Talent Relations Manager (On-Site)

Icon-Creative-Studio; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Dental benefits

Vision benefits

Collaborative studio environment

Job summary

ICON Creative Studio in Vancouver, BC, is seeking a Talent Relations Manager to oversee artist engagement, retention, and lifecycle management across our animation projects.

You will partner with production leadership to ensure crew wellbeing, manage contracts and performance reviews, and help shape studio culture through onboarding, offboarding, and ongoing feedback.

Qualifications

• Experience in talent relations within CG animation, VFX, or game production.
• Authorized to work in Canada.
• Full-time on-site in Gastown, Vancouver, BC.

Responsibilities

• Act as the main point of contact for artists, advocating for their needs and wellbeing.
• Partner with Series Animation Supervisors, Art Directors, and Production Managers to conduct regular performance check-ins and reviews.
• Track artist contracts, renewals, and internal transitions to retain top talent across projects.
• Design and lead onboarding/offboarding programs to strengthen studio culture and gather feedback.
• Mediate conflicts between creative staff and management with neutral, empathetic approaches.
• Collaborate with leadership to organize internal events and foster a positive work environment.

Skills

Interpersonal communication

Conflict mediation

Stakeholder management

Employee relations

Organizational empathy

Tools

HRIS / HR software

Job description

Job Title: Talent Relations Manager

Location: Vancouver, BC (Gastown district) - On-site

Position Type: Full-time On-site

Department: Human Resources / Talent Operations

About ICON Creative Studio

ICON Creative Studio is Canada's largest independently owned animation entertainment studio. Located in the historic Gastown district of Vancouver, we specialize in top-tier design, storyboarding, and full CG production for major global platforms like Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery. With a crew of over 1,000 passionate artists and production professionals, we pride ourselves on pushing the boundaries of visual storytelling.

We are seeking a dynamic, highly empathetic, and organized Talent Relations Manager to act as the primary bridge between our artists, production leadership, and studio management. If you thrive in a fast-paced creative environment and are passionate about supporting animation talent, we want to hear from you.

Job Summary

As the Talent Relations Manager, you will oversee the full lifecycle of artist engagement, retention, and conflict resolution across our various active animation series. You will champion the crew’s well-being while aligning studio resources with demanding production timelines. Acting as a trusted advisor, you will directly influence studio culture, address workload concerns, and manage artist transitions, contract renewals, and performance evaluations.

Core Responsibilities

• Artist Advocacy & Support: Serve as the main point of contact for artists.
• Performance & Feedback Management: Partner with Series Animation Supervisors, Art Directors, and Production Managers to facilitate regular, constructive performance check-ins and formal reviews.
• Retention & Contract Tracking: Track artist contract milestones, spearhead renewal strategies, and proactively manage internal cross-project transitions to retain top creative talent.
• Onboarding & Offboarding: Design and lead studio culture orientations for incoming artists; conduct comprehensive exit interviews to identify operational areas for improvement.
• Conflict Resolution: Mediate interpersonal issues between creative staff and management, delivering neutral, empathetic, and objective solutions.
• Culture & Engagement: Collaborate with leadership to organize internal studio events, foster a positive work environment, and boost morale across teams.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Industry Experience: Experience in a talent relations, artist management, or human resources role specifically within CG animation, VFX, or video game production.
• Work Authorization: Must possess a valid Canadian work permit or be a Canadian citizen/permanent resident.
• Location: Ability to work full-time on-site at our Gastown studio in Vancouver, BC.
• Communication Skills: Exceptional interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills with a proven track record of handling sensitive crew issues with absolute discretion.
• Conflict Mediation: Strong ability to navigate high-pressure production deadlines and creative differences smoothly.
• Familiarity with Animation Workflows: Deep understanding of the roles and pressures within an animation pipeline (e.g., Asset Design, Storyboarding, Animation, Lighting).

What We Offer

• Competitive salary based on industry experience.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefits.
• A highly collaborative, creative, and lively working environment in the heart of Gastown.
• The opportunity to work on high-profile, globally recognized intellectual properties.