Head of Production/General Manager Full Time NEW

Baobab Studios is searching for a Head of Production/General Manager to join our team, which operates at the intersection of tech, games, and Hollywood. You would be working with industry veterans from film and games creating original IP and turning them into franchises across film/TV, games, and publishing. Analytical game / film executive with experience in PnL management and general management. This individual is responsible the bottom line, managing all the production/product teams, owning each IP’s franchise plan across Hollywood, shortform, games, and books, and aligning business operation functions (BD, marketing) with the product teams. You are a business person, talented at managing a creative team rather than a “creative” who has some business skills. The ideal candidate will be an accomplished communicator, decisive, and skilled in building and strengthening relationships vital to business and product development. You will be joining a fast moving, innovative, tech forward startup that prizes flexibility

• Accountable for achieving business outcomes for all Baobab’s projects (film, games, books)
• Lead all product and production staff. Own P&L’s for all productions
• Drive execution of all development plans and creative products.
• Drive day to day operations of the studio, including staffing and HC management.
• Prioritize all franchises against each other and ensure enough focus on highest priority franchises
• Drive franchise strategy (e.g, sequencing of transmedia strategy) and ensure production teams (Film/TV, games, and books) execute against that strategy
• Drive alignment and communication across divisions (film, games, and books) for each IP. You are the glue.
• Ensure BD and marketing are aligned with each IP’s franchise strategy and that product/production performance goals match what BD needs them to hit for BD negotiations.
• Ensure products track to schedule and budget.
• Interface with CEO and other C-Staff members
• Define plans and processes that create studio efficiencies
• Support the creative process and help bring out the best in team members
• Be a decisive leader who respects the creative process

Requirements

• 10 years experience in creating entertainment software or products (games, TV and film, short form)
• 5+ years in GM/EP with P&L ownership building entertainment software or products
• Have managed multiple IP and/or studios simultaneously
• Known for having great business AND creative judgement.
• Thrives in environments using, creating, and adopting new technologies
• Highly flexible, enjoys pivoting and incorporating new opportunities.
• Experience managing both internal and external resources
• 2+ years start-up experience
• Expertise in GenZ/Alpha consumer behavior
• Huge plus if experience working in both Silicon Valley and Hollywood
• As much a leader as a manager. High level of initiative, flexibility and confidence. Does not require a lot of direction. We operate as a startup.
• Loves both strategy and very detailed execution
• Superior communication skills
• Goal and deadline oriented with great attention to detail

About Baobab Studios

Baobab Studios is a 10x Emmy Award winning independent animation studio, which sits at the intersection of tech, gaming, and Hollywood. Baobab has a track record of creating hit original IP and monetizing IP transmedia (e.g., created hit Roblox games and turned the IP into series/film with Disney+, Netflix, Max series and books). Their mission: “Bring out your sense of wonder. Inspire you to dream. Make YOU matter.” Based in Silicon Valley, they are thought leaders in genAI applications in content creation and are preferred partners of top tech companies.

Named Fast Company’s Most Innovative Company, Baobab’s creative leadership includes Eric Darnell, director of “Antz!” and all 4 “Madagascar films”, Osnat Shurer, Producer of “Moana” and “Raya and the Last Dragon.” CEO Maureen Fan was Zynga’s VP of Games overseeing the original “Farmville” franchise ($3B, 120MAU). CTO Larry Cutler led DreamWorks Animation’s Character Tech, is an Oscar Tech Achievement Awards judge, and was most recently VP of Engineering at a big data/ML company acquired by Microsoft.

Their projects have attracted talent such as Oprah, John Legend, Ali Wong, Daisy Ridley, Kate Winslet, Glenn Close, and more. Investors include Disney, Comcast, Peter Chernin, Shari Redstone, and Samsung and board members and advisors including the 2 Pixar cofounders (Ed Catmull and Alvy Ray Smith), Kevin Lin (Twitch co-founder), and Glenn Entis (former CTO and Chief Visual Officer, Electronic Arts and CEO of Dreamworks Interactive which made the original “Medal of Honor” game).