Senior Producer, Digital Video and Strategy

GBH enriches people's lives through programs and services that educate, inspire, and entertain, fostering citizenship and culture, the joy of learning, and the power of diverse perspectives.

At GBH, we believe in the advantages of coming together to build community, mentor and learn from colleagues, and connect more deeply with our mission. As a result, the majority of our staff are hybrid and work both from home and onsite. Our current hybrid approach requires staff to work onsite a minimum of two days each week, every Tuesday and Wednesday, Hybrid staff are also welcome to come in additional days each week or may be asked to come in on other days by their manager.

DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW

FRONTLINE is investigative journalism that questions, explains and changes our world. We tell the stories others can’t or won’t — from the rise of the NSA’s domestic surveillance dragnet, to the hidden history of the NFL and concussions, to the secret reality of rape on the job for immigrant women. Our investigations have helped breathe new life into terrorism cold cases, freed innocent people from jail, prompted U.N. resolutions, and spurred both policy and social change. We’ve been American television’s top long-form news and current affairs series since 1983, and we’ve won every major journalism and broadcasting award available.

Editorial and journalistic integrity is integral to our ability to achieve our public media mission. Adherence to these foundational values in our work underpins our ability to connect to local and national audiences with credibility. FRONTLINE is also committed to presenting more voices, perspectives and experiences across our platforms. As a member of public media, it’s a core part of our mission to reflect the perspectives of all the people we service. We seek both to foster a work environment and to produce journalism that values inclusiveness and reflects the broad perspectives of the American public from all racial, ethnic, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds, sexual orientations, gender identities and functional limitations, particularly those from historically marginalized communities

We work out of WGBH Educational Foundation in Boston, home to 11 public television services, three public radio services, and a number of national television productions, including NOVA, Masterpiece, American Experience and others.

JOB OVERVIEW

As a documentary journalism series, visual journalism is at the heart of who we are and what we do. The Senior Producer, Digital Video and Strategy, will lead the development and production of compelling, rigorously reported video journalism for FRONTLINE’s digital platforms. The ideal candidate is an experienced visual storyteller with exceptional editorial judgment, strong news instincts, and a deep understanding of social video journalism. 

FRONTLINE is seeking an innovative and experienced video journalist/assignment editor to oversee the creation of original short-form and digital-first video content across YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and the FRONTLINE website. Working closely with FRONTLINE’s leadership team and reporting to the Senior Director, Digital Media for Documentaries, the Senior Producer will help shape how FRONTLINE’s journalism is adapted, produced, and distributed for social audiences and emerging video formats. 

The Senior Producer will be responsible for managing a team of producers who create high-impact social videos from FRONTLINE’s documentaries. This includes shaping ideas, managing production workflows, providing editorial and visual feedback, and ensuring that all content meets FRONTLINE’s standards for journalistic rigor. They will also develop, lead, and implement our social media strategy, managing a robust content calendar, increasing our publishing cadence, coordinating with external partners on collaborations, and ensuring the accounts are driven first by our journalism and storytelling. 

Acting as a catalyst to launch new content initiatives, pioneer new forms of storytelling, and demonstrate audience-first thinking to support these efforts, the Senior Producer will be a key leadership voice in FRONTLINE’s newsroom. Under the guidance of the Senior Director, they will be responsible for expanding FRONTLINE’s short docs editorial strategy to develop content for digital-first and social platforms.  Candidates for this position will have a background in video storytelling, be comfortable working in fast-paced settings under deadline pressure, and demonstrate strong production and organizational skills. Smart, creative solutions to production and editorial challenges are key to success in this role. 

The Senior Producer will also identify opportunities to transform complex reporting into engaging, original videos by working with on-camera talent. The right candidate will have a strong understanding of best practices around creating explanatory social video and have the drive to innovate new formats and ideas quickly, all the while coaching team members who are new to this type of work.   

RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Develop a strategy that can both increase the publishing cadence of social video while still actively engaging with our audience and showcasing important journalism across multiple digital platforms, including the FRONTLINE’s YouTube channel, social media channels, and emerging platforms
• Identify, develop, and implement new digital initiatives and innovative digital video projects across digital platforms to keep FRONTLINE’s content relevant to our audience and align with business priorities 
• Research, develop, and create digital content, including, but not limited to, short form videos, short docs, video series pilots, and vertical video for social platforms
• Expand the format, cadence and reach of FRONTLINE’s social video efforts in line with the digital strategy and audience goals. 
• Supervise and manage the digital video team, including digital producers, associate producers, interns, and social media managers, ensuring that the team meets required deliverables on schedule and on budget for all active video projects
• Oversee FRONTLINE’s current “For the Record” social series by commissioning, guiding and reviewing work throughout the production process.
• Run a publication schedule in close collaboration with Social and Digital Video teams.
• Manage, coach and mentor direct reports by setting clear goals, providing regular feedback and supporting their professional growth.
• Lead pitch process for digital content ideas, including, but not limited to those related to broadcast programs.
• Collaborate with newsroom staff, documentary producers and external partners to ensure journalistic high standards.
• Schedule and run daily team meetings and schedule new, regular meetings as required. 
• Contribute to the writing and editing of grant proposals and reports, detailing digital video goals, production strategies, and performance.
• Work across multiple departments to improve current digital production workflows and implement more efficient processes.
• Set goal metrics and ensure a data-informed approach to content development across the team.
• Interpret audience data to inform decision-making while still upholding editorial integrity.
• Optimize all video production processes to maximize efficiency and output, and ensure that all processes and content comply with all relevant rules and regulations, including WGBH and PBS rights policies. Develop organized processes for the digital video team to maintain required records and ensure the acquisition of all necessary clearances and releases for the use of materials online.
• In coordination with Business and Finance team, prepare budgets, review project expenses, and provide updated projections, as needed, for internal and external funder reports.
• Oversee digital video shutdown and deliverables

SKILL SET

• Highly motivated, creative storyteller committed to working collaboratively.
• Demonstrated management experience, particularly in overseeing production of visually-driven projects.
• Strong video editing skills and in-the-field video reporting experience.
• In-depth understanding of documentary/journalism production and multi-platform storytelling. 
• Demonstrated ability to manage resources and balance multiple time-sensitive projects simultaneously.
• Knowledge of the digital-first video landscape and digital distribution platforms.
• Proven experience in developing social-first strategies and concepts.
• Excellent writing and communication skills. Proven ability to effectively communicate the parameters and ideas of a project, and the production experience to see it to completion. 
• Deep knowledge of FRONTLINE’s past work, core mission, and archival content — and the ability to rely on it when producing multiple projects under tight deadlines. 
• Experience managing a diverse and cross-functional team.
• Mastery of a variety of multimedia production and software programs (including the Adobe Creative Suite)
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Commitment to journalistic accuracy and integrity

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE 

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience required at media companies. 
• 8+ years of relevant experience in journalism, with emphasis on digital video production and editing. 
• 3+ years of management experience and leading across teams.

JOB SPECIFICS 

• Remote position
• Staff position
• Flexible schedule and extended hours are sometimes required.

LOCATION

Remote