YouTube Production Manager

Who We Are

Four years ago, Dragonfruit set out to bring together some of the most talented visual storytellers, viral video strategists, and big-name clients, to change the way we create and consume on YouTube. Since then, we've generated over a billion organic views and hundreds of millions of subscribers for creators like MrBeast, Ali Abdaal, Mark Manson, Chris Williamson, Codie Sanchez, and organizations like Y Combinator, e.l.f. Beauty, WHOOP, ClickUp, and the Center for Humane Technology. We're not here to chase cheap clicks, we're here to make YouTube smarter.

Dragonfruit's Mission

Dragonfruit exists to help the world's most important ideas travel farther. We partner with experts, educators, scientists, founders, and creators to turn deep knowledge into media people actually want to watch, share, and act on. In a world where attention is often optimized for noise, we're building a company that rewards clarity, substance, and human impact, combining creative judgment, production craft, and AI-powered systems to help better information reach more people. Our mission is to build the creative infrastructure for a healthier, more thoughtful internet.

Why This Role Matters

As Dragonfruit scales its slate of digital productions, the YouTube Production Manager will play a critical role in keeping that growth on solid ground, bringing budget discipline, logistical rigor, and operational execution to a high-volume production pipeline. This role is about making sure creative ambition never gets bottlenecked by execution, building the operational backbone that enables the team to scale.

The Role

As the YouTube Production Manager, you will own the operational execution of Dragonfruit's digital productions from greenlight through wrap, managing budgets, scheduling, logistics, crew, vendors, locations, and production compliance across a slate of 4+ concurrent productions with budgets ranging from $20K to $80K+ each. You'll partner closely with our Producers to execute the creative vision within an approved budget and timeline, and ensure every production is fully prepared for handoff into post-production.

What You'll Do

• Manage a Multi-Production Slate — oversee 4+ concurrent digital productions with budgets ranging from $20K-$80K+ per production.
• Own Production Budgets — build, track, and reconcile production budgets, receipts, purchase orders, and actuals.
• Run Production Schedules — own production schedules and adjust timelines as creative and production needs evolve.
• Staff Every Shoot — hire, contract, onboard, and coordinate freelance crew and production support.
• Manage Vendors & Equipment — source, negotiate, and manage vendors, rentals, and equipment.
• Handle Location & Travel Logistics — secure locations, permits, travel, lodging, and production logistics.
• Own Production Compliance — manage production insurance, Certificates of Insurance (COIs), releases, permits, and compliance documentation.
• Mitigate Production Risk — identify production risks and develop operational solutions before they become problems.
• Partner on Creative Execution — work with the Producer to execute the creative vision within approved budget and timeline.
• Prep for Post — ensure productions are fully prepared for handoff into post-production.

Skills and Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Line Producer, Production Manager, or similar role managing multiple concurrent video/digital productions at once (4+), with budgets in the $20K-$80K+ range.
• Skilled in building, tracking, and reconciling production budgets, receipts, purchase orders, and actuals.
• Strong scheduling and logistics instincts, able to build and adjust production timelines as needs evolve in real time.
• Experience hiring, contracting, onboarding, and coordinating freelance crew and production support.
• Proven vendor management skills: sourcing, negotiating, and managing vendors, rentals, and equipment.
• Experience securing filming locations, permits, travel, and lodging for on-location shoots.
• Working knowledge of production insurance, Certificates of Insurance (COIs), releases, permits, and compliance documentation.
• Exceptional organizational and problem-solving skills; thrives in a fast-paced, high-volume production environment.
• Strong understanding of YouTube and digital content formats preferred.