Production Manager – CG Animated Feature Film – NL/BE

Language: Dutch and/or English 

Location: Amsterdam or Antwerp (on-site)
Preferred period: Sept 2026 – December 2027

Hours: To be discussed

Application Form: https://forms.gle/XmqiGRkbnj1D4DKw7

Contact: studiotalent@submarine.nl 

About Submarine:

Submarine’s animation slate features a multitude of award-winning films and series, which are as varied in style as in their target demographic. Submarine Animation prides itself in its ability not to be confined to just one look or technique – putting the needs of each individual project front-and-center. As such, we work with 2D as well as 3D animation, digital as well as traditional crafts, and live-action/animation hybrids.

About the Production
We are currently producing a high-end, fully CG animated family feature film with a distinctive stylised cinematic look. Created by a passionate, international team of artists and technicians, the project is a South African co-production with Diprente and directed by Wip Vernooij. 

The film, Spike, follows a proud and powerful rhinoceros who loses his horn and is forced to journey across the South African savanna alongside his estranged teenage son, Enzo. As they search for their way home, Spike must confront a new reality, learning that true strength lies not in power, but in vulnerability, connection, and growth.

About the Role
As Production Manager, you are responsible for the day-to-day planning, coordination, and execution of animation production. Working closely with the director, producer, department heads, and external partner studios, you ensure the project remains on track, within scope, and according to the highest creative and technical standards.

You are the operational backbone of the production, translating creative ambitions into clear schedules, efficient workflows, and effective communication across all departments. You proactively identify risks, solve production challenges, and keep teams aligned throughout every stage of the pipeline.

Responsibilities

• Production Planning & Scheduling
  • Develop, maintain, and continuously update global production schedules.
  • Break down production plans into detailed task schedules, milestones, dependencies, and deadlines.
  • Monitor progress against schedules and proactively identify delays, bottlenecks, and risks.
  • Work closely with department heads to plan workloads across all stages of production.

• Team Coordination & Communication
  • Act as the central point of coordination between creative, technical, and production teams.
  • Lead regular production meetings, track action points, and communicate priorities.
  • Ensure teams have access to the latest production materials, briefs, and documentation.
  • Mentor and support Production Coordinators in their day-to-day work.

• Resource & Budget Management
  • Implement and monitor the agreed production scope in man-days.
  • Track departmental time spent against forecasts and report variances.
  • Identify potential overruns and work with producers to develop mitigation strategies.

• Workflow & Pipeline Management
  • Establish and maintain efficient production workflows and pipelines.
  • Ensure consistent file management, version control, and delivery standards.
  • Configure and maintain production tracking tools such as ShotGrid and production spreadsheets.

• Partner Studio Coordination
  • Coordinate daily communication with co-production partners and external studios.
  • Monitor external deliveries against agreed schedules and quality expectations.
  • Escalate scheduling or production issues where required.

• Quality Control & Problem Solving
  • Monitor departmental output to ensure creative and technical standards are met.
  • Resolve operational production challenges relating to scheduling, staffing, workflows, or tools.
  • Escalate creative or structural issues to the Producers when appropriate.

• Risk Management & Delivery
  • Anticipate production risks and develop practical contingency plans.
  • Support conflict resolution across teams and stakeholders.
  • Prepare projects for final delivery, documentation, and archiving.
  • Contribute operational insights and production data to project post-mortems.

Requirements

• Proven experience as a Production Manager or Senior Production Coordinator on features within animation, VFX, games, or a related creative industry.
• Strong understanding of animation production pipelines and workflows.
• Excellent planning, scheduling, and organisational skills.
• Experience managing multiple teams and production priorities simultaneously.
• Strong communication and management skills.
• Ability to identify risks early and implement practical solutions.
• Experience working with production management software such as ShotGrid (Flow Production Tracking) or similar tools.
• Strong spreadsheet and reporting skills.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, collaborative production environment.
• Fluent in English, both written and spoken.

Nice to Have

• Experience working with international co-productions or distributed teams.
• Knowledge of budgeting and production forecasting.
• Familiarity with 3D pipelines.
• Experience implementing production workflows and pipeline improvements.
• Experience working with remote collaboration tools and cloud-based production pipelines.
• Passion for animation, storytelling, and creative technology.

What we offer

• A key role on a feature-length CG animated film.
• A collaborative international team of artists and technicians.
• A creative environment with plenty of room for collaboration.
• Flexible working arrangements.
• Competitive compensation based on experience.

Please fill out our form and apply with your CV, portfolio, reel, and a brief introduction outlining your relevant experience.