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.
Skills Required
- Experience in talent relations, artist management, or human resources within CG animation, VFX, or video game production
- Valid Canadian work permit or Canadian citizenship/permanent residency
- Ability to work full-time on-site in Vancouver, British Columbia
- Exceptional interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills
- Experience handling sensitive crew issues with discretion
- Strong conflict mediation skills in high-pressure production environments
- Deep understanding of animation pipeline roles and workflows, including asset design, storyboarding, animation, and lighting
What We Do
Known for our quality, efficiency and timely deliveries, ICON has partnered alongside distributors, broadcasters and streaming platforms around the world to help create, realize and produce noteworthy content. ICON operates from a holistic philosophy that leverages individual skill sets to maximize production efficiency on the floor while maintaining an optimal balance of creativity and quality on screen.
