Head of Technology - Vancouver

Prime Focus is a global Visual Entertainment Services group. We provide creative and technical services to the Film, Broadcast, Commercials, Gaming, Internet and Media industries. Visual Entertainment Services is a new definition for an industry where technology, visual delivery platforms and content are converging and evolving.

Servicing the Managing Director in Vancouver and reporting to the Head of Technology for North America, the successful candidate will ensure the production and administrative needs of the Vancouver Prime Focus VFX facility are met by providing and maintaining, on time and budget, the technology, networking and infrastructure required as the market leader in the VFX community.

Responsibilities will include, but not be limited to:

Systems

• Design, implement and maintain complex local networks for production rendering, artist use, simulation and other departments.
• Manage a heterogeneous environment of operating systems, servers and workstations to support a visual effects (VFX) leading-edge facility.

• Manage a large complex international Wide-area (WAN) secure network across multiple areas including Vancouver, Los Angeles, New York, London and India.
• Maintain and support with commercial off-the-shelf software, tools, scripts including the development deployment and management of these products.

• Provide senior technical guidance for specifying, installing and maintaining the facility’s technical infrastructure and growth.

Financial

• Build, track, maintain and adhere to a technology budget.
• Provide, track to and maintain a Capital Expenditure (CapEx) budget for approval, implementation, tracking and adherence.
• Work with purchasing and systems to ensure on-time delivery of hardware, software, etc while adhering to budget.

Communication

• Excellent listening skills and the ability to take direction from senior technical staff, providing input when necessary and then implementing the company’s vision in Vancouver.
• Communicate the company’s decisions, procedures, and policies to staff.
• Ensure the systems engineering department is communicating with producers, supervisors, and engineering staff to ensure maximum efficiency across all job functions. 

Team Management

• Provide excellent leadership skills, synergizing all levels of technical personnel to excel and meet expectations.
• Provide initial and ongoing training to direct reports to ensure they have the skills and knowledge to successfully perform all positions requirements.
• Conduct performance evaluations on direct reports to provide feedback and discuss areas of development.
• Clearly establish performance expectations with direct reports and provide the support and direction they need to achieve the desired results.
• Promptly address any performance issues, develop action plans for individual improvement and, if necessary, handle any termination issues.
• Serve as a champion of the company’s values, mission statement and vision, and provide leadership to direct reports and team members at all levels.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering or related field.
• Minimum 8 years of experience in VFX, Post Production, gaming, entertainment or related field.
• Excellent interpersonal, leadership, communication and problem solving skills.
• Proven successful track record of organizing, managing multiple projects simultaneously, delivering on budget and schedule.
• Demonstrated understanding of VFX/Data-centric production environments.
• In-depth understanding of high-speed networking, databases, scripting, programming, operating systems, high speed storage, distributed rendering in a cross-platform heterogeneous environment.
• Ability to lead, organize and motivate a dynamic, highly effective systems engineering team

Physical Demands:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee must exert up to 20 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift and/or move objects.  The employee is regularly required to reach with hands and arms; use hands to finger and grasp, using repetitive motions; talk and hear.  The employee is occasionally required to climb, balance, kneel, crouch, crawl, stand, walk, push, pull, lift and feel.  This job requires the employee to have close visual acuity.

TO APPLY FOR THIS POSITION, login or register at http://hr.na.primefocusworld.com/ and apply for the Head of Technology position.  Just registering does not apply you for a desired position, please ensure you apply in full.

Prime Focus VFX is an equal opportunity employer.
Please visit our website: www.primefocusworld.com