"Media Manager"

The Media Manager at the University of Michigan Center for Innovation (UMCI) provides strategic, operational, and creative leadership for media production, media services, and media infrastructure supporting UMCI's academic, research, community engagement, and event-based mission. This role oversees media staff, production workflows, live and recorded media, and media asset management while advancing innovation, accessibility, and scalability across UMCI's media ecosystem.

The Media Manager works closely with faculty, academic units, ITS, learning experience designers, communications partners, and external collaborators to deliver high-quality media experiences that support teaching, learning, public engagement, and institutional visibility.

This role reports to the UMCI Facilities Director and will have direct reports in the near future.

Media Operations and Production Management (30%)

• Serve as manager for UMCI media facilities, studios, control rooms, and workspaces, overseeing scheduling, readiness, maintenance, and upgrades.
• Design, document, and continuously improve media production workflows that support instructional media, research dissemination, and public-facing programming.
• Ensure effective implementation and ongoing operation of media systems, workflows, and production environments.
• Oversee troubleshooting, maintenance coordination, and lifecycle planning for cameras, audio systems, lighting, editing environments, and production software.
• Lead media technology planning and purchasing in coordination with UMCI leadership, ITS, and Procurement.
• Develop and deliver training programs for UMCI staff, faculty, and partners related to media production, accessibility, and best practices.
• Assist in managing the UMCI media budget, including forecasting, vendor coordination, and lifecycle replacement planning.
• Provide strategic oversight for live production, streaming, and hybrid event services across UMCI programming, including lectures, conferences, community events, and academic initiatives.
• Engage internal and external stakeholders by demonstrating media capabilities, workflows, and solution options through meetings, workshops, webinars, and live events.
• Maintain compliance with ADA accessibility standards, copyright law, licensing obligations, and established media release protocols.
• Partner with UMCI learning designers and academic units to design and implement high-quality media solutions for hybrid and residential course needs.

UMCI Media Infrastructure Planning, Implementation and Maintenance (20%)

• Support the development of a cohesive, campus-integrated media infrastructure that aligns UMCI with broader University of Michigan systems and standards.
• Collaborate with external vendors, integrators, and service providers to identify appropriate media tools, platforms, and services.
• Apply technical knowledge and expertise to assess faculty, staff, and student media needs.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to UMCI partners and affiliates, delivering implementation support aligned with institutional priorities.

Team Management and Cross-Team Collaboration (30%)

• Lead the UMCI Media Team, providing strategic direction, operational oversight, and creative leadership for media production and services.
• Supervise media staff by assigning work, overseeing deliverables, mentoring employees, and managing administrative functions such as time approval and performance evaluations.
• Establish performance goals, support professional development, and collaborate with Human Resources as needed.
• Manage workload distribution and staffing capacity to support peak academic and event cycles.
• Facilitate cross-team discussions related to media strategy, production planning, and technical feasibility.
• Coordinate and communicate across UMCI teams to ensure timely, high-quality delivery of media projects.
• Represent UMCI media services in departmental meetings, project planning sessions, and cross-functional initiatives.

Innovation and Continuous Improvement (20%)

• Develop and implement short- and long-term media strategies aligned with UMCI's mission, launch timeline, and growth trajectory.
• Oversee media asset management strategy, governance, and equipment lifecycles, ensuring consistency with University of Michigan standards.
• Lead research, prototyping, and pilot implementation of emerging media production techniques, platforms, and delivery models.
• Collaborate with faculty, learning experience designers, academic partners, and operations staff to identify, evaluate, and pilot new media tools and instructional approaches.
• Stay current with emerging technologies, industry trends, and higher-education media practices through professional engagement and applied project work.
• Evaluate new tools and workflows for scalability, accessibility, sustainability, and alignment with UM standards.
• Share updates on UMCI media innovation initiatives and outcomes with internal stakeholders and external partners.
• Maintain active involvement in professional groups and committees aligned with digital education and instructional technology.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in film/video production, media studies, communications, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 5+ years of progressive supervisory or leadership experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading end-to-end media production for live and recorded programming (pre-production planning, crew coordination, capture, post, delivery), including fast-turn/high-stakes events.
• Experience managing a media facility and production spaces (studios/control rooms/edit suites), including scheduling, readiness, maintenance coordination, and operational policies.
• Experience managing budgets, procurement, and vendor relationships, including quoting, purchasing, service agreements, and lifecycle replacement planning.
• Experience supervising and developing staff (coaching, performance management, workload planning, hiring/mentoring), ideally in a production environment with seasonal peaks.