Director, Production Management- ABC News Studios

Job Summary:

ABC News Studios is a non fiction studio within ABC News charged with producing narrative non-fiction, documentaries, and news specials for Hulu, ABC Network, Disney+, and Disney Basic Cable Channels. We are seeking an experienced production management executive to supervise projects across our growing portfolio. Reporting to the Vice President, Production Management and Program Operations, the Director, Production Management will lead all aspects of production management activities working in collaboration with the executive producers for each program and line producers assigned to individual projects. Our Director will have experience with various production models including in-house, co-productions, and third-party commissions and will recommend the best structure for each project - including Network specials. Developing budgets and schedules for narrative non-fiction limited series, & specials recurring series, and feature documentary films, and development are all in your wheelhouse. The Director is responsible for all aspects of production from pre-development through post production and asset delivery, and work closely with edit operations and delivery teams. Our Director will also collaborate with the teams responsible for insurance, rights and clearances, risk management, and labor issues.

What You Will Do:

• Act as a production management executive across longform projects at ABC News including internal studio projects and 3rd party work-for-hire productions.

• Assist other longform projects and adjacent content creation including 20/20, new digital initiatives within the company, and conversion of longform content to podcasts.

• Directly manage complex productions and ensure network creative, technical and business goals are delivered.

• Create development budgets as needed and provide Line Producer-level guidance and budget tracking during development shoots.

• Build initial budgets and associated production modeling, then manage series line producers and production management staff to oversee all production scheduling, budget revisions, cost reporting and day-to-day management for projects on all platforms.

• Coordinate with Executive Producer and Director of Production Management and Staffing to develop a staffing model for each project and to manage staff as they are onboarded

• Coordinates closely with Edit Operations and Delivery teams to ensure project specifications for each delivery platform are met and schedules and budgets are adhered to.

• Coordinates closely with Finance team on project development and expense tracking.

• Builds or updates production handbooks and communicates requirements to all creative and production teams

• Manages union obligations that are triggered by production and works closely with labor counsel to ensure compliance

• Communicates with risk management, insurance and tax compliance teams to ensure all projects are in compliance

• Coordinates closely with Finance team to ensure transparency of budgets

Required Qualifications & Skills:

• Minimum 8 years of production management experience, including experience as a production manager, line producer or studio production management executive

• Expertise in production models with a focus on Network specials

• Expertise in production methods and the latest production technology

• Expertise in production rates and schedules

• Experience working across a diverse set of project types

• Experience leading a team of line producers

• Experience with labor unions and compliance

• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to function in both a quick turn news environment and a longer term documentary production environment

• Calm under pressure and a willingness to be flexible to resolve how best to work with different production teams

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in a production company or studio

• Experience in a network production management capacity preferred

• Understanding of different distribution platforms

• A passion for non-fiction content, with both a news and documentary focus

Education:

• BA or equivalent work experience

ABC News is America's No. 1 news source, providing straightforward, fact-driven journalism across broadcast, streaming, digital and audio. ABC's award-winning programs include "Good Morning America," "World News Tonight with David Muir," "Nightline," "20/20," "This Week with George Stephanopoulos," "GMA3: What You Need to Know," and "The View". Other platforms include ABC News Live, the network's 24/7 streaming channel; ABC News Studios, a premium, narrative nonfiction original production house; ABC News Digital, comprised of a diverse audience of more than 53 million monthly average users; ABC Audio, the premier source for radio news and industry-leading podcasts; FiveThirtyEight, renowned data journalism organization; and NewsOne, the affiliate news service. Based in New York City, ABC News is comprised of three U.S. bureaus and eight international bureaus, with a presence in more than 20 countries around the world.

The hiring range for this position in New York, NY is $138,000 to $189,700 per year. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to the full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.