Multimedia Production Manager

Free Press and Free Press Action work to amplify the voices of people and communities in the crucial decisions that shape our media. We believe that positive social change, racial justice and meaningful engagement in public life require equitable access to technology, diverse and independent ownership of media platforms, and journalism that holds leaders accountable and tells people what’s actually happening in their communities. We work at the intersection of media and technology to strengthen our democracy.

Free Press seeks an experienced multimedia production manager who will guide the strategy for our content across multiple channels, including web, social media, email marketing, blog, as well as additional digital channels to further our marketing growth. Creating and distributing compelling original content is key to Free Press’ marketing and communications strategy of telling our stories and advancing our programmatic work. The multimedia production manager will work collaboratively with program staff to conceptualize, develop, and create multimedia assets, marketing content, and other digital experiences to share our programs in engaging ways with current and potential audiences.

The multimedia production manager reports to the managing director and works closely with colleagues in the marketing and communications, program, development, and product teams.  This job requires flexibility in work schedule, generally aligning to U.S. East Coast hours. This position requires evening and weekend work during peak campaign cycles or in the lead up to special events. Regular local, regional and national domestic travel is required, including to events or meetings hosted by others.

Free Press is composed of two separate organizations, Free Press and Free Press Action Fund. Both entities share the same overall mission and employees will have time assigned to one or both entities. This job description refers collectively to the two organizations under the name “Free Press.”

Prima****ry Responsibilities:

Multimedia production

• The manager works closely with colleagues in the marketing and communications, program, development, and product teams to conceive of and produce compelling content to advance our organizational goals and engage new and existing audiences.

• Maximize the ROI on content to serve goals across marketing and communications, program, policy and development teams

• Ensure all multimedia content complies with accessibility standards across platforms

• Create work of high quality, aligned to and supporting our mission, values, and intersectional audiences

Content strategy

• Collaborate with the social media manager to develop content strategy across multiple platforms
• Work with campaign and program staff to determine appropriate mediums and platforms for multimedia assets

Design & production

• Develop creative assets tailored to digital platforms and provide feedback on those assets based on ongoing testing and findings
• Write, film, direct and produce rapid response and longer-form video content to support campaign activities for platforms like YouTube, TikTok and Instagram
• Clip Free Press staff media appearances and repackage for social media platforms in a timely manner
• Provide live event photography and videography as needed
• Complete layout and design work for 1-pagers and reports
• Audit and provide videos, photos, and audio to serve marketing and communications, program and development team needs

Internal collaboration

• Collaborate with other members of the marketing and communications team, other departments and outside consultants to integrate digital content across platforms, including social media and email marketing, and to drive execution
• Work with all program and development teams to bring their content ideas to life
• Provide insights on best practices across different mediums (audio, video, image) and platforms (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, etc)
• Collaborate with the marketing and communication team to produce organic and paid promotional content

External collaboration and vendor coordination

• Collaborate with external partners and contractors to produce original content and amplify existing material that advances the organization’s mission and goals

• Negotiate, manage, and execute contracts pertaining to content production as needed

• Expand Free Press’ network of vendors with shared values from diverse backgrounds

Advancing race equity

• Clearly and consistently articulate an understanding of racial equity and structural racism and the centrality of this analysis to the work Free Press does and how we operate. Integrate that knowledge into work projects and interactions by addressing structural implications and disproportionate impacts of policies, activities and decisions on race, class, gender and other group identities within the context of job responsibilities and projects.
• Integrates race equity and relevant structural implications and knowledge into digital/marketing content creation, projects and interactions.

Desired skills and attributes:

• Passion for digital media and desire to expand understanding and use of emerging social media techniques and strategy
• Seeking a dynamic and fast-paced work environment that advances social and political change through advocacy campaigns, policy change and cultural organizing
• A commitment to racial equity and experience working with communities of color
• Value and respect differences of race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, ability and socioeconomic circumstance
• A creative self-starter, able to work independently and with limited oversight to accomplish agreed upon objectives and to evaluate results
• Able to work under tight deadlines, navigate competing priorities and effectively adjust work plans to respond to emergent challenges or opportunities
• Able to remain positive, tactful and composed under pressure
• A team player with a low-ego approach to collaboration with both internal and external colleagues
• Able to develop and maintain relationships with a wide range of external organizations
• Demonstrate excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills
• Spanish language fluency is a plus
• Dedication to Free Press’ mission of fighting for everyone’s rights to connect and communicate, in addition to the overall success of the organization

Experience and qualifications:

• No minimum education is required; a bachelor's degree may be an indicator of capacity for this position
• 3+ years of directly relevant experience in a nonprofit public interest organization or similar setting is required
• Strong interest in media and technology issues and demonstrated experience working on those or similar issues
• Demonstrated capacity for full-charge “ownership” of program or administrative areas that are integral to day to day organizational functions
• Experience liaising with colleagues in allied organizations
• Proficiency in social media platforms including but not limited to Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram
• Excellent writing, editing (images/ text), presentation and communication skills, including ability to think on one's feet and respond in clear, credible, and concise terms
• Experience in graphic design software and tools (Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Illustrator, FTP file transfers, etc.) on MS or Mac
• Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite including Premier Pro and Illustrator or similar products like Final Cut Pro or Canva
• Proficient in multimedia content production — audio and video — including pre-production, production, editing and release strategies
• Knowledge of and experience with social media platforms, best practices and current trends
• Well versed in the latest video technologies, styles, and branding guidelines
• Experience utilizing Social Media Management software such as Hootsuite and Social Listening and Analytics tools
• Attention to detail, flexibility and demonstrated capacity to operate in a fast-paced environment
• Must have ability to succeed in a predominately telework/remote office  environment, including working with an off-site manager, adopting and maintaining strong digital security practices, and fostering connection and community with colleagues located throughout the U.S.

Bonus qualifications

• Experience with DSLR video production and workflow
• Proficient in Final Cut Pro or Premiere Pro
• Knowledge of digital photography

Covid - 19 Safety:

All Free Press employees must be fully vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus or have an approved medical or religious/ethical/moral accommodation.

Compensation:

Free Press is committed to offering competitive pay and generous benefits, including

• Annual paid time off is a total of ten weeks, including vacation, health-care leave and holidays
• Group medical, dental and vision insurance
• Short- and long-term disability insurance
• Employer contribution to retirement plans (no matching required)
• Flexible health, commuter and dependent care spending accounts
• Paid family leave
• Stipends for business use of personal phones and for home office locations
• All employees receive computers and equipment necessary for the job
• A flexible, supportive work culture

This position is categorized as a “career level 2” position, in the context of five classifications at Free Press, ranging from coordinator to executive.

The starting salary at Free Press for a multimedia production manager who meets the above qualifications is $72,000 - $77,000. Starting salary is based on the selected candidate’s qualifications and experience. To counter pay inequality and uphold internal parity, we use a nonnegotiable starting salary system, while benchmarking our pay to competitive markets in the nonprofit sector.

Free Press is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

We value excellence and diversity in our workforce. People of color, women, people with disabilities, lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, transgender, gender-nonconforming and formerly incarcerated individuals are strongly encouraged to apply.

If you meet some of the qualifications above, we encourage you to apply or to reach out for more information. We know groups subjected to systemic oppression– including people of color, women, people from working class backgrounds, and people who identify as LGBTQ – are less likely to apply unless and until they meet every requirement for a job. Therefore, we strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other communities who are marginalized.

How to apply:

Complete our online application.  Fully answering the application questions is an important part of the application process; 4-5 sentences in response to each question will help us understand your thinking.

Our hiring process includes an initial 20-30 minute interview with one staff person, one or two hour-long interviews with 3-4 staff members, and reference checks after the final interview.

We provide reasonable accommodations for the application, interview, or any other aspect of the employee selection process to applicants with disabilities. Please email amartyn@freepress.net to request an accommodation.

Key dates:

Applications submitted by June 9, 2023 will be reviewed with priority; applications submitted after that date will be reviewed on a rolling basis.   This search will remain open until the position is filled. The ideal candidate will be available to begin work in August 2023.