At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead production and operations for ZooLab, managing schedules, budgets, and team resources.
- Company: Join Blue Zoo Animation Studio's innovative Visual Development department.
- Benefits: Full-time contract with competitive pay and creative work environment.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for growth in a collaborative studio atmosphere.
- Why this job: Be at the forefront of animation production and make a real impact on exciting projects.
- Qualifications: Experience in animation production, strong communication, and problem-solving skills required.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 € per year.
ZooLab is Blue Zoo Animation Studio’s Visual Development department, delivering concept, character and environment design, proof‑of‑concept development, animatic production and wider visual development support across Development, Long Form, Short Form, Digital and third‑party projects. As ZooLab Producer, you will lead the production and operational running of the ZooLab department, owning planning, scheduling, budgeting and delivery across multiple concurrent projects. You will ensure teams are appropriately resourced, priorities are clearly defined, and work is delivered on time, within budget and to a high creative standard. You will report into the Studio Director of Productions, working in close partnership with the Head of Production and ZooLab creative leadership. The role sits at the intersection of early development and pre‑production through to handover into full production, ensuring continuity of schedule and resource planning across stages. You will also act as a key point of contact for external clients, managing communication, feedback, schedules and delivery expectations across ZooLab‑led work. The successful candidate will need to be based in the UK and will require the right to work in the UK. The opportunity will be offered on a 12 month fixed term contract, full time (PAYE).
Day to Day
- Ownership of the scheduling, staffing plans and resource allocation across ZooLab, ensuring effective capacity planning across multiple concurrent productions and client projects.
- Track workload, utilisation, budgets, staffing risks and future demand, providing clear reporting to production leadership.
- Coordinate and support freelance or internal hiring requests in collaboration with People & Talent.
- Lead planning and delivery across projects in collaboration with the ZooLab creative lead, from briefing through to final output, including schedules, milestones and deliverables.
- Act as the central production point of contact between artists, creative leads, production teams and clients.
- Drive prioritisation across competing demands, ensuring alignment with studio and production priorities.
- Manage scope, schedule and resource changes, proactively identifying risks and driving solutions.
- Facilitate and manage client communication, feedback cycles and delivery expectations on external work.
- Support early setup of selected Long Form pre‑production or development cycles, including schedules, workflows, staffing structures and delivery planning.
- Ensure clear documentation of plans, decisions, risks and production status, supporting smooth handover into Production Manager or Line Producer ownership.
- Escalate risks, conflicts and resourcing issues early, with clear options and recommended solutions.
- Work closely with creative leadership and production teams to balance creative ambition with operational and delivery constraints.
- Maintain strong communication across departments, ensuring alignment between creative, production and studio priorities.
Must Have
- Significant production experience in animation, VFX, games or a similar creative production environment.
- Proven experience managing schedules, budgets, resources and multiple concurrent projects.
- Experience in production tracking tools such as ShotGrid, ftrack or similar.
- Strong stakeholder management and communication skills across creative and production teams.
- Ability to influence, align and drive outcomes without direct authority.
- Excellent problem‑solving skills with a proactive, solution‑led mindset.
- Calm, structured and effective under pressure with strong prioritisation skills.
- Experience working with evolving creative briefs and iterative development workflows.
- Strong understanding of visual development and pre‑production processes.
- Ability to balance creative ambition with production realities, schedules and budgets.
Bonus Points
- Experience supporting early‑stage Long Form production setup.
- Experience managing fast‑paced work and evolving scope.
- Experience supporting workforce planning, recruitment or department structuring.
ZooLab Producer employer: Blue Zoo Production
At Blue Zoo Animation Studio, we pride ourselves on fostering a dynamic and collaborative work culture that empowers creativity and innovation. As a ZooLab Producer, you will benefit from our commitment to employee growth through hands-on experience in managing diverse projects, while enjoying the vibrant atmosphere of our UK-based studio. With a focus on work-life balance and a supportive team environment, we offer an exciting opportunity to contribute to high-quality animation production in a leading creative studio.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land ZooLab Producer
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with folks in the animation and VFX industry. Attend events, join online forums, and don’t be shy about reaching out to people on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio that highlights your production experience and showcases your ability to manage schedules and budgets. Make sure it’s easy to navigate and visually appealing – first impressions matter!
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by researching ZooLab and understanding their projects. Be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their needs, especially around managing multiple projects and client communication. Tailor your answers to show you’re the perfect fit!
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take the initiative to engage directly with us. Don’t miss out on this opportunity!
We think you need these skills to ace ZooLab Producer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Animation:When you're writing your application, let your love for animation shine through! Talk about your experiences and what excites you about the industry. We want to see that you're not just looking for a job, but that you're genuinely enthusiastic about being part of our creative team.
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your application to fit the ZooLab Producer role. Highlight your relevant experience in managing schedules, budgets, and resources. We appreciate when candidates take the time to align their skills with what we're looking for, so don’t hold back!
Be Clear and Concise:Keep your application straightforward and to the point. We love a well-structured application that clearly outlines your qualifications and experiences. Avoid fluff and focus on what makes you the perfect fit for the role. Remember, clarity is key!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets into the right hands. Plus, it shows us that you’re serious about joining our team at Blue Zoo Animation Studio!
How to prepare for a job interview at Blue Zoo Production
✨Know Your Stuff
Before the interview, dive deep into ZooLab's projects and their creative processes. Familiarise yourself with their recent works and understand how they manage production schedules and budgets. This will not only show your enthusiasm but also help you speak their language during the interview.
✨Showcase Your Experience
Prepare specific examples from your past roles that highlight your experience in managing multiple projects, budgets, and resources. Be ready to discuss how you've tackled challenges in production and how you ensured timely delivery while maintaining high creative standards.
✨Communication is Key
Since you'll be a central point of contact, demonstrate your strong communication skills. Think of examples where you've successfully managed client expectations or facilitated feedback cycles. This will reassure them that you can handle stakeholder management effectively.
✨Be Solution-Oriented
During the interview, be prepared to discuss how you approach problem-solving. Share instances where you've identified risks early and proposed solutions. This proactive mindset is crucial for the role, so make sure to highlight your ability to stay calm and structured under pressure.
