Senior Studio Operations Manager

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The Central Gaming Marketing (CGM) team is at the heart of the Microsoft Gaming organization, comprised of a passionate team of marketers and innovators committed to pushing the boundaries of storytelling and technology. CGM connects and engages with players at scale across our diverse portfolio of experiences, games, and screens through a variety of marketing engines. We pride ourselves on connecting our campaigns, stories, and diverse portfolio of games, devices, and consumer products to new and existing audiences, delivering material business impact and creating enduring brand meaning.

We are passionate about earning fans as well as building a culture centered on embracing a growth mindset, inspiring excellence, and encouraging teams and leaders to bring their full potential each day. CGM is the destination for experienced, collaborative, and passionate marketing professionals seeking a rewarding career and the opportunity to engage with some of the brightest minds in the gaming industry.

The Xbox Studio team is looking for a Senior Studio Operations Manager to manage the business, logistical and production operations of our state-of-the-art media production facilities. This role is instrumental in expanding but also balancing the use of Xbox Studio facilities across a complex corporate environment. You will act as the right hand before and during shoots, while also working closely with the content producing teams. The role involves leading both internal employees and external vendors and partners, including any talent working in-house.

The Senior Studio Operations Manager understands the intricacies of video production, especially within a studio setting, including setup and teardown for multi-day media productions. They are adept at maximizing space usage for multiple projects simultaneously and excel in meticulous planning and organizational skills. This role is responsible for delegating tasks effectively and ensures proper execution, working closely with Project Leads, Creative Leads, and Executive Producers, as well as other content and broadcast production staff.

A passion for interior and set design is a plus, with a keen understanding of how settings influence the mood of a video. In this role, you will provide valuable input during pre-production, contributing creative and inventive ideas to enhance the studio space. Despite the hectic nature of media production, you know how to remain calm and inspire the team to work efficiently and cohesively.

Required/minimum qualifications

• Master's Degree in in Marketing, Computer Science, Business or related field AND 3+ years experience in business OR Bachelor's Degree in Marketing, Computer Science, Business or related field AND 5+ years experience in business OR equivalent experience.
• 5+ years managing business and production operations in a media production facility or similar environment.
• 3+ years of experience leading financial operations and strategic budgeting initiatives.
• 2+ years managing or supporting facility maintenance and media distribution processes.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience coordinating and managing executive leadership requests.

• Up to date with trends in gaming industry, video production, marketing, set design and general content creation.

• Highly developed project management and organizational skills, always prepared and knowledgeable of what’s coming up next and ready to go for last-minute situations.
• Inventiveness, able to make multiple uses out of the same thing and helps inspire compromise among team members and partners.
• Resourcefulness, save and reuse as much as possible especially when it comes to props and set design elements.
• Demonstrated teamwork and communication skills that inspire an atmosphere of cooperation.
• Creative approach to using a studio space. Able to think outside the walls of the facility when the project requires or significantly benefits.
• Quick thinking ability to change direction fast, does not take criticism personally and instead makes necessary changes.
• Interior design savvy and understand what makes a space look appealing to viewers and visitors and applies this in setting up studio space.
• Familiarity with various production approaches, such as video, live-broadcast, virtual production, etc.
• Proficiency of studio lighting techniques to be able to work alongside the production team and partners for desired outcomes.
• Understand proper discretion to keep projects on track and prevent bringing project set-up to a halt.
• Managerial skills are necessary to direct a variety of people inside of the studio, encourage the team to keep things tidy, organized, and in their respective places
• Willingness to try bold new ideas and accept and learn from feedback.

• While largely independent, never be afraid to ask for help or perspective especially when it is critical to making something as good as possible.
• Experience in a matrixed corporate environment.
• Writes, updates, and maintains studio policies and ensures that employees, talent, vendors, and partners always follow the necessary procedures.

Product Marketing IC4 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $106,400 - $203,600 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $137,600 - $222,600 per year.

Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here: https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay

Microsoft will accept applications for the role until July 14, 2025

• Multi-facility Management: Oversee the operations and use of multiple production facilities and service locations in the Redmond/Microsoft Campus area.
• Ensure the facilities are always accessible to the team, well maintained and operational.
• Handle long-range planning to support future needs and growth.
• Helping with plans for renovations, consolidation or new buildings.
• Manage Contractor Staff: Oversee the facility engineering team and administration team, ensuring smooth operations, balanced workloads and that requests are properly evaluated and addressed.
• Financial Management: Handle the facility's financial operating budget and models, ensuring cost efficiency and financial accuracy. Generating SOW’s, Opening/closing PO’s, tracking quarterly forecasting and tracking cost recovery.
• Scheduling and Project Management: Communicating requests with the manager and overseeing calendar scheduling, project request intake, and timely completion of projects.
• Media Management & Distribution: Oversee media management infrastructure, including supplier services. Oversee internal distribution systems and platforms, ensuring seamless delivery and accessibility across entire business.
• Executive Support: Responsible for logistics support of Executive Leadership teams for all team-covered projects.
• Includes calendar and scheduling, wardrobe coordination, receiving executive team requests and communicating those requests to the manager and appropriate producing team, on-site accommodations.
• Ensure the needs of the executive team are met promptly and efficiently before production, during production and after delivery.
• Strategic Growth: Market Xbox Studio internally to drive growth and utilization of the facilities across the corporate environment, ensuring alignment with business strategies.
• Remain mindful of quality versus quantity in balancing workload and commitments
• Industry Trends: Stay up to date with industry trends, audience profiles, evolving operational models and production approaches to meet the needs of the team.
• Leadership: Maintain and build upon a culture designed around positivity, collaboration, quality and growth mindset. Lead with a business-first mindset that confidently translates the feedback and goals of the business to our execution teams, balancing efficiency, flexibility, and quality in all operations.
• Proactive and Adaptable: Be well-organized, proactive, and adaptable to changing business strategies and operational needs.

• Security: Mitigating risk and overseeing safety and security. Ensuring the facility complies with relevant laws, regulations and safety standards

• Educating Partners & Production Leads: Consulting or recommending creative and technical approaches the studio can support.
• Innovation: Pitch new ways and ideas for using the studio (operationally, technically & creatively).
• Reporting & ROI Tracking: Working with manager to determine and report on KPI and ROI.