Sr Manager Production Operations

Penn Medicine is an academic medical center dedicated to patient care, innovative research, and medical education. The Senior Manager, Production Operations leads the planning, coordination, staffing, budgeting, and execution of video, photography, and multimedia productions while managing vendors, logistics, workflows, and production staff.

Responsibilities:

• Production Planning & Execution: Lead operational planning and coordination for video, photography, and multimedia productions from project initiation through final delivery. Partner with producers, directors, and creative leads to develop production plans, schedules, staffing models, budgets, and timelines. Coordinate all production logistics, including location planning, crew scheduling, equipment needs, travel arrangements, and production resources. Identify and proactively address production risks, constraints, and scheduling conflicts. Serve as a primary operational point of contact for stakeholders throughout the production process. Ensure projects remain on schedule and aligned with approved scope, timelines, and budget expectations. Support large-scale enterprise initiatives, campaigns, and special productions requiring coordination across multiple teams and stakeholders
• Resource & Vendor Management: Coordinate the engagement and management of freelance crew members, production vendors, photographers, and other external partners. Maintain and strengthen relationships with trusted production partners and vendors. Assist with vendor selection, onboarding, contracting, and performance management. Ensure appropriate staffing and resource allocation across multiple concurrent projects
• Production Operations & Administration: Oversee production-related documentation, contracts, releases, insurance requirements, permits, and approvals. Ensure compliance with organizational policies, legal requirements, copyright standards, and applicable HIPAA regulations. Support production budgeting activities, invoice processing, journal vouchers, and financial tracking in partnership with department leadership and finance teams. Coordinate payroll-related processes and documentation for freelance and contract personnel. Maintain production records, project documentation, and operational reporting
• Cross-Functional Coordination & Process Improvement: Collaborate with project management, design, editorial, social media, and communications teams to support integrated, multi-channel initiatives. Help develop and refine production workflows, operational standards, and best practices across the Creative Studio. Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, scalability, communication, and resource utilization. Support implementation and ongoing optimization of project management, resource planning, and production systems
• Leadership & Strategic Contribution: Serve as a trusted advisor and operational partner to Creative Studio leadership. Contribute to department planning, resource forecasting, and operational strategy discussions. Mentor and guide production staff, freelancers, and junior team members as needed. Foster a collaborative, solutions-oriented culture focused on service, accountability, and creative excellence

Requirements:

• The ideal candidate is an experienced production professional with exceptional organizational skills, strong relationship-building abilities, sound judgment, and the ability to navigate complex projects and stakeholder environments with confidence and professionalism
• Bachelor's Degree in Communications, Marketing, Film/Media Production, Business, Project Management, or a related field (Required)
• 6+ And progressively responsible experience in production management, creative operations, project management, agency operations, or related fields
• Demonstrated experience coordinating complex productions involving multiple stakeholders, vendors, budgets, and timelines
• Experience working with project management, resource planning, and production management systems (Required)
• And 10+ Progressively responsible experience in production management, creative operations, project management, agency operations, or related fields
• Experience within healthcare, higher education, academic medicine, or other highly matrixed organizations