Production Director, Cinematics | Story & Franchise Development - Irvine, CA

Team Name:
Story & Franchise Development Operations

Job Title:

Production Director, Cinematics | Story & Franchise Development - Irvine, CA

Requisition : R027890

Job Description:

Your Mission Blizzard Entertainment is seeking an experienced Production Director to lead the production organization responsible for creating world‑class cinematic content that inspires and engages millions of players worldwide. As a senior leader within the Cinematics organization, you will oversee the production strategy, operational health, talent development, and successful execution of Blizzard's cinematic portfolio, including game cinema tics, trailers, promotional shorts, narrative content, and emerging storytelling initiatives.

You will lead a team of producers and production leaders while partnering closely with creative, technical, game development, and external production partners. You will establish scalable production practices, cultivate high‑performing teams, and ensure that every project achieves Blizzard's legendary standards for quality, innovation, and storytelling. The ideal candidate combines exceptional leadership, operational rigor, and deep expertise in animation, VFX, game development, or film production pipelines.

They are equally comfortable developing people, solving organizational challenges, managing complex stakeholder relationships, and guiding large-scale productions from concept through final delivery.

• Lead the cinematic production organization responsible for multiple concurrent projects across Blizzard franchises.
• Establish and maintain production strategies, workflows, and operational frameworks that support high‑quality creative execution.
• Partner with creative and department leadership to define project goals, schedules, budgets, risks, and delivery expectations.
• Ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget, and at the quality standards expected of Blizzard Entertainment.
• Identify production risks early and proactively develop mitigation strategies.

• Build, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of producers and production leaders.
• Foster a culture of accountability, inclusion, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Coach team members on leadership skills, communication, project management, and career development.
• Create succession plans and growth opportunities that strengthen the long-term health of the production organization.
• Lead performance management, hiring, onboarding, and organizational planning efforts.

• Serve as a strategic partner to Cinematic Directors, Creative Directors, Department Leads, Marketing, and Executive Leadership.
• Align production plans with creative vision, technical requirements, and business priorities.
• Facilitate communication and decision‑making across internal and external stakeholders.
• Establish strong partnerships with game teams to ensure cinematic initiatives support franchise goals and player experiences.

• Develop and maintain relationships with external studios, vendors, and outsourcing partners.
• Participate in vendor selection, contract negotiations, staffing strategies, and long‑term partnership planning.
• Establish clear production expectations, quality standards, and delivery processes for external teams.
• Monitor vendor performance and ensure outsourced work meets Blizzard's creative and production standards.

• Continuously evaluate and improve production methodologies, tools, workflows, and reporting systems.
• Drive operational efficiency while maintaining creative flexibility.
• Champion best practices in project planning, resource management, risk management, and team communication.
• Assess emerging production technologies, including real‑time workflows, AI‑assisted production tools, automation opportunities, and evolving content pipelines, to improve team effectiveness and scalability.
• Leverage data and production metrics to inform decision‑making and organizational planning.

• Act as a role model for Blizzard's values and…