Executive Director, Global IT Production Finance

Full Time Job
Executive Director, Global IT Production Finance

The Executive Director of IT Production Finance (also known as the IT Production Finance POA Lead) is an important role servicing SPE's domestic and international Motion Picture and Television Production business. SPE has a vast array of company owned production labels, as well as a diverse catalog of partially owned, joint venture and third-party productions. On average, SPE has ~20 active MPG features and 100 active TV shows (70 domestic, 30 international). We anticipate this will continue to grow year over year to support the Studio's aggressive content growth strategy. Reporting directly into the VP/DCIO for Production & Studio Technology Services (PSTS), this role will oversee the IT Production Finance (ITPF) Team and partner closely with wide range of stakeholders to deliver a comprehensive set of IT services / solutions tailored to SPE's Production Finance needs. In this role, the Candidate will be expected to:
• Invest and maintain positive working relationships with our Production Finance Executives and their staff (VP, Director, Manager and coordinator level) across SPE productions including: MPG Productions (Columbia, Tristar, 3000 Films, Screen Gems, Sony Pictures Classics, Sony Pictures Animation), TV Productions (SPT Productions, Industrial Media, Silvergate) and SPE International TV Productions (Left Bank, Bad Wolf, Eleven Films, Stellify Media, Whisper Group to name a few). The list of SPE production entities may evolve over time.
• Serve as an invested business partner with our production clients to understand their challenges/painpoints; work across IT and broader studio functions (Legal, Privacy, Information Security, Facilities, IT, P&O and/or other production centric technology operations functions) to propose, implement, and manage the required IT solutions. This may include developing or integrating third-party applications, rolling out secure infrastructure services, and/or enabling automated production workflow solutions.
• Oversee the end-to-end IT Production Finance (ITPF) program, including supporting functions – Finance & Operations, Production Accounting Technical Support, Strategic Vendor Partnerships (EP + Cast & Crew), and Business Intelligence / Reporting services. In addition, the Production Finance POA lead will be responsible for working hand in hand with our head of Portfolio Architecture / Technical Solutioning to offer PSTS wide capabilities including solution architecture, custom development oversight, BI/ data warehousing and internal/third party API integrations.
• On a regular basis, evaluate and mature our ITPF technology offering to meet the evolving needs of our Production Finance exec's and their teams. Where possible, look to rationalize, sunset and/or integrate disparate technology solutions and/or workflow to reduce IT's population of applications.
• Create and regularly maintain a comprehensive ITPF service catalog outlining the key services that ITPF provides, with common data points such as technology type, service category, location and availability, pricing, resource expertise, use across the production workflows. Examples include providing services focused on location accounting, digital start paperwork, digital time card, payroll, tax incentive tracking, 1099 processing and Exec level financial reporting.
• Mature the IT Production Finance department (e.g., people, functions, internal workflows, and corresponding technology) to maximum efficiency and value delivered to our business clients.
• Supervise and coach ITPF staff to ensure performance levels are met, if not exceeded. Right size, re-tool, and/or enact organizational changes for ITPF as required to create and maintain a high performing team.
• Centrally manage and prioritize a demand tracker to ensure workload aligns with capacity and the ITPF department is focused on the highest value activities for the Business.
• Manage ITPF department spend (overhead and capital) according to budget; monitor expenditures carefully and escalate any overages to VP, PSTS timely. Manage agile funding quarterly.
• Serve as a primary line of defense (following Tiered 1-3 support model) for critical IT outages and/or disruptions associated to Production Finance. Know when to escalate and engage Senior Leadership as required for awareness, triage, and support.
• Develop, lead, and/or manage strategic and transformational projects for ITPF. Candidate should have strong proficiency in strategic planning, project management, communication, escalation management and scorecard/reporting.
• For larger scale initiatives that require green-lighting, develop supporting documentation, including but not limited to memo-papers, cost benefit analysis, strategic narrative content to justify the investment of SPE resources. All proposals should be reviewed and approved by VP, PSTS.
• Demonstrate strong proficiency in going from business problem to solution (assess, design, and recommend appropriate people, process, technology components) to execute.
• Evolve the Pockets of Accountability (POA) structure for IT Production Finance. Ensure clear paths of accountability and close integration with other POA's across PSTS and broader IT, including but not the Finance Systems and Corporate IT POA's. Develop and maintain a strategic 3 year roadmap to account for anticipated business demand and resource requirements.
• Fully integrate and leverage PSTS's Productions Operation Management framework to track which productions are receiving ITPF services, including type, health, any open risks/concerns, and/or net new requirements. Serve as primary point on key metrics associated to the overall service delivery for ITPF. Maintain processes to link our production demand funnel (new technology needs) to our service catalog and supporting operating procedures.
• Establish processes to properly vet and evaluate new ITPF technology needs. This includes minimizing tool fragmentation, point solutions, while also ensuring we work towards standards for productions. All technologies should be vetted closely in partnership with Info Sec, Legal, Privacy and Procurement to ensure adherence to global policy and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Integrate and where possible standardize ITPF services across the globe considering regional / local preferences and requirements (e.g., EP domestic vs. international support model).
• Partner with VP, PSTS on broader strategic programs, including expanding IT's alliance with other internal production service providers and third-party technology partners.
• Support and lead (where required) the integration or divestiture activities for newly acquired or divested SPE production entities via SPE's Integration Management Office (IMO) – specifically IT requirements to support Production Finance stakeholders and business functions.
• Identify and champion new innovative technology solutions to create operational efficiency, reduce cost, or further manage risk for our business partners.
• Lead and facilitate senior level discussions with Production Finance executives to help them understand where their business challenges lie and how technology can be an enabler to solve their constraints – i.e., architect the art of the possible w/ our business clients.

Core Responsibilities
• Operational Oversight – Oversee the sub teams and/or ''sub-POA's'' that report into the ITPF department to

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