Job Title:

Associate Director – Business and Operations

Function:

ISB Studios

Name of Job Holder:

Location:

Hyderabad

Reports to position:

Director – ISB Studios

Band:

A2

Reportees to Position:

Managers, Asst Managers, Associates, Consultants & Interns

Job Purpose

The role would be central to the functioning of the Studios. The Associate Director – Business & Operations will work with a variety of different teams (Internal & External) —from faculty, RCIs, writers and directors and designers—to ensure that everything comes together in a cohesive, compelling way.

Job  Outline

The Associate Director – Business & Operations, ISB Studios will wear different hats in terms of managing the studio’s overall operations and business performance. The role encompasses 5 main areas as detailed below:

1. Studio Operations:

• Manage projects/programs through the entire lifecycle: planning, creatives, production, delivery, and wrap.
• Create a talent pool ready with multiple options for each talent who could be deployed for projects. Negotiating and creating talent agreements and find appropriate talent as and when one exits.
• Develop, execute, and maintain standards and best practices/processes for running the ISB Studios operations. 
• Ensure that the Studio team adheres to the laid-out processes in strict compliance with the audit requirements. 
• Generate relevant reports for the ISB Studios, which would help in understanding the performance of the Studios.
• Lead project-related team meetings (i.e., kick-offs, status, internal/reviews, etc.), and communicate action steps to the broader team.
• Manage external production/post-production companies and creative agencies/personnel on contract, etc. Get long-term partnerships with vendors and resources to build the network pool. 
• Define project scope, develop timelines and milestones, plan and manage allocations, and ensure project delivery requirements are met.

2. Stakeholder's Interface:

• This role will interface directly with a range of external and internal stakeholders.
• Build key relationships with internal cross-functional departments.
• Be the interface between the ISB Studios & RCIs, and Faculty members. 
• Liasioning between ISB Studios and various external agencies, potential clients, Government dignitaries & industry associations, etc.  
• Ability to develop diverse network/resources to leverage "best in class" knowledge, approaches, and processes.
• The ability to evaluate and ensure that vendor performance meets or exceeds defined performance standards and adheres to the school's policies and procedures.

3. Business Accountability: 

• To oversee and inform the dissemination of the Studios content.
• Explore funding opportunities, collaborations, and paid partnerships that would positively impact the Studio's budget. 
• Analysing financial information (eg. revenues & expenditures) to ensure all operations are within budget.
• Vet budgets and schedules, and ensure our productions run in an efficient manner
• Present the annual budget for the Studios to the management as and when required. 
• Build and develop content properties for the Studios and thus ensuring a periodic release calendar.

4. Process Design & Implementation: 

• Design and streamline operational processes for effectiveness, efficiency and detail-orientation to document process flows, and diagnose/remedy challenges. 
• Develop, execute, and maintain industry standards and best practices for running the ISB Studios. 
• Ensure that the Studio team adheres to the laid-out processes in strict compliance with the audit requirements.
• Manage the Studios' content requests and enable periodic evaluations.
• Generate relevant reports for the ISB Studios, which would help in understanding the performance of the Studios. 
• Be responsible for the ISB Studio's audit and compliance in line with the school's policies. 

5. Point of View: 

• Knowledge of the external environment in which the various media businesses are conducted. It includes the ability to offer a broad perspective that extends beyond a particular functional discipline and draws upon the knowledge that comes from frequent interaction with different stakeholders, sources, and constituencies outside of the school.
• Knowledge of industry nuances in different regions or countries that might impact the effectiveness of media strategies.
• Act as a knowledge repository for the ISB Studios. Bring in market research enabling a deep dive into various aspects of Studio's business. Eg. Podcast environment in the country and the best practices thereof. 
• High level of self-awareness, constantly curious and independently motivated to identify opportunities.

Job Specification

Knowledge / Education

Specific Skills

Desirable Experience

MBA or a master’s from Film school

Having experience working with mid-career programmes and  client facing. An overall experience of 15 plus years with at least 10 years of client facing role.

Job Interface/Relationships:

Internal

External

• Faculty and RCIs
• HR, Finance, Commercial, Legal & operations
• SEAL, AFA, ExecEd
• PGP, PGP Pro & PGP-Max
• Dean’s office

• Production houses
• Film schools
• Vendors
• Various corporates
• Subject matter experts

S.No

Key Responsibilities

% Time

Spent

1

Studio Operations

35%

2

Stakeholder Interface

25%

3

Business Accountability

15%

4

Process Design & Implementation

15%

5

Point of View

10%

Any Other Significant Input