Head of Production, AI Systems

About Addition

Addition is R/GA's applied intelligence studio. We work with many of the world's leading brands to solve problems at the intersection of frontier AI and human-centered design. We collaborate with our clients to implement and scale AI systems that create real-world value—improving communications, customer experiences, and internal business workflows.

About R/GA

In our 40-year history, we’ve changed a lot—from a culture-defining film title studio (Superman, Alien, Ghostbusters); to an interactive advertising agency; to an award-winning product and marketing agency with design, technology, communications, ventures and IP practices. We like change, and like to navigate our clients through it too. Our approach to work is always human first. This unwavering focus helps us create meaningful and memorable experiences that live across digital platforms and often blur the line between the digital and real worlds. We believe disruptive thinking happens when you collide experts in design, technology and culture.

About the Role

Our producers are the operating system of the studio. They run the seam where machine intelligence becomes brand work: translating what models can do into what clients actually ship, holding craft, feasibility, and commercial reality in the same hand. The Head of Production, AI Systems will lead Addition's production team and own how our work gets made: the delivery models, standards, and operating rhythms that carry agentic platforms, generative design systems, and AI-driven campaigns from model capability to marketing execution at brand scale.

This isn't a traditional agency Head of Production role. You will build upon the technology, people, and methodology of an AI-native studio, continually evolving production as a real-time system that can generate, adapt, and respond. As we build AI using AI, you will lead through industry shifts and build an environment where producers think like AI product managers to scope, interrogate, and deliver AI systems with confidence.

The Head of Production, AI Systems sits within our Production team, reporting into and working closely with the VP, Managing Director, Addition, alongside studio Leadership, AI Solutions strategists, creative technologists, designers, and engineers.

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead and Develop the Production Team: Manage and grow a senior team of Executive Producers, Senior Producers, Producers, and Coordinators. Create an environment in which producers flourish by giving precise, useful feedback and helping the team strengthen their craft, judgment, systems rigor, and technical fluency so they think like AI product managers.
• Define Production Vision & Operating Standards: Define the long-term production vision and operational roadmaps, anticipating practice needs one to two years out. Set organization-wide delivery standards, workflow frameworks, and quality benchmarks, treating the production practice as a system to be designed.
• Resource Management & Talent Pipeline: Own project-wide resourcing and project-specific headcount planning. Shape headcount recommendations and the underlying operational thinking to bring to studio leadership for final approval and execution.
• Cross-Disciplinary Partnership: Work closely with creative technologists, designers, engineers, and AI Solutions strategists. Move seamlessly between creative, technical, and commercial conversations to lead multidisciplinary teams toward innovative delivery approaches.
• Scope, Scale & Client Escalation: Scope executions of any size with precision, drive new business pitches, spot upsell opportunities, and build long-term engagements. Serve as the ultimate delivery escalation point for complex portfolio risks and high-stakes client engagements.

The Ideal Person

• Problem Solver & Adaptable: Thrives in fast-paced, high-ambiguity environments and turns complex challenges into structured, elegant solutions. Comfortable with industry ambiguity and establishing new playbooks.
• High EQ & Collaborative: A cross-functional team player who builds strong, trusting relationships with internal teams, C-suite executives, and enterprise clients. Generous with judgment and experience to make others better.
• Authentic Communicator: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, able to translate complex technical/AI concepts into clear, actionable, and persuasive ideas. Serve as a compelling presence in any room, defend delivery decisions thoughtfully, and help clients see new possibilities.
• Curious & Forward-Thinking: Genuinely passionate about frontier AI, continuous learning, and exploring applied innovation. Actively uses AI tools, tracks agentic systems, and thinks in operating models rather than isolated projects.

Requirements

• Experience: 12+ years of production experience across design and technology agencies, in-house brand teams, and/or digital production studios, with significant time leading production talent and working with interdisciplinary teams.
• Technical & Industry Literacy: High fluency with AI tooling reshaping production (notably AI Coding Agents, image generation, and video generation capabilities), as well as deep familiarity with agentic workflow architecture, model capabilities, and AI transformation.
• Execution & Track Record: Proven track record of delivering novel AI solutions at brand scale, building delivery standards and resourcing models, scoping/pricing pitches, winning new business, and managing complex client engagements.
• Tooling Proficiency: Comfort operating with modern collaboration tools, AI capabilities, and hands-on coding with AI to push limitations and interrogate delivery pipelines.

Bonus Points

• Deep background spanning advertising agency, brand experience, and digital production studio environments.
• Proven capability to bridge technical engineering conversations (pipelines, evals) directly with CMO-level marketing execution strategies.
• Experience developing repeatable operational frameworks, pricing models, and resourcing structures for emergent AI technologies.

Why Join Addition?

• Shape the Future: Lead and innovate at an AI-powered studio at the forefront of applied AI innovation.
• High-Impact Work: Build and drive technological and creative solutions that redefine how global brands operate.
• Direct Leadership Access: Collaborate closely with our CEO, leadership team, and R/GA network to help define how we scale.

This role is based in the NYC / Tri-State area or Greater Los Angeles area. Candidates must be located within commuting distance in the NYC area (NY, NJ, CT), Greater LA area (Southern California) or be willing to relocate. This position offers a hybrid work model, with regular in-person collaboration and team / client workshops.

The hiring range for this position is $250,000 to $275,000. Where an employee or prospective employee is paid within this range will depend on, among other factors, actual ranges for current/former employees in the subject position; budgetary considerations; tenure and standing with the company (applicable to current employees); as well as the employee’s/applicant’s applicable skills, pertinent experience, and qualifications.