Cinematics Training Manager

Description

Blizzard Entertainment academy is looking for a highly-organized and industry-knowledgeable training manager with outstanding communications and project management skills. The ideal candidate has prior experience in game, software development, or movie production; has a keen knowledge of how each discipline operates and interacts, and is especially experienced working within a production environment. Self-direction and follow-up skills are a must, as well as the ability to anticipate production issues and find effective solutions. The candidate must enjoy seeing a project from inception to completion and delivering projects on time with the highest quality. 

The forge training manager will oversee training efforts for Blizzard’s forge group, which consists of cinematics, creative development, video production, editorial, and sound. This candidate will partner with various departments to ensure the right information and training is delivered at the right time and place within our varied production cycles, using internal and external training resources. Training areas include, but are not limited to: art, film and story fundamentals, production tool and pipeline training, technical and engineering training, and new-hire on-boarding. The forge training manager must have keen intuition as well as become a respected and trusted advisor to all stakeholders.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Partners with key personnel to obtain clear alignment on teams training plans, priorities, and operating processes.
• Work with Blizzard academy, production staff, and various subject matter experts to provide tools, curriculum, and materials to support best practices.
• Work with team leads to determine resources necessary to see projects through to completion.
• Candidate must be able to learn and understand studio workflows and processes utilizing both commercial and proprietary tools.
• Manage subject matter experts in developing and delivering short, focused courses to provide better levels of service and effective learning.
• Manage the customer relationship, including status meetings, gathering customer requests, maintaining customer satisfaction, billing preparation, and status reporting.
• Provides up-to-date and accurate status information to manager as required.
• Helps define goals, measure and communicate progress toward training objectives.
• Coordinate, track, and manage the activities of personnel to ensure that project tasks are completed on time.
• Drives continuous improvement of training processes and technologies.
• Develop and maintain current knowledge of industry tools and techniques.

• A 4 year degree in technology, film, art, education, or communications or related field (or equivalent experience)
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in teaching or training in the animation, film, or digital production field
• A minimum of 4 years’ experience as a supervisor, producer, or project manager
• Patience and the ability to motivate others
• Manage facilities, equipment, and supporting materials for training programs
• Proven ability to manage relationships in a collaborative operating structure
• Excellent project management and communications skills
• Attention to detail is critical
• Significant experience and expertise in classroom communications and public speaking
• Exceptional interpersonal skills, as well as excellent verbal and written communications skills
• Unrelenting self-motivation and initiative

• Past management of training program 
• Familiar with digital production tools and platforms: Maya, Photoshop, Nuke, Houdini, RenderMan, Linux, among others
• Technical writing experience desirable
• Past engineering, tools, and / or technical production focus
• Developed and taught workshops and classes as needed
• Able to evaluate new software, technology, and techniques for use in the classroom
• Experience with online technologies and services

• Resume
• Cover Letter which should include:
• Why you are interested in working at Blizzard
• What games you are currently playing