Who: Smashing Ideas
Position: Production Manager, Websites
Where: Downtown Seattle
What: Smashing Ideas is seeking an experienced Production Manager with enterprise level experience building and maintaining CMS driven websites. This role oversees the day-to-day operations of a cross-functional team, focusing on supporting our ability to produce high volume, high quality content and technical solutions while maximizing team performance. The ideal candidate would have a proven track record of cross-functional team management, have a passion for user experience and new technologies, and operate with a constant sense of urgency — but without a sense of panic — under tight deadlines.
Responsibilities
• Lead and motivate large internal teams of developers, QA engineers, artists and producers; keeping them motivated, on task and on track.
• Determines, based on budget, capacity and skill set, the distribution and assignment of tasks and projects.
• Defines and ensures adherence to production procedures and standards, as well as monitoring workflows and productivity.
• Analyzes existing processes and makes recommendations for improvement and growth.
• Ensures quality processes, tools, and practices are implemented to meet client objectives .
• Creates client-facing reports and documentation related to production operations.
• Creates and monitors schedules to ensure timely and quality program execution.
• Conducts daily SCRUMS in order to review project activity, providing current status information and addressing issues or barriers that may prevent a smooth workflow.
• Provide technical direction on business decisions and in the execution of projects.
• Effectively manage client and stakeholder expectations throughout the projects.
• Proactively manage changes in project scope, identify potential risks, and create contingency plans.
• Review and approve deliverables prepared by team before posting for client.
• Oversee QA process and drive quality standards for the team.
• Act as a technical partner to clients and a leader for internal teams.
• Oversee and coordinate all project documentation, including project briefs, functional specifications, project wikis, bug tracking writing how-to documents for project stakeholders.
• Oversee client training for internal tools and systems.
Qualifications
• Must be able to work in fast-paced, high-volume production environment.
• Proven supervisory and talent development skills.
• Ability to be attentive and responsive to client concerns.
• Strong problem solving and analytical skills.
• Ability to prioritize and multi-task within time and technical constraints.
• Ability to establish effective collaborative working relationships across different functional areas.
• Understanding of HTML, XML, JavaScript, CSS, content management systems,
streaming video and other Web technologies.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Bachelor’s degree or advanced training or certification required.
• Minimum 4 years of experience leading teams and collaborating with clients (internal or external) on large scale CMS driven websites, ideally Drupal.
• Experience with Agile project management methodologies a plus.
• Ability to handle multiple types of projects and details simultaneously.
• Must possess a high level of ownership, enthusiasm, and a collaborative temperament.
• A solid understanding of the lifecycle of interactive development.
• Experience with MS Project a plus.
Personal Strengths
• Critical Thinker: You’re able to evaluate feedback and ideas from clients and team members, consider all implications and determine the best next steps and recommendations that will benefit your projects.
• Communicator: You know how to develop and sell an idea to clients, how to exchange ideas with technical and creative types and how to keep your teams motivated and informed.
• Negotiator: You’re comfortable discussing project scope, schedules and budgets with clients and vendors, as well as working out project details with internal teams.
• Problem Solver: You can anticipate most issues before they occur, and you can find solutions quickly and effectively.
• Collaborator: You build and nurture positive working relationships with clients, partners, and internal teams.
This is an on-site position at Seattle office. No relocation budget.
Contact: To apply, please send resume and cover letter to signmeup(at)smashingideas.com. Subject line should read “Your name- Web Producer.” No phone calls, please. EOE. No recruiters.
