Studio Manger

As Studio Manager, you are responsible for running the operational side of our media department. This role keeps every video and photo project on schedule, on budget and well-communicated, from the first estimate through final delivery.The Studio Manager owns the production calendar, pre-production, studio bookings and freelancers. They build media estimates with our sales and account teams, manage project budgets and serve as the day-to-day client contact on media projects. The media team works through this role to coordinate schedules and resources.This is an operations role, not a creative one. Creative direction stays with the Creative Director, and on-set production belongs to our field producer and freelance producers. We’re looking for someone who understands production deeply enough to plan, price and staff it well, and who takes pride in making a creative team’s work run smoothly. The Studio Manager reports to the Head of Operations: Creative. Responsibilities Production Operations & SchedulingOwn the media production calendar across all active client projects, balancing shoot dates, post-production capacity, and delivery deadlines.Assign and schedule the media team (field producer, shooters, editors) to shoots and post-production work.Set post-production timelines and deadlines in consultation with the Post-Production Supervisor, then keep post-production on schedule against them.Manage studio bookings, including scheduling, conflicts, and availability.Own pre-production: locations, travel, crew call times, interview scheduling, call sheets, production schedules, and talent and location releases.Receive the post-production brief from the Post-Production Supervisor and pass it to the field producer and any freelance producer before each shoot.Write and maintain the standard on-set request responses used by all field producers, staff and freelance.Coordinate with the Director of Photography on equipment needs and rentals for scheduled shoots.Track every media project against its timeline, flagging risks early and resolving scheduling conflicts before they become missed deadlines.Keep media production workflows documented and consistent so projects run the same way regardless of who is on them.Send a weekly project status report, including post-production status and budget-to-actual for each project, to the Heads of Operations for both Creative and TechOps. Client CommunicationServe as the primary day-to-day client contact on media projects, covering schedules, logistics, approvals, and revision rounds.Bring in the Client Experience Manager at key milestones and in special circumstances.Keep clients proactively informed on project status so they’re never left wondering where things stand.Prepare clients and interview subjects for shoots, including what to expect, who will be there, and how to get ready.Route scope and budget concerns to the account team.Represent Infomedia’s voice in every interaction: honest, collaborative, and detail-oriented. Freelance & Vendor ManagementBuild and maintain a bench of vetted freelance producers and crew in Birmingham and across the Southeast.Decide when a project needs a full freelance producer, then source, book, and onboard them.Book freelance editors and finishing specialists recommended by the Post-Production Supervisor, and handle their agreements.Manage freelancers day-to-day, covering briefs, schedules, deliverables, and expectations.Vet freelance producers for fit with both the story and the client, with Creative Director approval on high-profile projects.Manage freelancer agreements, and coordinate with billing on freelancer invoicing.Manage production vendors, including rentals, locations, and other production services.Evaluate freelancer performance after each project to keep the bench strong. Estimating & BudgetPartner with sales and account management to scope media projects and build estimates covering crew days, freelance producers, rentals, travel, and post-production hours.Keep current knowledge of freelance rates, rental costs, and internal production costs so estimates are accurate.Own each media project’s budget once sold, tracking budget-to-actual from kickoff through delivery.Manage freelance and vendor spending against project budgets.Identify scope creep early and flag it to the account team for change orders.Report on project profitability at close-out. Qualifications Required5+ years of experience in production coordination, production management, agency project management or traffic, or post-production managementA working understanding of video and photo production workflows, roles, and costsExperience building production estimates and managing project budgetsExperience sourcing, booking, and managing freelancers and vendorsStrong client communication skills, with comfort serving as a client’s primary day-to-day contactHighly organized, with the ability to manage multiple projects, calendars, and deadlines at onceAbility to keep a team on schedule through coordination and influence rather than direct authorityLimited travel to client shoots as needed PreferredAn established network of freelance producers and crew in Birmingham and the SoutheastAgency or creative-services experience To apply for Studio Manager, please submit your resume to jobs@infomedia.com.