<Production Services Manager>

Department:

IST, Instructional Technologies and Multimedia Services group

Effective Date:

June, 2013

Grade:

USG 12

35 hr/wk

Reports to:

Director, ITMS

General Accountability

The manager is accountable to the Director, Instructional Technologies and Multimedia Services (ITMS), for the management of people, technology, and processes that provide service to the University, within the manager’s unit and areas of expertise, as well as actively participating in that service with technical skills at a senior level. The manager must work closely with other IST managers to coordinate services and projects not specific to any one manager's area of expertise.

Production Services creates instructional video and audio assets for faculty members, and for researchers, promotion and communications, and other University needs, with highest priority on instructional activities. Work is performed on other content projects as capacity permits. Web casting and direct-to-broadcaster facilities are also provided and supported. Projects are undertaken in accordance with ITMS policies and procedures.

Nature and Scope

ITMS is responsible for supporting people in their use of central teaching and learning facilities. Its mandate is to maintain and evolve those facilities, and to offer technical assistance and related services, to enhance course content and delivery, in the classroom and online. In this provisioning and support role, ITMS collaborates with other IST groups and areas such as Centre for Extended Learning (CEL), Cooperative Education and Career Action (CECA), Marketing and Strategic Communications (MSC), the Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE), and Library. As workloads permit, ITMS supports the non-instructional areas of the University, for example special events including convocation and town halls and producing content for use in various media venues.

Within this ITMS mandate, the Production Manager has responsibility for setting strategies, leading, planning, and evolving services in the area, in consultation with users of the services, and the Director. He/she manages the work load and project assignment for Production Services, and requires direction-setting, collaboration, delegation and supervisory skills.

As with the MDS staff, the Production Manager also needs technical expertise and project skills to take on assignments as he or she provides services directly to faculty, staff, and students. Assignments require project skills, from consulting and conceptualizing, to executing and delivery phases, to project completion.

Statistical Data

As of June 2014 there are three (3) full-time staff members to supervise: two (2) Multimedia Design Specialists, one (1) Production Assistant, and generally a co-op each term. The group directs recording and other jobs taken on by 10 to 20 part-time student operators (hired by another staff member in ITMS).

Clients include professors and instructors (course materials), academic programs (e.g., MAREP, IQC), researchers, students, staff (e.g., CTE, CEL, and Library), special event coordinators in departments that provide Waterloo media materials (such as CECA, Office of the President, Alumni, and MSC). In addition to course materials, productions may be used for fundraising, University archives, training, and many other applications.

Specific Accountabilities

The Production Manager is responsible providing the overall strategy, planning and leadership for the ITMS Production Services staff, facilities, and service activities, and actively participating in those services with responsibilities as follow.

Strategies, standards and measurement

Determine purpose and function of unit, with commitments for unit resources.
Develop and implement strategy for the area, in alignment with relevant strategic plans in IST, and for the University.
Establish area best practices through research and tracking of industry standards and directions, analyzing and adapting those to suit local needs.
Implement practices and measure services and service delivery with appropriate feedback, metrics and benchmarks.
Establish and implement appropriate standards in media and delivery (e.g., media format selection and conversion, media delivery formats).
Collaborate with other instructional technology groups to plan for Production activities and services to those areas.
Develop a network of University contacts to participate in and provide input to decisions on media content production and delivery..

Production Services management duties

Liaison/Relationships

Build and maintain effective collaborations and connections external to the unit, with other groups, faculty, administration and staff, and external businesses.
Provide and promote collaborative support among ITMS areas and other IST areas.

Staff administration and management

Direct staff in how to achieve the unit objectives.
Oversee the administrative needs for Production Services staff members (performance reviews, training, approve absences, arrange for backup for sick leaves and holidays, etc.).
Guide and advocate for staff in their performance and professional development.

Tracking activities

Track and report regularly to Director on activities in the area (e.g., volume, type of work), for reporting and planning purposes.
Oversee Production Services invoices to clients for chargeable services.

General

Use planning and leadership skills to lead area.
Use communication and presentation skills for information dissemination about services.
Develop guidelines for workflow, including processes within the team and for clients, rates for chargeable services, what campus areas receive services, etc.
Plan budget for media supplies, new equipment and services.

Projects/assignments for media design, creation, and delivery

Consultation and planning for audio/video recording and production, and for web interface designs for content delivery.
Perform duties involved in creating media assets, e.g. scripting, camera operation, lighting, set design, video and audio mixing.
Perform post production, e.g. editing, title preparation, image preparation and manipulation, file conversion and mastering to various media formats.
Advise and assist in developing media for use on the Internet.
Support of content delivery in formats suited to the event, the client and the end user, including access from the learning management system, media streamers, others.

Duplication of content to various media as appropriate for use.

Expertise and directions in relevant tool usage

Work with a broad set of complex tools requiring expert knowledge.
Edit audio/video content within a suite of editing tools, including non-linear editing and web design suites, and creation of layers of text, graphics, animation, scripts, etc. in the production of the finished product.
Stay current with emerging technologies for audio/video manipulation and delivery, and related web tools.
Advise Director of new tools available and recommend upgrades and purchases as appropriate.

Working Conditions

Work is often performed under time constraints and to deadlines for deliverables. Many duties are performed at a workstation; however, it will be necessary to work at locations on and off campus, especially when providing coverage of Waterloo public affairs and administrative events. This will entail physical demands such as carrying and setting up equipment, and standing while recording. Some university activities occur outside the normal business hours of the university; there is an understanding that the manager will accommodate, on an infrequent basis, such assignments as guest lectures and classes that start after 16:30, weekend workshops and conferences, etc.