Senior IT Manager

The Embassy; Vancouver; Hybrid; CAD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

A Canadian visual effects company is seeking a Senior IT Manager to lead their IT department. This role involves overseeing IT infrastructure, managing a small team, and ensuring technology optimally supports production workflows. Ideal candidates have 7+ years in IT within the VFX industry, strong leadership skills, and technical proficiency in server administration and cybersecurity. The position requires both on-site and hybrid work, with a collaborative environment and an emphasis on work-life balance.

Benefits

Flexible hybrid work

Benefits and float days

Collaborative environment

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in IT roles in the VFX or animation industry.
• Experience managing software development projects and teams.
• Ability to manage a team and work collaboratively with other departments.

Responsibilities

• Lead the IT team to design and manage the technology infrastructure.
• Evaluate emerging technologies for improving efficiency.
• Manage the IT help desk to provide technical support.

Skills

Leadership and communication skills

Technical skills in server administration

Knowledge of Linux, Windows and Mac

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

Understanding of cybersecurity best practices

Experience with VFX software (Maya, Nuke, Houdini)

Education

Bachelor's degree in computer science or related field

Tools

PCOIP

Aspera

ZFS

SMB/CIFS file systems

Job description

Are you an IT expert who is excited about working in the visual effects industry? The Embassy is hiring a Senior IT Manager to join their team!

About The Embassy

The Embassy is a Canadian, Oscar-nominated production house, specializing in live-action production, post-production, and animation for feature films, television, and commercials. We are an independent creative studio with expertise in visual effects and production. Located in the heart of Vancouver’s Digital District, we work with global production companies, agencies and brands in film, television and advertising.

Award-Winning

We have crafted award-winning visual effects for the world’s most recognized brands and film franchises. Our work has received accolades, including Oscar nominations and numerous VES, Cannes, D&AD, Clio & ADCC awards.

About You

We are seeking a highly experienced and self-motivated Senior IT Manager to support our Information Technology department. You will be responsible for managing and overseeing all aspects of our IT infrastructure and systems administration processes, security, and project management with a focus on delivering high-quality IT support and solutions. You must have excellent leadership and communication skills to manage a small team while collaborating with various departments to ensure that our technology is optimized to meet our unique demands.

Your Role

• A strategic, big-picture thinker with the ability to anticipate future requirements
• Lead the IT team to design, implement, and manage the company's technology infrastructure, including servers, storage, networking, and cloud computing systems
• Develop and maintain systems for data backup, disaster recovery, and information security (backup servers, tape backup, offsite backups)
• Conduct regular analysis of systems performance, security vulnerabilities, and network infrastructure to identify areas for improvement
• Collaborate with VFX artists and production to ensure that the IT infrastructure is optimized to support their workflows and production needs
• Evaluate emerging technologies and identify opportunities to improve the company's efficiency and productivity
• Establish and manage the IT budget, including identifying cost‑saving opportunities and negotiating with vendors and suppliers
• Ensure compliance with industry standards and regulations, such as MPAA security guidelines
• Manage the IT help desk to provide technical support to all employees
• Develop and implement IT policies and procedures to ensure consistent and reliable operations across the company

Your Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in computer science or related field;
• 7+ years of experience in IT roles in the VFX or animation industry
• Knowledge of Linux, Windows and Mac is required; ZFS, and SMB/CIFS file systems are strongly preferred
• Experience with PCOIP
• Understanding of Aspera (or similar)
• Experience with backups and archives
• Strong technical skills in server administration, networking, and cloud computing
• Experience managing software development projects and teams
• Knowledge of industry-standard VFX software, such as Maya, Nuke, and Houdini
• Understanding of cybersecurity best practices and regulatory compliance
• Strong communication and leadership skills
• Ability to manage a team and work collaboratively with other departments
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills

Other

• After-hours work will be required occasionally on weekends
• This role is on-site to start, with a hybrid setup afterwards

We Offer

• A fun and collaborative environment
• An emphasis on work/life balance
• Flexible hybrid work
• Benefits and float days for eligible employees

The Embassy Visual Effects Inc. is an equal-opportunity employer.

Please note: At this time, we are only accepting applications from those who are legally eligible to work in Canada and are currently BC residents or willing to establish BC residency for the duration of the contract.