Product Manager

Position Summary:

As a Product Manager, you will play a key role in building and maintaining the studio’s global CGI production pipeline. The development team handles everything from building art and production tools to backend software integration, to site and render automation. The ideal candidate will bring expertise in Agile methodologies, including creating and refining user stories, running sprints, and fostering collaboration in Scrum teams.

Essential Responsibilities, Accountabilities & Results

• Collaborate with Pipeline leadership to set, and adhere to, team standards.
• Actively engage with business owners and non-IT stakeholders to deeply understand their objectives, processes, and challenges.
• Facilitate regular stakeholder meetings to ensure alignment, gather feedback, and refine project goals in accordance with business needs and technological capabilities.
• Maintain transparent communication channels between all parties, ensuring that all stakeholders are informed and engaged throughout the project.
• Familiar with both waterfall and Agile methodologies, promoting iterative development and continuous improvement.
• Create and manage detailed user stories, tasks, and epics in tools such as Jira.
• Lead sprint planning, retrospectives, and daily stand-ups to ensure the team remains aligned and productive.
• Act as a Scrum Master, fostering an Agile environment and removing roadblocks to support team success.
• Work closely with cross-functional teams and foster an environment of open communication and rapid response to change, ensuring that project scopes and goals are revisited and adjusted as necessary throughout the project lifecycle.
• Track project progress, outcomes, risks, and mitigations in ServiceNow, while promoting a culture of accountability and results-driven performance.
• Represent the CGI team as a technical liaison: collect business needs and requirements, gather technical requirements, assess resource capacity, and provide planning.
• Support complex projects and/or multiple smaller projects as an intake coordinator.
• Facilitate requirements sessions, including spearheading discussions and addressing scope, technical requirements, and goals.
• Provide metrics and communication memos on behalf of Global Information Technology.
• Provide clarification and understanding of technical requirements for other project team stakeholders to assist in creating specific project deliverables.
• Write and maintain clear documentation.
• Other duties as assigned.

Educational & Experience Minimum Requirements

This position requires the following knowledge and skills:

• High School Diploma/GED or equivalent.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Graphics, Game Development, or equivalent education and/or experience may be considered.
• Familiarity with CGI production tools such as Maya, Unreal Engine, Houdini, Nuke a plus.
• Understanding of CGI processes and production workflow.
• Experience with digital asset management systems like Flow or ftrack is a plus.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience as a Technology Product/Project Manager in a VFX/Animation or similar studio setting, with a track record of successfully managing and delivering complex technology projects.
• Strong understanding of Agile project management methodologies and best practices, with experience in Scrum Master responsibilities.
• Familiarity with Agile tools such as Jira and Confluence is highly desirable.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively manage and motivate project teams.
• Strong organizational skills to manage multiple tasks, deadlines, and resources effectively.
• Excellent communication skills to effectively liaise with stakeholders and clients, convey information clearly, listen actively, and resolve conflicts diplomatically.
• Problem-solving skills to identify issues, analyze causes, and develop effective solutions. Resourceful, adaptable, and able to think critically under pressure.
• Experience working with networking, externally facing applications, and infrastructure.

Competency Requirements

• Ability to work collaboratively with a team of developers on the same product.
• Creative problem-solving.
• Willingness and ability to learn new tools and software quickly.
• Technologically savvy.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to properly estimate and execute work accurately in a time-sensitive environment.
• Detail and deadline oriented.
• Able to maintain flexibility in an ever-changing landscape.
• Works independently under defined objectives, priorities, and deadlines.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision.

We are committed to ensuring equal opportunity in all aspects of employment, including recruitment. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals, particularly those who may contribute to the further diversification of our organization. If you require any form of accommodation during the recruitment process, please do not hesitate to inform us. Together, we strive to foster an environment where everyone can thrive and be their authentic selves.

This is a remote position in the US or Canada. We are open to candidates in various states, with the exception of those residing in the following: AK, DC, DE, ME, NH, NM, OK, HI, MS, MT, NV, NE, ND, SD, VT, WY, WV

Our compensation reflects the cost of labor across several U.S. geographic markets, and we pay differently based on those defined markets. The U.S. pay range for this position is $85,000 - $95,000 USD annually. Ultimately, in determining pay, we will consider the successful candidate’s location, experience, and other job-related factors.

Group benefits currently include a selection of health care plans with prescription drug coverage, dental plan, vision plan, basic and supplemental life insurance, a flexible spending account for medical and dependent care expenses or a health savings account based on plan selection, short/long term disability and 401(k) Savings Plan.