Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Voice Over Manager

🎯 Role Definition

We're on the hunt for a seasoned and passionate Voice Over Manager to join our dynamic team. In this critical role, you will be the central hub for all voice-over activities, acting as the primary driver for our audio localization and production efforts. You will own the entire VO lifecycle, ensuring that every line of dialogue meets our high creative and technical standards. This position requires a unique blend of project management rigor, creative direction, talent negotiation, and technical expertise. You will collaborate closely with creative leads, producers, sound designers, and localization teams to bring our characters and narratives to life with compelling, authentic voice performances for a global audience. If you thrive in a fast-paced environment and have a deep appreciation for the art of voice acting, we want to hear from you.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Audio Production Coordinator
Localization Project Manager
Casting Coordinator / Associate

Advancement To:

Senior Voice Over Manager / Lead VO Manager
Director of Audio Production
Head of Localization / Globalization

Lateral Moves:

Casting Director
Audio Producer / Senior Producer
Dialogue Editor / Supervisor

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Manage the end-to-end project lifecycle for all voice-over production, from initial script receipt and analysis through casting, recording, editing, mastering, and final asset delivery.
Develop and maintain comprehensive project plans, schedules, and budgets, ensuring all VO projects are delivered on time, within scope, and on budget.
Spearhead the global casting process, including sourcing, auditioning, and selecting voice talent that aligns with creative direction and character profiles for multiple languages.
Cultivate and manage strong relationships with a global network of voice talent, agents, and third-party recording studios, negotiating rates, contracts, and usage rights.
Provide clear and constructive creative direction to voice actors during recording sessions, both in-person and remotely, to elicit powerful and authentic performances.
Collaborate with writers and narrative designers to ensure script readiness for recording, identifying potential performance issues, inconsistencies, or localization challenges.
Oversee the scheduling and logistics of all recording sessions, ensuring talent, directors, and engineers are booked and prepared.
Review and approve all recorded audio for quality control, checking for performance consistency, technical specifications, and adherence to creative goals.
Act as the primary point of contact for all internal and external stakeholders on matters related to voice-over production, providing regular status updates and reports.
Manage the localization of voice-over content for international markets, coordinating with regional teams and vendors to ensure cultural and linguistic accuracy.
Create and maintain a comprehensive database of voice talent, including auditions, past projects, rates, and performance feedback.
Troubleshoot and resolve any issues that arise during the production process, from technical recording problems to talent scheduling conflicts.
Oversee the preparation of all necessary production materials, such as scripts, character briefs, reference materials, and pronunciation guides for talent and studios.
Partner with the legal team to ensure all talent contracts, NDAs, and licensing agreements are properly executed and compliant.
Manage the technical pipeline for audio assets, ensuring files are correctly named, formatted, and delivered to the sound design and implementation teams.
Lead post-production efforts for dialogue, including directing the editing, processing, and mastering of raw audio files to meet final mix specifications.
Drive the financial administration of VO projects, including processing purchase orders, tracking invoices, and reconciling project budgets.
Continuously evaluate and improve VO production workflows, tools, and processes to increase efficiency, quality, and scalability.
Stay current with industry trends, new technologies, and best practices in voice-over production, direction, and recording.
Mentor and guide junior members of the audio or production team, sharing knowledge and fostering a collaborative environment.
Prepare and present project post-mortems to identify key learnings, successes, and areas for improvement in future projects.

Secondary Functions

Contribute to the continuous improvement of the VO production pipeline by evaluating and recommending new software, hardware, and workflow methodologies.
Collaborate with sound design and engineering teams to ensure a seamless integration of voice assets into the final product.
Provide regular, data-informed reporting to leadership on project status, budget variance, vendor performance, and overall pipeline health.
Participate in creative brainstorming and initial concept meetings to provide early input on dialogue and voice-over feasibility.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

DAW Proficiency: Expert-level knowledge of industry-standard Digital Audio Workstations, particularly Pro Tools, for recording, editing, and mixing.
Project Management Software: High proficiency in tools like Jira, Asana, Trello, or ShotGrid for tracking tasks, schedules, and resources.
Audio Editing & Repair: Skilled in using audio repair software such as iZotope RX for cleaning and restoring dialogue.
File Management: Deep understanding of audio file formats, naming conventions, and asset management systems.
Localization Tools: Familiarity with CAT tools (e.g., MemoQ, Trados) and how they integrate with VO production workflows.
Remote Recording Technology: Experience with remote recording solutions like Source-Connect, SessionLinkPRO, and IPDTL.
Budgeting & Financial Tracking: Competency in using spreadsheet software (Excel, Google Sheets) for budget creation, tracking, and reporting.

Soft Skills

Exceptional Communication: Ability to articulate creative feedback clearly and diplomatically to actors, directors, and internal teams.
Negotiation: Strong negotiation skills for securing favorable rates and terms with talent, agents, and studios.
Leadership & Direction: The capacity to lead a recording session, inspire confidence in talent, and guide performances to meet a creative vision.
Problem-Solving: Proactive and resourceful in identifying and resolving logistical, technical, and creative challenges under pressure.
Meticulous Attention to Detail: An exacting eye (and ear) for quality, consistency, and accuracy in both performance and technical specifications.
Cultural Sensitivity: High degree of awareness and respect for cultural nuances, essential for managing global localization projects.
Time Management & Organization: Superior ability to multitask and prioritize competing deadlines in a fast-paced production environment.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's Degree or equivalent professional experience in a related field.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor's or Master's Degree in a relevant field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Audio Engineering / Production
Communications / Media Studies
Film & Television Production
Project Management
Theater Arts

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

5-8 years of direct experience in audio production, with a significant focus on managing voice-over projects from start to finish.

Preferred:

Proven experience managing large-scale, multi-language voice-over projects for video games, animation, or major streaming services. A strong portfolio demonstrating successful project delivery and a network of industry contacts is highly desirable.