Manager, Finance & Production Operations

Blackbird Interactive is a creative-fueled, future-driven, independent game studio where the best industry talent can find long-term careers to help grow their abilities while working on a wide range of projects, which encompass world-class IPs as well as our own creations across multiple genres. We are a remote-first studio.

We are seeking a highly collaborative and systems-oriented Manager, Finance & Production Operations to bridge the gap between our Development/Production teams and Finance. This role blends financial fluency with strong project management capability to ensure budgets are adhered to, forecasts are accurate, tools are optimized, and communication flows seamlessly across the studio. This is not a traditional FP&A-only role. The ideal candidate is a strategic operator who understands finance but thrives in driving processes, strengthening relationships, improving systems, and supporting cross-functional teams to help BBI deliver projects on time and on budget.

Your Impact in the Role

Financial Planning & Oversight (Studio + Project Level):
• Partner with Production and Development to align project budgets with financial plans
• Translate project-level assumptions into studio-level forecasts and projections
• Maintain rolling forecasts, budget vs. actuals, and headcount tracking
• Identify risks such as cost overruns, revenue timing shifts, or underutilization
• Ensure financial impact of production decisions is reflected accurately in reporting

Optimize a Cross-Functional Bridge Between Finance & Production:
• Serve as the connective tissue between Development, Production, and Finance
• Ensure production decisions are understood financially — and vice versa
• Drive clarity around milestone timing, revenue recognition, and cost impacts
• Establish clear communication protocols to reduce ambiguity and rework
• Support leadership with insight-driven reporting and decision-ready analysis

Systems & Process Optimization:
• Take ownership of existing financial and project management tools; elevate and refine them
• Maintain and improve dashboards, reporting templates, and workflow processes
• Ensure data integrity across systems and reporting
• Develop and document policies and SOPs to streamline budget tracking and forecasting
• Reduce reliance on manual oversight by building scalable systems

Strategic Planning & Reporting:
• Support studio-wide budgeting and long-range planning
• Develop scenario models to inform investment, staffing, and project decisions
• Prepare executive and board-ready materials
• Provide clear, narrative-driven insights — not just numbers
• Analyze co-development margins, revenue trends, and project performance

Relationship Management & Influence within Finance:
• Maintain and strengthen cross-functional relationships built across teams
• Build credibility with Production, Finance, and Studio Leadership
• Ensure key stakeholders feel heard and aligned
• Navigate team dynamics thoughtfully, particularly where role clarity intersects with ownership
• Foster a culture of accountability and financial transparency

Required Experience:
• 5–8+ years of experience in finance, FP&A, production finance, or project management within a creative, tech, or studio environment
• Strong financial modelling and forecasting capability
• Demonstrated project management experience across cross-functional teams
• Experience working closely with production, development, or technical teams
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills
• Experience improving systems and workflows in scaling organizations
• Ability to translate complex financial information into clear operational insight

Pluses:
• Familiarity with milestone-based revenue models and co-development structures
• Experience supporting executive or board-level reporting