SVP, Production Finance

FIFTH SEASON•Los Angeles, CA

About The Position

The Senior Vice President, Production Finance will lead and oversee all financial operations for a premium scripted content slate, including high-budget television series and feature films. This executive will serve as the strategic and operational finance partner to Production, Studio Leadership, Corporate Finance, and Accounting, ensuring financial rigor from development through delivery. The ideal candidate brings deep experience in premium scripted series and feature films, sophisticated knowledge of domestic and international tax incentive programs, and a strong track record managing audits, production accounting teams, and large-scale budgets across multiple jurisdictions. This role requires a highly collaborative leader who can operate at both strategic and granular levels, adapt to production-driven schedules, and oversee a growing team of production finance professionals. This is a high-impact executive role for a seasoned production finance leader who thrives at the intersection of creativity, operational complexity, and financial strategy.

Requirements

15+ years of progressive experience in production finance, with significant leadership experience at a studio, network, or major production company level
Deep expertise in premium scripted television series and feature films
Extensive experience with U.S. and international tax incentive programs
Demonstrated experience leading network or studio audits
Strong command of production budgeting, cost reporting, and cash flow management
Proven experience managing and scaling teams across multiple concurrent productions
Strong working knowledge of union and guild agreements
Experience partnering with Corporate Accounting and Finance functions
Exceptional analytical, negotiation, and communication skills with the ability to synthesize data and complex information, and present succinctly to executives and stakeholders at all levels
Ability to balance strategic oversight with hands-on execution

Responsibilities

Lead the Production Finance department across a slate of premium scripted series and feature films
Partner closely with Heads of Production and Studio Executives to align creative ambitions with financial frameworks
Oversee greenlight budgeting, cost modeling, and long-range production cash flow planning
Provide strategic financial guidance throughout development, prep, production, post-production, and delivery
Supervise the preparation, review, and approval of production budgets and subsequent iterations
Analyze above-the-line and below-the-line cost structures and identify optimization opportunities without compromising creative goals
Monitor cost reports, ETCs, and variance analyses across multiple active productions
Ensure compliance with internal financial controls and reporting standards
Lead strategy and execution for domestic and international tax incentive programs
Evaluate global production locations based on financial, regulatory, and operational factors
Oversee incentive applications, compliance, audits, and monetization strategies
Collaborate with external advisors, local production partners, and government agencies as needed
Run point on network, studio, guild, and third-party audits
Oversee audit preparation, documentation, and resolution of findings
Ensure productions adhere to union, guild, and contractual financial obligations
Maintain strong internal controls and risk mitigation protocols
Serve as primary liaison between Production Finance and Corporate Accounting/Finance
Align production reporting with corporate financial planning, cash forecasting, and consolidation requirements
Support quarterly and annual financial reporting cycles
Ensure seamless integration between production cost tracking systems and corporate financial systems
Collaborate and communicate with Treasury department on bank account and funding needs
Build, mentor, and manage a high-performing Production Finance team
Oversee staffing of production accountants, controllers, and finance leads on individual projects
Develop staffing strategies aligned with slate volume and complexity
Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and operational excellence
Operate effectively in a fast-paced production environment with shifting schedules and priorities
Support productions across multiple time zones and international locations
Maintain flexibility to accommodate production-driven hours and urgent financial matters
Foster collaboration and streamline processes and systems across the organization
Lead automation of financial and data systems and processes