Senior Production Manager

Company Description

Within Publicis Groupe’s Intelligent Creativity business, we specialize in bringing creative ideas to life, and to consumers. By combining 100 years of craft excellence with 6,000 experts across 52 locations of the world’s biggest studio network, we leverage the industry’s richest data, through the power of agentic AI, to radically redefine content production with Intelligent Content. We intuitively deliver this through Marcel Make, the world’s first Intelligent Content agent. The result? Predictively performing content that unlocks business growth in unprecedented ways. No more guesswork. No more waste.

 

Just content that works, working a lot harder.

Overview

Title: Senior Production Manager - FTCLocation: Johannesburg , South AfricaReporting to: Head of Production

 

PLEASE NOTE:

You will be required during active projects, to work partial USA hours from 13:00 - 21:00

This will be flexible with working hours potentially adjusting on a day-to-day basis pending the clients needs 

 

The Senior Production Manager is responsible for managing the end-to-end delivery of complex integrated campaigns across film, video, digital content, social media, and emerging platforms. Reporting to the Head of Production, this role combines hands-on production expertise, commercial rigour, creative problem-solving and a tech-focused mindset to deliver high-quality content efficiently and at scale.

 

The role partners closely with Creative, Strategy, Client Leadership, Brand and specialist teams to translate creative ambition into practical, commercially sound production solutions. The Senior Production Manager brings structure, clarity and momentum to every stage of production, proactively managing scope, budgets, timelines, resources, partners and risk while delivering exceptional client service.

 

 

Responsibilities

INTEGRATED PRODUCTION DELIVERY• Manage the end-to-end production of film, content, social, digital, experiential and integrated campaigns.• Own all production phases, including scoping, pre-production, production, post-production, quality control and final delivery.• Translate creative concepts into clear production approaches, schedules, estimates and delivery plans.• Apply consistent production processes, workflows and governance across projects, navigating global agency mandatories and local requirements.• Maintain the highest standards of production craft, quality, accuracy and creative execution.Use emerging technologies and AI-enabled workflows to improve production speed, scalability and effectiveness.

STRATEGIC CONTENT & CREATIVE PARTNERSHIP• Partner with Creative, Strategy and Client Leadership teams to develop production solutions that maximise creative impact within scope, timing and budget.• Contribute production expertise to pitch development, integrated campaign planning and early-stage feasibility discussions.• Recommend fit-for-purpose production models, content ecosystems and platform-specific approaches.• Identify opportunities to increase content adaptability, reuse, localisation and production efficiency.

COMMERCIAL & FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT• Develop accurate scopes, budgets, estimates and production schedules for assigned projects.• Manage project finances, forecasts, purchase orders, reconciliations and cost reporting in line with agency controls.• Track scope, costs and margin throughout delivery, escalating risks and variances to the Groupe Executive Production Lead.• Negotiate effectively with suppliers and partners to secure quality, value and commercial efficiency.• Protect creative ambition while maintaining strong financial governance and avoiding unnecessary rework or overspend.

TEAM COLLABORATION & CAPABILITY SUPPORT• Coordinate cross-functional teams, production managers, junior producers, specialists and freelance resources across assigned projects.• Provide day-to-day guidance, coaching and quality oversight to less experienced production team members.• Promote clear communication, accountability, collaboration and continuous learning across project teams.• Share production knowledge, best practice and emerging workflow improvements across the department.

CLIENT & STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT• Build trusted working relationships with clients, agency stakeholders and brand teams.• Facilitate seamless collaboration across Creative, Strategy, Client Leadership, Brand, procurement and external production partners.• Act as the primary production contact for assigned projects, resolving issues proactively and escalating material risks appropriately.• Maintain high levels of client confidence, communication and delivery excellence.

 

VENDOR & PRODUCTION ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT• Source and manage directors, production companies, post-production partners, talent and specialist suppliers suited to each brief.• Prepare clear supplier briefs, evaluate proposals and oversee partner performance throughout delivery.• Ensure compliance with procurement policies, legal requirements, usage rights, brand safety and production best practice.• Build productive supplier relationships that deliver quality, innovation, efficiency and value.

 

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

 

PROJECT & COMMERCIAL PERFORMANCE• Accuracy of scopes, estimates and forecasts• Project margin and cost control• Effective resource utilisation• Timely financial administration and reconciliation

 

DELIVERY EXCELLENCE• On-time, on-budget project delivery• Production quality and creative execution• Client and stakeholder satisfaction• Reduction in production risk, errors and rework

INNOVATION & EFFICIENCY• Adoption of appropriate new production technologies and AI-enabled workflows• Measurable workflow and production efficiency improvements• Successful contribution to pilots and new production models

 

COLLABORATION & CAPABILITY• Cross-functional collaboration effectiveness• Quality of coaching and support provided to junior team members• Contribution to production best practice and shared learning• Demonstration of accountability, adaptability and solution-focused leadership

 

 

Qualifications

• 8+ years of production experience across film, content and integrated campaigns, preferably within an agency environment.• Proven experience operating as a senior producer on complex, multi-channel and multi-stakeholder projects.• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent productions from brief and scoping through to final delivery.• Strong financial acumen with hands-on experience managing substantial production budgets, estimates, reconciliations and project margins.• Deep understanding of content production, post-production, content ecosystems, rights management and emerging technologies.• Excellent client service, negotiation, communication, problem-solving and stakeholder management skills.• Proven proficiency in Excel, Powerpoint and Microsoft systems.

Additional Information

Publicis Groupe Africa is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits any forms of Discrimination or Harassment. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all our employees in line with our Employment Equity Plan.

 

All appointments will be based on qualifications, experience and best fit but preference will be given to candidates from designated groups. Interested candidates must please submit a concise CV including a link to your portfolio if necessary. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Should you not hear from us within 2 weeks after submitting your application, please consider your application as unsuccessful.