Director of Broadcast Operations (Athletics)

Department: Univ Athletics-Extrnl Affairs
Salary/Grade: EXS/7

Target hiring range for this position will be between $80,000-$90,000 per year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data

Job Summary:

The Director of Broadcast Production oversees the daily operations and long-term development of Northwestern Athletics' live production department. This position will be actively involved in producing and directing in-venue video board productions and Big Ten Network StudentU broadcasts.

The Director is responsible for staff leadership, budgeting, production standards, resource planning and stakeholder coordination. As the leader of Northwestern Athletics' production efforts, this position works closely with OVG Venue Technology, Northwestern University Information Technology, Athletics IT and other support partners to communicate production needs and ensure event readiness.

*Willingness and ability to work a non-traditional schedule including evenings, weekends and holidays as required.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Oversees the daily operations of Northwestern Athletics' in-venue and StudentU live productions.
• Supervises, evaluates and supports the professional development of the department's Assistant Directors.
• Produces and directs live sporting events and serves in other control-room roles as needed.
• Establishes production standards, workflows and operating procedures across sports and venues.
• Coordinates staffing, schedules, equipment and production resources across simultaneous events.
• Oversees event preparation, including rundowns, show formats, scripts, crew assignments and production meetings.
• Manages the department's operating budget, including staffing, travel, equipment, training and event expenses.
• Develops short- and long-term plans for staffing, production capabilities, equipment needs and program growth.
• Collaborates with marketing, sponsorship, athletic communications, event management, sport administrators and other stakeholders to execute departmental objectives.
• Coordinates with the Big Ten Network and other broadcast partners regarding schedules, staffing, formats, graphics and production standards.
• Serves as the primary production liaison to OVG Venue Technology, Northwestern University Information Technology, Athletics IT and other technical support partners.
• Communicates production requirements, coordinates event support and works with technical staff to resolve recurring operational issues.
• Oversees the recruitment, scheduling and development of student, part-time, freelance and contracted production personnel.
• Leads live-event decision-making and coordinates responses to production, staffing or technical issues.
• Conducts event reviews and staff feedback sessions to improve production quality and consistency.
• Represents Broadcast Production in departmental meetings, event-planning discussions and facility initiatives.
• Assumes responsibility for daily department operations in the absence of the Director of Broadcast Operations.
• Responsible for adhering to all Department and University policies and procedures, as well as the rules, regulations, bylaws and interpretations of the Big Ten Conference, CSC, and the NCAA.
• Responsible for adhering to all Department and University continuing education initiatives and required certifications and trainings.

Miscellaneous

Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in broadcasting, video production, communications, sports management or a related field, or an appropriate combination of education and professional experience.

• Minimum of four (4) years of progressively responsible experience in live sports broadcasting, in-venue production or a related live-event environment.

• Demonstrated experience producing or directing live sporting events and managing production personnel, schedules and resources.

• Previous supervisory or management experience, including staff development and performance oversight.

• Experience managing production budgets, freelance labor or event-related expenses.

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

• Strong understanding of live sports production workflows, including switching, replay, graphics, audio, cameras, routing and intercom.

• Ability to communicate production needs effectively to engineers, information technology professionals and other technical support personnel.

• Strong leadership, communication, organizational and problem-solving skills.

• Ability to balance administrative and strategic responsibilities with hands-on event production.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working with broadcast partners, conference networks, venue operators, contractors or production vendors preferred.

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Working knowledge of Ross Video production systems, including XPression and Carbonite, preferred.

Benefits:

At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful and competitive benefits. The available benefits package for this position will include health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance; paid vacation and holidays; paid medical/sick and parental leave; tuition benefits for the employee and dependents; pre-tax and flex spending accounts for commuting and dependent care; generous retirement savings options; and wellness programs. For a comprehensive overview of available benefits, including eligibility details, visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.