Managing Producer

This is a Full Time Job

Location: Bristol, Connecticut, United States; Town of Bristol, Connecticut, United States

Job Summary:

The Managing Producer will be responsible for strategic editorial and logistical planning of coverage. This position will lead a team whose mission is to bring all platforms together to produce the best content possible. The role is responsible for establishing the daily needs of the sports team, delegating tasks to team members, including game feeds, press conferences, TVU movement, etc. The Managing Producer coordinates the efforts of freelance and staff producers and associated production/technical personnel to provide video and audio sports/news material for ESPN platforms. This person will work with sports planners to identify and fulfill coverage needs, including establishing and ensuring the successful execution of coverage plans, such as ancillary crew needs, including as parking, credentials, Ethernet, phone lines, and permits. The Managing Producer acts as the liaison between the Bureau staff, Shows, Media Operations, and Transmission. Gathers and communicates content for use on ESPN platforms, working with ESPN staff and vendors, social media, affiliates and other networks. Shifts will include nights and weekends.

Responsibilities:

• Daily leadership of team members working nightside (understanding that this will rotate). This includes oversight of content requests and needs through the night, as well as the balance of work across team members.
• Join/Lead the 4:30p ET team ''handoff'' call to promote collaboration across days/nights.
• Use email/slack for unified communication with the team (Bristol, LAPC, Team Charlotte & WFH).
• Regularly pitch shows segment ideas and storylines related to your areas of focus and when notable items cross the Assignment Desk.
• During assignments associated with designated leagues' coverage needs or related to the shows you are servicing, coordinate with the on-site operations and drive communication with the Assignment Desk and impacted shows.
• Participate in editorial conversations with Reporters through segments and pieces for our platforms. This sometimes includes producing in the field or from Bristol.
• Acquire and clear appropriate video, sot, social media posts and feeds for use on our various platforms.
• Holds meetings with the appropriate sport team to detail future plans and reviewing past assignments.
• Sharing feedback, concerns and needs to appropriate leadership or directly to individuals working at night, in order to encourage personal growth and develop the team. This should include regular progress reports to the Sr Managing Producer and Coordinating Producer. UCG point person for SC: SVP and that night's respective SportsCenters (SC@Night and/or SC: Los Angeles).
• Oversight of Direct Reports – including feedback and growth discussions through the year, and end of year reviews. Seeks out feedback on your ''team'' from shows and other platforms.
• Manage relationships with the designated leagues, including every respective team and official production.
• Leads a team whose mission is to bring all platforms together to produce the best possible content.
• Clearly defines roles of each person on his/her/their team.
• Provides guidance to shows on coverage decisions, including reporter and crew assignment and potential angles for stories.
• Communicates information gleaned from multiple sources (sport-specific shows, digital editors, social producers) to relevant parties.
• Coordinates with other Managing Producers, Bureau Producers and the Assignment Desk on scheduling of reporters, producers and crews.
• Approves expense reports for all employees who report directly. Holds regular (weekly or biweekly) meetings with directs to ensure timely, constructive feedback and thoughtful career conversations.
• When appropriate, represents Assignment Desk and/or leads coverage in the field.

Basic Qualifications:

• A minimum of 5 years of progressively complex related studio or related production experience.
• Ability to work days, nights and weekends, as it best fits the designated assignments.
• Have an established significant knowledge of current sports and sports history.
• Experience managing individuals and/or a team, pursing team goals and contributing to career growth.
• Has good production skills related to sporting events.
• Familiar experience navigating YouTube and a wide variety of social media websites.
• Strong organizational and communication skills.
• Good writing and copy editing skills.
• Knowledge of televisions production and video editing in digital and analog environments.
• Has working mastery of the sports production processes and the ability to research and create compelling news stories and features for ESPN's sports news programs.
• Working mastery of real-time sports news productions processes
• Has good knowledge of what news stories and features to use for sports news programs.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Good understanding of ESPN's marketing, strategies and goals.
• An appreciation of popular culture, e.g., ''what's cool'' and assists with defining the tastes of ESPN's viewers.
• Detailed technical knowledge required, must have knowledge of what ''works'' on television and what is realistic to accomplish in time allotted for show production.
• Specific knowledge of television production technique used in a digital control room.
• Has good expertise to interpret and create compelling news stories and features for sports news programs; able to create and execute compelling news stories and features, from inception to execution.
• Established a high level knowledge of current technology used on remote sites and is committed to learning new technologies and sharing that information to help the group benefit with potentially new coverage plans.

Required Education:

• High School Diploma

Preferred Education:

• Bachelors Degree in communication arts, journalism or new media or equivalent combination of education experience.

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