Summary of the Senior Talent Manager job at Brand New School

Who We Are

We are creators who live to be original.

For the past two decades, we’ve been building a playground for creating original work. A place where a diverse collective of artists, thinkers and makers can express themselves, be bold, and experiment freely. A place where brands come to be authentic, challenge conformity and stand out from the crowd.

What We're Looking for

Brand New School is seeking a Senior Talent Manager to lead our talent department across our LA and NY studios.

This is a senior-level role for an experienced talent professional with 5+ years of experience in creative talent management and staffing. The ideal candidate has a strong network of freelance artists and a deep understanding of the creative industry, from design and animation to VFX, CG, illustration, and emerging creative disciplines.

The Senior Talent Manager will be responsible for ensuring BNS has the right talent, in the right place, at the right time. This includes managing our internal artist roster, sourcing and booking freelance talent, building and maintaining relationships with artists and representatives, negotiating rates and availability, and partnering closely with Producers, Executive Producers, and Heads of Production to staff projects effectively.

Responsibilities

Talent Strategy & Department Leadership

• Manage, mentor, and develop internal Talent team members, providing direction, feedback, and support.
• Establish and maintain efficient talent management processes, systems, and best practices.
• Proactively anticipate staffing needs based on upcoming projects, studio bandwidth, and evolving creative capabilities.
• Partner with leadership to identify gaps in our internal roster and develop strategies to address them.

Freelance Talent Management

• Maintain and actively grow a strong network of freelance artists, including designers, art directors, animators, CG artists, VFX artists, illustrators, editors, and other creative specialists.
• Source, vet, and recommend freelance talent based on project needs, creative fit, availability, budget, and experience level.
• Negotiate rates, schedules, terms, and availability with freelance artists and representatives. As well as maintain an organized and up-to-date talent database and roster.
• Stay current on emerging talent, new creative disciplines, and industry trends.

Staffing & Resource Management

• Oversee scheduling and allocation of internal staff and freelance talent across projects in LA, UK, and NY.
• Partner closely with Producers, Executive Producers, Heads of Production, Creative Directors, and Directors to determine staffing needs.
• Make thoughtful staffing recommendations that maximize creative quality, efficiency, and artist fit while minimizing burnout.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in talent management, creative staffing, or a related role within the creative industry.
• Proven experience leading a talent, staffing, or recruiting function or team.
• Extensive network of freelance creative talent with established relationships across multiple disciplines.
• Strong understanding of the design, animation, VFX, CG, and broader creative production landscape.
• Demonstrated experience booking freelance talent and negotiating rates, availability, and terms.
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills with the ability to work effectively with artists, producers, directors, representatives, and leadership.
• Highly organized with exceptional attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Proactive, resourceful, and comfortable operating independently in a fast-paced creative environment.
• Comfortable working across our LA and NY studios and within a hybrid work environment.
• Bachelor's degree preferred, but not required.

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance
• One Medical account
• Company sponsored continued education
• Peer bonus system
• Generous PTO / sick leave
• Company administered 401(k) plan with matching
• Dog friendly work environment 🐶