Director, Creative Production

Highwire•San Francisco, CA

2h•$110,000 - $150,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Highwire is reimagining what a Director of Creative Production can be. We are an AI-native, sector-expert, outcome-obsessed partner to the world’s most innovative companies. As our Director of Creative Production, you are responsible for overseeing the intake, estimation, negotiation, and staffing of the Creative team across a growing portfolio of complex, multi-scope client engagements. You’ll also support the team in ensuring that the processes around all disciplines are executed with a process that starts with a brief and ends with on-time delivery, in partnership with our Account and Project Manager roles. This position reports to the VP and Creative Director and combines Creative and Project Management responsibilities. About you: You are ruthlessly organized and motivated by the smooth, efficient competition of tasks against a plan. You understand how creative people work and protect their time and energy as fiercely as you protect deadlines. You navigate ambiguity and change without losing momentum, and you know how to bring a team along as the path is still being built. You look around corners and habitually have alternative options. Your teammates rely on you and know they can trust you to keep them on target, and aware of any potential derailments. You adore spreadsheets, Gantt charts and checklists, and you thrive on process. You’re able to think on your toes and be resourceful in finding solutions to problems and answers to questions without strong oversight.

Requirements

8+ years above the producer/project management level, and experience leading multiple concurrent, complex, highly visible projects without supervision
Agency experience, including planning, scheduling, and coordinating with external partners and clients (i.e., in a client-facing role)
Proven ability to manage change, rally teams around new directions, and drive adoption of processes in a fast-moving environment
Experience managing cross-functional relationships, including the ability to work assertively and collaboratively across competing priorities
Demonstrated experience producing video, motion, and/or experiential projects in an agency environment, including vendor management and multi-market coordination.
Experience running print/document production, strategy, digital, pre-production video and/or web development projects
Understanding of specific quality assurance requirements for interactive or web-based deliverables, including user experience testing
Demonstrated ability to work within AI-native production environments, including the use of AI-assisted tools for project planning, scoping, and workflow optimization
Familiarity with CMS, social media platforms, Creative Cloud, Google Workspace/G-suite and Mac preferred
Associate's or Bachelor's degree in a related field, or the equivalent combination of education and experience

Responsibilities

Serve as the operational connective tissue between Creative and cross-functional partners
Implement consistent creative-first project management processes across key pieces of business
Own the project intake and briefing process, ensuring every engagement enters production with a clear, approved creative brief before work begins
Lead the development of statements of work (SOWs), project estimates, and production proposals that accurately reflect creative scope, team capacity, and delivery timelines.
Manage budgets for project-based work and report budget performance
Manage production across concurrent, high-visibility client scopes, including enterprise-level accounts with multiple workstreams running simultaneously
Support pre-production, production, and post-production workflows across video, motion, and experiential projects, coordinating with internal teams and potential vendors
Partner with Creative leadership to establish intake, briefing, and project kickoff standards that support creative quality from the start
Articulate strategic plans, consult at a strategic level with clients, and have an in-depth understanding of the budget-setting process
Take ownership of team staffing, working with other staffing representatives across the agency
Be prepared to report progress and next steps as required daily, weekly and at project conclusion
Continue involvement in the execution of account work while steadily increasing responsibility over teams and client deliverables
Identify projects with case study potential early and partner with Creative leadership to ensure documentation planning is considered

Benefits

Competitive salary with merit-based opportunities for growth
Flexible hybrid work model tailored to your schedule and lifestyle
Generous vacation policy, including extended summer and winter breaks
Early log-off on Fridays through our Empower Hours program
401(k) plan with employer matching
Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, plus FSA options
Paid parental leave benefits
Commuter benefits
Annual Growth Mindset stipend for books, events, or learning experiences
Monthly technology reimbursement
Wellness benefit program for mental and physical health
501c3 donation matching program
Mentorship and ongoing professional development opportunities
Monthly recognition and team celebrations
Employee referral and new business referral bonuses
Quarterly Highwire events and team gatherings
Dog-friendly office environment
A supportive, inclusive, and collaborative workplace where you can grow and do your best work