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, pregnancy status, military/veteran status, disability, or any other protected category. Diversity in the workplace is not just a commitment, it is who we are and a reflection of what makes our world special.