Head of Production

SEARCHLIGHT; Greater London; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A modern creative agency in Greater London is seeking a Production Operations Manager to be the operational backbone of the business. The successful candidate will lead the end-to-end production management for projects, ensuring budget efficiency, logistics coordination, and quality control. This hands-on role requires strong experience in managing creative processes and freelance talent, with a focus on delivering high-quality video content. Excellent communication skills and a passion for YouTube are highly desirable.

Qualifications

• Senior production experience in advertising or creative agencies.
• Strong experience managing budgets, logistics, and delivery.
• Ability to act as main contact for clients during production.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end production management across all projects.
• Build and manage budgets and protect project profitability.
• Lead production logistics, including crew, equipment, and schedules.

Skills

Production management

Budget management

Logistics coordination

Freelance talent management

Job description

As the Production Operations Manager, you will become the operational backbone of the business. Work closely with the founder and creative lead to oversee delivery, budgets, and production operations.

A passion for YouTube is highly desirable.

The Company

Our client is a modern creative agency specialising in internal communications and brand storytelling for major global organisations. They create high-quality, series-led video content designed for modern platforms, focused on authenticity, entertainment, and long-term audience engagement rather than traditional advertising or trend-driven formats.

Their work is built around thoughtful, human-centred storytelling that resonates with an adult audience, helping brands communicate in a way that feels engaging, relevant, and genuinely watchable. Working with leading brands across technology, finance, and enterprise, the studio has built a strong reputation for consistently high production values and long-term client relationships.

Now at an exciting stage of growth, the studio is looking for a Head of Production to help shape its operational foundations and support the next phase of the business.

The Role

This is a senior, hands‑on role for someone who enjoys being a trusted right hand in a small, entrepreneurial team. You will balance client management, studio operations, and production leadership, while helping turn creative ideas into smoothly delivered, profitable projects.

This includes:

• Owning end‑to‑end production management across all projects, from brief through to final delivery
• Building and managing budgets, tracking burn against estimates, and protecting project profitability
• Creating and maintaining project timelines, milestones, and resource plans
• Leading production logistics, including locations, permits, crew, equipment, schedules, and call sheets
• Hiring, vetting, and managing freelance talent, maintaining a trusted studio roster
• Chairing status meetings, managing expectations, and translating client requests into actionable briefs
• Leading delivery oversight and quality control, ensuring all outputs meet technical specs and brand guidelines
• Being present on set or in studio when required to ensure smooth execution Improving production workflows, systems, and documentation as the business scales
• Identifying scope creep early and reporting on project performance and delivery
• Supporting the commercial growth of the studio, with performance bonus tied to project success

The Person

You are a senior production and operations professional from an advertising or creative agency, production company, or content studio background, ideally spanning brand work, corporate film, or internal communications.

Highly organised and commercially minded, you will have strong experience managing budgets, logistics, delivery, and freelance talent. You bring a deep, trusted network of freelance crew and specialists and are confident sourcing, vetting, and managing external partners. Practical and proactive by nature, you enjoy building structure and improving workflows.

You are comfortable acting as the main point of contact for senior clients and stakeholders during the production phase, staying calm under pressure and keeping projects running smoothly.

With excellent creative judgement and an understanding of what resonates with more mature audiences on YouTube, you take pride in supporting thoughtful, high‑quality storytelling rather than trend‑driven or short‑term formats.

Next Step

If your skills & experience fit the above requirements and you would like to talk to us about this role, please apply online attaching your CV in WORD format.

What to Expect

• Searchlight only advertises active roles
• Your details will be sent directly to the Consultant who is handling this role
• We aim to respond to candidates within 14 days.

If this role isn’t quite right, but you would like us to have your CV on file, please send it to [e-mail]

Searchlight strives to promote equal opportunities for all. We welcome applications regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio‑economic background, religion and/or belief.