Production Director (Project-Based Role)

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Meow Wolf opens portals of possibility. Come as you are! 

We are individuals who inspire creativity in people's lives through art and exploration, so that our combined imaginations can transform the world we live in. We create immersive and interactive experiences that transport audiences into fantastic realms of story and exploration.  Our Vision is to be the world’s leading creative company, reimagining the paradigm of art and storytelling, to make a positive difference in the world.  

We share a strong commitment to Belonging through our values of: 

• Collaborative Creativity: We believe the act of creating together amplifies possibilities.

• Provocative Playfulness: We celebrate the unexpected because it is the doorway to discovery.

• Outsiders Welcome: We are all outsiders at heart, and we create space for everyone to feel like they belong.

• Authentic Compassion:We are “kind punks” - supportive to each other and standing up for what we believe in.

• Audacious Courage: We have the courage to radically reinvent ourselves to push the boundaries of art.

If this all sounds like YOU, read on….

Job Description:

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR

Job Disclosures: Project-based role: This is a project-based position with an anticipated duration of 18+ months. 

Location: Santa Fe, NM

Job Summary:

The Visual Development Production Director works in a fast-paced, creative environment as an invaluable asset to the Exhibitions division of Meow Wolf. This person will provide production-focused leadership during the concept, design, planning, and execution phases of a project. On each major project, the Production Director will oversee the development and creation of concept art, signs, graphics, and brand identity as part of our production scope.

During the phases of Concept through Design Development on a project, the Production Director will manage design deliverables, like the concept art, sign packages, graphic deliverables, estimating, and resourcing for Visual Development team members. At this time, the Production Director will play a crucial role in defining the scope and resourcing of production elements that they will manage during the Production phase, and drive the creation of contracts and engagements with third-party content creators. Once Design Development begins, the Production Director will work with VisDev project leads to direct timelines and work assignments to complete the scope. Production Directors will manage the projects’ graphic production budget, in collaboration with Show Management they will identify and manage print and sign vendors. Additionally, this person will oversee the budgets assigned to the production of projects and will provide bi-weekly reports to Project Leadership through Reforecasting. The Production Director will also lead the documentation efforts needed for handoffs to Operations teams. 

The Production Director will provide ongoing feedback and mentorship to members of their team and contribute to the overall development of the Visual Development department. 

The Production Director must be calm under pressure and have experience working on very large-scale projects with a diverse team. Most importantly, they must be flexible in finding creative solutions to development and production issues as well as resolving conflicts in interpersonal communications.

This role requires an extremely capable and results oriented individual who can not only maintain the current culture and processes but also help develop and refine our systems as we scale. This role has no direct reports, but will be responsible for directing scope and managing budget within any major project.
 

Key Responsibilities:

• Serve as a leader in Concept Development, Schematic Design, Design Development and Production for visual development's internal and external development and production scope.

• Partner with Project teams as early as Blue Sky and Concept Development to understand the creative intent and develop resource plans and contracts that support the execution of scope. 

• Own the production of Visual Development R&D throughout CD, SD, DD, and Production for the given Pod team they will lead, managing the time and directing the efforts of other stakeholders needed to execute these explorations. 

• Work in conjunction with the Visual Development Department’s Sr. Director as well as other management to define and manage Visual Development scope, strategies, and budgets.

• Create an initial broad stroke Visual Development Gantt based on preliminary scope and published Project Timeline from Project Scheduling Team. 

• Direct proper buildout of all design or concept art related contracts during each major project’s Design Development phase.

• Direct asset kickoffs and lead relevant meetings.

• Establish SOWS, sequencing, and a work breakdown structure as needed for asset production.

• Establish SOWS, sequencing, and a work breakdown structure as needed to support adjacent departments, like AD&P. 

• Make staffing assignments to complete all elements in their purview, and negotiate staffing needs with other stakeholders to ensure the successful delivery of the overall in-house asset development scope.

• Provide ongoing direction of labor estimates and production timelines.

• Contribute to overall production element prioritization and critical path planning, working in conjunction with project leadership and key stakeholders.

• Track changes to original scope and update overall labor, materials, and timeline accordingly

• Direct the conversation around all change order requests, working with Project leadership and key stakeholders to reach an agreement around priorities within the remaining budget and timeline.

• Oversee all scheduling efforts in relevant project management tools and ensure that Airtable database entries are up to date with all relevant information.

• Provide progress reports to Project and Divisional leadership team

• Continually re-strategize process based on team and leadership feedback

• Provide input to yearly performance reviews based on working experience with Visual Development team members

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience as a subject matter expert in creative production (film, video game, theater, exhibition, graphic design, concept art)

• 4+ years of management experience

• Strong ability to read, understand, and apply information from technical drawings, material specifications and applicable regulatory documents

• Strong proficiency in Visual Development disciplines (concept art, graphic design, branding, illustration, 3D concept art, etc.).

• Discreet and professional when handling sensitive information. Must maintain the highest degree of confidentiality

• Able to manage the workflow of interdependent teams and resources within the department

• Strong understanding of finance and accounting functions and how they relate to budgeting of projects and internal scopes of work

• Excellent oral and written communication skills. Able to communicate effectively between creators, managers, vendors, and project leaders.

• Experience developing documentation processes and implementing them across many teams with the input of multiple stakeholders

• Strong understanding of materials and techniques ranging from digital art, to fabrication, to technical execution, and production.

• Strong knowledge of brand systems, concept art techniques, signage, and/or graphics.

• Excellent organizational skills with a strong attention to detail.

• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to find flexible cooperation with our various company and project partners.

• Adaptable to c