Director of Motion Studio

Director of Motion Studio

Application Deadline: Thursday, November 12th
**Schedule: Remote or Hybrid (Tuesday-Thursday in office, with option to work remotely on Mondays and Fridays)
Location: Peoria, IL or remote
Salary Range: $110,000-$160,000
**This salary is based on experience and qualifications, in alignment with the level of responsibility assigned.

In this role, you'll oversee our skilled Motion team while guiding the department's overall performance, efficiency and profitability. You'll collaborate with agency leadership and cross-functional teams to strengthen client relationships, expand production capabilities and identify new opportunities for growth.

We're looking for someone who combines strong production expertise with business acumen and people leadership. From developing a high-performing team and improving studio operations to serving as Executive Producer on select projects, you'll play a key role in shaping the future of Simantel Motion Studio.

If you're passionate about creative production, developing talented teams and driving meaningful business growth, we'd love to hear from you!
As Director of Simantel Motion Studio, my objective is:
To lead and develop Simantel Motion Studio as an effective, competitive and profitable part of the agency. I am responsible for managing the department's people, resources, operations and business performance while building on its existing production capabilities and client relationships. Working closely with agency leadership, Creative, Strategy and Account teams, I will help evolve Simantel Motion Studio into a more flexible, solutions-oriented offering that can support existing agency business and create new opportunities for growth.
This role also requires the experience and judgment to serve as Executive Producer on select projects, providing senior production leadership and confidence to clients and internal teams.

The outcomes I need to produce for clients are:

• High-quality motion content that meets creative objectives, budgets and timelines
• Production approaches appropriate to the size, complexity and needs of each assignment
• Clear communication, dependable execution and confidence throughout the production process
• Access to experienced internal production talent and trusted external production partners
• A collaborative production team that brings practical solutions and expertise to the creative process
• A broader range of motion and content offerings that can support both individual projects and ongoing marketing needs

The outcomes I need to produce for the agency are:

• A financially healthy department with improving profitability, utilization and operational efficiency
• Consistent, competitive estimating and production practices that work within Simantel's agency model
• Effective allocation of internal staff, freelancers and external production partners
• Clear roles, responsibilities, workflows and expectations across the department
• A capable, accountable team that continues to develop professionally
• Strong relationships with Creative, Strategy, Account and other agency departments
• Increased opportunities for Simantel Motion Studio to contribute to existing client relationships and new business
• An evolving set of offerings that reflects client needs, industry trends and changes in the production marketplace
• A practical, sustainable transition from a traditional production department toward a more versatile, growth-oriented studio

To produce these outcomes, I need to:

• Lead the day-to-day management, staffing and performance of Simantel Motion Studio
• Maintain strong service to existing agency teams and clients while implementing improvements to the department
• Work with agency leadership to develop and execute plans for improving studio profitability, efficiency and growth
• Monitor departmental revenue, utilization, staffing costs, project profitability and resource needs
• Identify opportunities to increase revenue through existing clients, new relationships and expanded production services
• Partner with Account, Creative, Strategy and new-business teams to develop and pursue motion-first opportunities
• Evaluate and refine studio offerings based on client demand, market conditions and available capabilities
• Work with Studio Operations and Finance to improve estimating practices, pricing models, budgeting and financial accountability
• Determine the appropriate balance of internal production resources, freelance talent and external production companies
• Lead personnel management, performance evaluations, professional development and staffing recommendations
• Establish clear production workflows, quality-control expectations and standards for client service
• Encourage early collaboration between production, Creative, Strategy and Account teams
• Develop and maintain relationships with production companies, freelancers and specialty vendors
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency and expand capabilities through new technologies, tools and production methods
• Serve as Executive Producer on select projects where production complexity, client relationships, financial risk or creative requirements call for senior oversight
• Guide assigned Producers through challenging production decisions involving budgets, staffing, schedules, vendors and client expectations
• Represent Simantel Motion Studio in important client presentations, production discussions and new-business opportunities
• Provide creative and production consultation when appropriate, drawing on the expertise of the agency's creative teams and studio craft specialists
• Help establish a culture of proactive problem solving, collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement

The skills and abilities I require are:

• Significant experience in agency production, integrated production, content studio management or related creative operations
• Strong understanding of how a full-service advertising agency operates, including the relationships among Creative, Strategy, Account, Finance and Production
• Demonstrated ability to manage people, budgets, resources and multiple production priorities
• Strong business judgment and an understanding of the factors that influence revenue, profitability, utilization and growth
• Experience with agency estimating, project financial systems, vendor management and production budgeting
• Working knowledge of commercial production practices, including internal production teams, freelance crews and external production companies
• Experience leading complex commercial, documentary, branded-content or other client-facing productions
• Ability to serve as a confident Executive Producer, providing sound judgment, client reassurance and effective production oversight
• Ability to recognize business opportunities and help develop services that respond to client needs
• Experience improving workflows, managing organizational change and introducing more efficient production practices
• Strong communication, leadership, collaboration and problem-solving skills
• Ability to build trust and work effectively with creative teams, agency leadership, clients and production partners
• Sound creative judgment and the ability to evaluate production quality without needing to personally direct every creative decision
• Ability to balance creative ambition, client expectations, available resources and financial realities
• Curiosity about emerging production technologies, social-first content and changing industry practices
• Willingness to challenge established processes while respecting the relationships and capabilities already in place

To produce these outcomes, I have decision-making authority over the following:

• Day-to-day departmental operations, priorities and resource allocation
• Assignment and utilization of Simantel Motion Studio personnel
• Production workflows, quality-control practices and operational standards
• Internal versus external production recommendations and resource decisions within approved budgets
• Performance management and professional development of assigned staff
• Vendor and production partner selection within established agency policies
• Operational improvements that increase efficiency, quality or profitability
• Senior production decisions on projects where I am assigned as Executive Producer, within approved scope, budgets and agency policies
• Recommendations for changes to estimating methods, pricing structures, staffing, service offerings and departmental capabilities

(Major staffing changes, compensation decisions, capital investments, agency-wide pricing policies and long-term strategic business decisions are developed in partnership with appropriate agency leadership.)