Director, Development & Production

Title:

Director, Development & Production

Department:

Content and Production

Reports To:

President of Content and Production

Location:

Within a two-hour radius of New York City. Substantial domestic and international travel required.

Position Overview

The Director, Development & Production is responsible for building, managing, and advancing Free Association Live’s slate of new live entertainment projects across both licensed collaborations and original formats. This role ensures that FA Live maintains a consistent and disciplined development pipeline, balancing creative ambition with commercial precision.

The Director will identify and evaluate new ideas, oversee concept and development stages, coordinate cross-departmental collaboration, and enforce schedule, budget, and performance accountability across all early-stage projects.

The Director reports directly to the President of Content and Production and plays a central role in achieving FA Live’s strategic project goals

Key Responsibilities

• Development Leadership
• Cultivate and manage the new project pipeline, from idea sourcing through development and handoff to production.
• Manage a consistent flow of six to eight active concepts and four active developments at all times, ensuring the company’s long-term greenlight cadence is sustained.
• Ensure creative, financial, and operational benchmarks are met before projects advance.
• Partner with Producers to define project scopes, budgets, timelines, and deliverables.
• Act as the central hub for creative and commercial documentation, tracking progress, deadlines, and key decision points.
• Creative Sourcing and Evaluation
• Identify new live entertainment opportunities across film, TV, music, publishing, and cultural sectors that fit FA Live’s mission.
• Develop relationships with IP owners, creative talent, and potential partners.
• Assess creative and market potential for each project, preparing one-page commercial theses and early concept decks for leadership review.
• Collaborate with in-house counsel to evaluate rights positions and licensing structures.
• Pipeline and Process Management
• Build and manage the tracking systems for all development projects, including timelines, milestones, and cost-to-date summaries.
• Lead weekly development meetings and maintain communication with leadership regarding project status and upcoming decision gates.
• Ensure clear and actionable communication between creative, production, and business teams during all stages of development.
• Implement systems to ensure projects are killed or advanced quickly based on measurable criteria.
• Strategic Integration
• Align creative decisions with broader franchise goals, including potential unscripted, scripted, digital, or educational extensions.
• Collaborate with FA Live’s screen development and business development executives to identify cross-platform synergies.
• Participate in strategic planning sessions for long-term content portfolio growth and resource allocation.
• People and Resource Development
• Supervise and mentor the Development Coordinator.
• Support internal and external Producers through early-stage development.
• Help evaluate and onboard future hires, including Development Executives, as the department scales.
• Producing Responsibilities
• In addition to development leadership, the Director will serve as a Producer on shows and projects as assigned by the President of Production. Key producing duties include:
• Oversee day-to-day production of assigned shows and projects, ensuring delivery on schedule, on budget, and to creative standard.
• Manage production budgets, schedules, and resources, tracking costs and flagging variances to the President of Production.
• Coordinate creative, technical, and operational teams, vendors, and venues throughout pre-production, rehearsal, and run.
• Negotiate and manage contracts with talent, crew, and third-party vendors in collaboration with in-house counsel.
• Serve as the primary on-the-ground point of contact during load-in, technical rehearsals, and performances, resolving issues as they arise.
• Report regularly to the President of Production on production status, risks, and key decisions.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5–7 years of experience in live entertainment, theatre, television, film, or event-based content development.
• Proven ability to manage multiple creative projects simultaneously with tight deadlines and defined budgets.
• Strong understanding of deal structures, rights management, and creative development processes.
• Experience with creative workshops, labs, or proof-of-concept models preferred.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills, with comfort presenting to executive leadership and investors.
• A collaborative, resourceful, and decisive leader who values accountability, speed, and creative integrity.