Assistant Director, Production Lead

Open Exchange Inc•Boston, MA

19h

About The Position

The Production Lead / Production Manager is accountable for the performance, scalability, and operational health of the production team. This role shifts from individual execution to team leadership, capacity planning, workflow standardization, and delivery accountability. The Production Manager ensures the team delivers high-quality work on time, operates through documented systems, and maintains adequate coverage to support business volume. While primarily a leadership role, the Production Manager operates in a player/coach capacity — remaining technically proficient and stepping in to assist with editing when business needs require additional support. This includes providing hands-on coverage during peak volume periods, supporting complex or high-visibility projects, and modeling best practices in quality, efficiency, and workflow execution. This balanced approach ensures operational continuity, reinforces credibility with the team, and promotes a culture of shared accountability and performance excellence.

Requirements

Demonstrated people management ability
Strong delegation skills
Systems thinking and operational discipline
Clear communication and accountability leadership
Ability to move from reactive to proactive management
Conflict resolution and coaching skills
Technical proficiency in editing tools and workflows
Ability to operate effectively in a player/coach capacity without reverting to individual contributor dependency

Responsibilities

Team Leadership & Management
Directly manage editors and production specialists
Conduct regular 1:1 meetings and performance reviews
Set clear expectations, goals, and quality standards
Coach team members for skill growth and efficiency
Address performance gaps and behavioral issues
Lead by example by maintaining hands-on familiarity with editing workflows and quality standards
Provide real-time coaching through collaborative editing when stepping into active projects
Capacity Planning & Coverage
Develop and maintain 24/7 coverage model (as applicable)
Forecast production demand and align staffing accordingly
Ensure redundancy across critical workflows
Identify hiring needs based on capacity trends
Step in as hands-on editing support during peak volume periods, coverage gaps, or urgent deadlines
Maintain technical proficiency to provide surge capacity without disrupting team performance
Operational Ownership
Establish and maintain standardized workflows
Monitor KPIs (on-time delivery, revision rates, quality metrics)
Implement intake and prioritization processes
Reduce reactive, DM-driven coordination
Drive measurable process improvements
Test and validate workflow improvements through direct participation in editing when appropriate
Cross-Functional Partnership
Partner with PM and Hybrid teams on scoping and planning
Provide production capacity guidance during planning stages
Communicate risks, resourcing constraints, and timelines clearly
Represent production in operational leadership discussions
Support high-visibility or complex projects directly when strategic oversight and execution alignment are required
Reporting & Strategic Oversight
Deliver monthly production health reports
Track and report on KPIs
Lead quarterly performance evaluations for team
Contribute to tooling and systems strategy
Maintain credibility with the team by balancing leadership responsibilities with informed, hands-on awareness of daily production realities