Director of Broadcast Operations | Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois, 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. *Note: Not all aspects of the job are covered by this job description. RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO: 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. Other duties as assigned. 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. 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. Experience working with broadcast partners, conference networks, venue operators, contractors or production vendors preferred. Working knowledge of Ross Video production systems, including XPression and Carbonite, preferred. Strong leadership, communication, organizational and problem-solving skills. Ability to balance administrative and strategic responsibilities with hands-on event production. Ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities and make timely decisions in a live-production environment. Knowledge of rules and regulations of the NCAA, CSC, Big Ten Conference and Northwestern University preferred Ability to work cooperatively with others and effectively interact and establish engaging relationships with a wide variety of constituents.