Artist Manager

Sony Pictures Imageworks; Vancouver, Montreal; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading animation studio in Vancouver is seeking an experienced Artist Manager to oversee and support a team of artists. In this role, you will collaborate with department heads to foster creativity and manage performance reviews. The position demands strong management experience in the animation field, exceptional communication skills, and proficiency in Google Suite. The anticipated salary is between $90,000 and $100,000 annually, with benefits per company policy.

Benefits

Healthcare

Tuition reimbursement

RRSP's

Sick and Vacation leave

Qualifications

• 3+ years of management experience in relevant industry.
• Experience managing large teams of creative professionals.
• Ability to navigate ambiguity and difficult conversations.

Responsibilities

• Manage, develop, and support the artist team.
• Conduct performance reviews and career development.
• Negotiate artist contracts and ensure compliance with policies.

Skills

Management experience in animation or visual effects industry

Understanding of the CG animation and visual effects pipeline

Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills

Tools

Google Suite

Job description

Sony Pictures Imageworks is located on the unceded traditional territory of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations. We are committed to respecting traditional lands, and working with communities towards reconciliation.

Language in work environment - English

Benefits per company policy: include healthcare, tuition reimbursement, RRSP's, Sick and Vacation leave, standard increases as applicable

About the Role

The Artist Manager plays a pivotal role in managing, developing, and supporting our world-class team of artists. Artist Managers are accountable for overseeing the crewing, performance, career development, and well‑being of a group of artists that work across every project in production at the facility.

They partner closely with Heads of Department (HODs), Supervisors, Producers, Recruiting, Training, Senior Leadership and more to meet both project and studio‑wide objectives for their assigned departments.

They contribute to long‑term workforce planning, champion continuous improvement across teams, and ensure that Artist Management strategies align with broader studio objectives and values.

The Artist Manager serves as a mentor, advocate, and strategic planner, ensuring every artist has the support, feedback, and resources to thrive.

Key Responsibilities

• Work together with the HOD to build and inspire a diverse team of artists, maintaining an environment that supports creativity, inclusion, and career growth.
• Conduct regular check‑ins, performance reviews, and career development conversations, offering clear, actionable feedback. Helping them identify career paths and professional development opportunities aligned with both studio and personal goals.
• Support mental health and equitable practices within teams.
• Plan and manage department headcount, forecasting departmental needs and collaborating with HODs, Recruiting, and Production to crew shows effectively.
• Maintain a balanced mix of artist levels across core artists, rehires, and new hires to allow for flexibility and scalability across multiple projects.
• Develop and implement creative crewing solutions to optimize talent utilization between productions, whilst supporting organizational ebbs and flows with artist career growth.
• Participate in department meetings, show kick‑offs, weekly crewing meetings, and show debriefs.
• Work with Recruiting to strengthen the studio’s pipeline of emerging talent.

Performance & Talent Management

• Gather and synthesize feedback from supervisors, leads, and production to evaluate artist performance.
• Provide timely and thoughtful recommendations for promotions, raises, bonuses, and contract renewals.
• Identify high‑potential talent and create growth plans to retain and nurture key contributors.
• Collaborate with the HOD and Learning and Development teams to ensure artists receive the skills and support they need to succeed.

Operational Excellence

• Negotiate artist contracts, merit increases, and assignment terms in alignment with studio policies and budgets.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, employment standards, and local labor practices.
• Maintain accurate artist data and staffing information using internal crewing systems and databases.
• Partner with leadership on initiatives related to inclusion, engagement, and organizational development.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to align Artist Management initiatives with company‑wide Objectives and Key Results.
• Empathetic Leadership: Builds trust, encourages creativity, and supports artists’ professional growth and development.
• Strategic Thinking: Anticipates studio needs and crafts proactive crewing strategies.
• Communication: Communicates with clarity and respect across all levels of the organization.
• Adaptability: Manages ambiguity and shifting production priorities with composure and optimism.
• Collaboration: Works seamlessly across departments to create an aligned and supportive artist experience.

Qualifications & Experience

• 3+ years of management experience in the animation or visual effects industry.
• Proven understanding of the CG animation and visual effects pipeline. Experience crewing productions is an asset.
• Experience managing large teams of creative professionals across multiple productions.
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and conflict resolution skills.
• Ability to navigate ambiguity and have difficult conversations whilst remaining open and transparent.
• Demonstrated ability to foster trust, motivation, and collaboration across departments.
• Working knowledge of compensation structures and navigating different contract types.
• Must be proficient in Google Suite, and ability to easily learn new systems and software.
• Must be highly organized, and have a keen eye for detail to keep data accurate.
• Ability to follow company processes and procedures, and handle administrative work.

The anticipated base salary for this position is $90,000- $100,000/per year. Benefits are per company policy: which include healthcare, tuition reimbursement, RRSP's, Sick and Vacation leave, standard increases as applicable. The actual base salary offered will depend on a variety of factors, including without limitation, the qualifications of the individual applicant for the position, years of relevant experience, level of education attained, certifications or other professional licenses held, and if applicable, the location of the position.

We value unique perspectives, and want diverse, unique talent to work with us. We encourage candidates from all identities to apply.

*Sony Pictures Entertainment is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other protected characteristics.