Arianna Smith
London
Summary
Senior Production Manager with over 10 years' experience delivering broadcast, factual, documentary and live productions across major UK broadcasters and global media organisations.
Experienced in leading complex productions from concept through to delivery, managing seven-figure budgets, building high-performing teams and supporting content across natural history, factual programming, live sport, music and radio.
Strong people leader with expertise in production operations, resource planning, workflow development and delivering award-winning work at scale.
Career Highlights
• Senior Production Manager leading creative production across TNT Sports and HBO Max UK
• Seven-figure annual budget ownership and team leadership
• Experience across factual, documentary, natural history, music and radio productions, with credits including UEFA Champions League, Springwatch, Chelsea Flower Show and Modern Tribes
• Extensive broadcast television experience spanning production operations, location filming and content delivery
• Multi-award-winning productions delivered for major broadcasters and global media organisations
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
3
3
years of post-secondary education
1
1
Certification
Work history
Senior Production Manager
Warner Bros. Discovery
London
2025.05 - 2026.06
- Senior lead overseeing end-to-end production across broadcast, streaming, digital and social platforms, delivering complex multi-platform content and campaigns for TNT Sports and HBO Max UK.
- Own seven-figure annual budgets, allocating spend across production, post production, staffing and external suppliers while maintaining quality and delivery speed.
- Line manage and develop a multi-discipline production team, including Production Managers, Production Producers and Design Producers, overseeing workload planning, prioritisation and resourcing.
- Trusted senior partner to Creative, Marketing, Media Planning, Finance and Legal teams, ensuring delivery aligns with commercial strategy, compliance and platform requirements.
- Lead high-volume, fast-turnaround delivery, balancing concurrent campaigns, business as usual output and major tentpole moments.
- Delivered 207 video campaigns, 468 static campaigns, 1,723 video assets and 2,785 static assets in 2025.
- Led the migration and integration of multiple production teams during a major restructure and departmental split, maintaining output, morale and operational stability.
- Lead and pilot production platforms and workflows including Monday.com, Resource Guru, Frame.io and SharePoint, improving visibility, planning and delivery across multi-team environments.
Production Manager
Warner Bros. Discovery
London
2023.06 - 2025.05
- Managed end to end production of promo campaigns, supporting senior leadership on complex and high priority projects.
- Owned and controlled campaign budgets, tracking spend across shoot production, post production and external suppliers.
- Oversaw production logistics for shoots and post production, coordinating suppliers, schedules and approvals.
- Led high priority marketing campaigns in collaboration with senior stakeholders and external agencies.
- Took on expanded line management responsibility, growing from two direct reports to wider team oversight ahead of promotion.
- Regularly stepped up to cover senior responsibilities during peak delivery periods, contributing to planning, risk management and delivery forecasting.
Production Manager
BT Sport
2022.01 - 2023.06
- Managed domestic and international productions from pre-production through delivery, overseeing logistics, scheduling, budgets and post-production workflows.
- Produced weekly location shoots in fast-paced broadcast environments, working across creative, editorial, technical and production teams.
- Delivered live and recorded content across broadcast and digital platforms, balancing multiple concurrent productions and tight deadlines.
- Production Manager within BT Sport’s Creative and Digital team, delivering promo, campaign and shoulder programming across broadcast and digital platforms.
- Served as Production Manager across live services including Premier League Early Kick Off and Sign Up (BSL accessible programming), overseeing delivery and coordination across editorial, technical and production teams.
- Managed live and shoulder production for major international sporting events including Champions League Final (Istanbul), UFC London PPV Fight Week and UFC Fight Week (Las Vegas).
- Produced weekly domestic and international shoots, leading pre production, delivery and post production in fast paced, high pressure broadcast environments.
- Delivered shoulder programming and digital led content supporting live broadcasts, talent moments and wider campaign narratives.
- Collaborated closely with creative, editorial, technical and broadcast teams to deliver high volume output to tight transmission deadlines.
- Progressed from Production Coordinator to Production Manager over four years, taking on increasing responsibility across live broadcasts, international productions and major sporting events.
Junior Production Manager
BT Sport
2021.01 - 2022.01
- Supported delivery of creative and marketing campaigns across broadcast and digital platforms, working closely with senior production leadership.
- Took responsibility for shoot coordination, budget tracking and production administration across multiple concurrent campaigns.
- Acted as a key point of contact across creative, production and post production teams to support delivery under tight deadlines.
Production Coordinator
BT Sport
2019.01 - 2021.01
- Supported delivery of short form, promo and campaign content across broadcast and digital platforms.
- Coordinated production logistics including schedules, suppliers, approvals and documentation.
- Provided post production support and delivery coordination across multiple stakeholders.
Education
Level 3 Production Apprenticeship - Production
BBC Academy
London 2014.08 - 2015.09
Level 3 Ext. Diploma - Broadcasting and Digital Communication
The BRIT School for Performing Arts & Technology
London 2012.08 - 2014.06
Skills
- Production Management
- Broadcast & Documentary Production
- Budget Management & Forecasting
- International Production
- Production Operations
- Talent & Crew Management
- Post Production Workflows
- Risk & Compliance Management
- Resource Planning
Certification
- AI and production workflow training, including applied AI in creative operations
- People leadership and management development programmes
- Senior leadership coaching
- First Aid certified
- Safety management and production compliance training
- Valid iVisa (2 years remaining)
References
References available upon request.
Accomplishments
Productions delivered have received multiple industry award nominations and wins across major UK, European and global award programmes.
Recognition includes the Global Entertainment Marketing Academy of Arts & Science (Global, UK and Europe), Promax UK, Broadcast Digital Awards and The Telly Awards, including multiple Gold, Silver and Bronze wins.
EARLY CAREER BROADCAST EXPERIENCE | 2015 – 2018
- Held a range of production, camera, events, communications and operational roles across BBC, BT, Project Everyone, Propeller Recordings and freelance productions.
- Worked across factual, documentary, natural history, music, radio and live broadcast productions, supporting location filming, studio production, talent coordination, content delivery and broadcast operations.
- Selected credits included Springwatch, Chelsea Flower Show, Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival, Modern Tribes, Songs of Praise, BBC Radio 6 Music, BBC Music, BBC 1Xtra Live, Notting Hill Carnival coverage and the United Nations Global Goals radio initiative.
Timeline
Senior Production Manager
Warner Bros. Discovery
2025.05 - 2026.06
Production Manager
Warner Bros. Discovery
2023.06 - 2025.05
Production Manager
BT Sport
2022.01 - 2023.06
Junior Production Manager
BT Sport
2021.01 - 2022.01
Production Coordinator
BT Sport
2019.01 - 2021.01
Level 3 Production Apprenticeship - Production
BBC Academy
2014.08 - 2015.09
Level 3 Ext. Diploma - Broadcasting and Digital Communication
The BRIT School for Performing Arts & Technology
2012.08 - 2014.06