Join the Gigglebug crew in the new studio in Gran Canaria!

Gigglebug Entertainment is a leader in 2D animation, recognised for its high-quality, joyful content that captivates children and families alike. With our headquarters in the Nordics, we have established our second studio in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria in the Summer of 2024. A Gigglebug Canarias pioneer group of seven crew members have already transplanted from Helsinki to Las Palmas to work on our first production there, combining a 2D animation pipeline between the two studios. The set-up of the administration, facilities and the soft landing of the pioneer group has been led by Gigglebug Senior Management together with a part-time Studio Manager / Producer, combining on-location and hybrid work, with important support from local partners such as the Film Commission and legal service providers.

Now, we are looking for a full time on-location Studio Operations & Administrator to join the leadership of the growing studio. The position is based in Las Palmas 5 days a week. A key component of the hire will be to find a cultural match for the unique working culture of Gigglebug, which combines honesty, respect, trust, curiosity, humility, efficiency, passion, authenticity and excellent communication.

We expect the studio to scale to 30 people within the next 12 months and productions permitting, scale again to 50-100 in the next 18-24 months.

As we are looking for new core member to our community, we welcome applications from professionals with relevant mid to high level experience. Previous experience in the animation sector is a plus but applicants from the broader audio visual sector, such as live action, video games, advertising or event will also be considered. While proficiency in the detailed job description are extremely important, the hard and soft skills are even more important, as they enable the continuous learning process we hope to embark on together.

Purpose of the role

Reporting to the CEO and MD, who are based at head office in Helsinki, and working in collaboration with them, the CFO, HR, IT and Line Producers, you will manage the early growth state of the Las Palmas studio and be responsible for overseeing administrative, HR, studio budget, IT, technical and logistical aspects You will monitor the studio's on-going needs and processes, resolve occasional issues and report back regularly to the group management team.

Responsibilities

Administration & HR

Coordinate with HR to prepare for the arrival and seamless integration of new team members.
Monitor the studio's HR activity and report updates to the HR teams at headquarters.
Coordinate with local partners and headquarters: collaborate with lawyers, payroll managers, banks, and manage cost reports and payments.
Oversee employee administration in collaboration with headquarters: onboarding/offboarding, contracts, attendance, and payroll.
Manage and coordinate service provider administration: handle quotes, contracts, invoices, and payments.
Minor accounting tasks: gathering and preparing materials for local accounting providers
Take part in the coordination of tax credits with the CEO and CFO, including documentation and reporting.

IT & Tech

Monitor, anticipate and follow up on IT requests and team needs to headquarters.
Support IT teams by handling minor on-site maintenance tasks.

Facilities

Establish, monitor, and manage studio processes to ensure security and a positive work environment.
Coordinate with IT providers to set up workstations for new arrivals.
Anticipate, negotiate, and manage necessary maintenance or improvements to the premises.
Oversee facilities-related budgets and costs

Communication & Events

Serve as the studio’s primary point of contact with local stakeholders (e.g., SPEGC, ZEC, regional government representatives, Producers' Cluster).
Organise events for the teams within the studio budget.
Manage external (media) and internal (team) communications in collaboration with headquarters.

Other responsibilities

Stay informed of production progress to identify priorities related to team and studio needs.
Be aware of legal requirements for employees and studio as the workforce grows
Draft and monitor the studio’s HR budget in collaboration with the management controller and Financial Director.

Assignments may be adapted based on the candidate's experience and skills.

The ideal candidate would have

Hard Skills

Fluent in English and Spanish
Proficiency with Microsoft office package (Excel, Word) and Google (Google Sheets)
Strong ability to create and manage budgets and schedules.
Operational project management skills.
IT skills, with the ability to coordinate effectively with an IT support team.
Knowledge of Spanish administration, particularly labor law. Alternatively, ability to swiftly master this knowledge with Gigglebug’s legal partners.

Soft skills