Manager, Production Operations, NBCU Local Chicago

NBCUniversal is one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies. We create world-class content, which we distribute across our portfolio of film, television, and streaming, and bring to life through our global theme park destinations, consumer products, and experiences. We own and operate leading entertainment and news brands, including NBC, NBC News, NBC Sports, Telemundo, NBC Local Stations, Bravo, and Peacock, our premium ad-supported streaming service. We produce and distribute premier filmed entertainment and programming through our powerhouse film and television studios, including Universal Pictures, DreamWorks Animation, and Focus Features, and the four global television studios under the Universal Studio Group banner, and operate industry-leading theme parks and experiences around the world through Universal Destinations & Experiences, including Universal Orlando Resort, home to Universal Epic Universe, and Universal Studios Hollywood. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation. Visit www.nbcuniversal.com for more information.

Our impact is rooted in improving the communities where our employees, customers, and audiences live and work. We have a rich tradition of giving back and ensuring our employees have the opportunity to serve their communities. We champion an inclusive culture and strive to attract and develop a talented workforce to create and deliver a wide range of content reflecting our world.

We are looking for a Manager, Production Operations, to join the Technology & Operations team in Chicago, supporting WMAQ, WSNS and Digital Studio output. As the Manager, Production Operations, you will be primarily responsible for leading the team in delivering daily news studio production and managing the control rooms. You will also serve as a critical key engagement lead to other channel stakeholders including News, Field Operations, Creative and Programming, ensuring successful delivery of production services to these internal client groups. 

This role requires a leader who not only understands the technical and creative sides of production but can bring people together, foster trust, and help the entire operation grow stronger with each show.  

If you enjoy working with and are creative at scheduling people, are a highly organized leader with great communication skills, know how to build and lead high performance teams, are an expert in studio production with significant directing, have APC and tech management experience, understand VR and possess a clear vision to guarantee successful and reliable On-air productions at a network level, then we want to hear from you. 

Responsibilities 

• Responsible for overall technical execution and quality of all live productions. 
• Serve as the main operational bridge between News, Creative, Programming, Technology, and Studio Operations, ensuring constant alignment and early visibility into show needs and potential issues. 
• Partner daily with producers, EPs, and creative teams to understand editorial intent, spot challenges in advance, and coordinate solutions before they impact a live broadcast across technical and editorial teams to ensure productions run smoothly. 
• Lead, mentor, and grow the Studio Directors team, and partner with peers in the Operations management team in MOC and Newsgathering, creating a culture that prioritizes communication, accountability, and continuous improvement. 
• Maintain deep working knowledge of core control room and studio systems including: 
  • Audio boards 
  • Production switchers and routing 
  • Graphics workflows and XPression 
  • Intercom/IFB workflows 
  • Robotic cameras, prompters, APC/automation, AR/VR production systems
• Oversee studio lighting systems, including knowledge of lighting techniques and ETC lighting consoles. 
• Work proactively with News and Creative to test on-air elements, evaluate set/lighting/camera needs, and surface concerns early so they can be addressed before air. 
• Collaborate closely with Engineering and Technology to resolve issues, implement updates, and integrate new technologies into daily workflows. 
• Serve as the primary day-to-day partner for NBC, Telemundo, and Digital requests—ensuring clarity, follow-through, and operational consistency. 
• Manage union-represented staff with fairness, consistency, and strong leadership. 
• Lead hiring, onboarding, scheduling, performance feedback, and long-term staff development. 
• Support planning and execution of breaking news, specials, long-form productions, and major events. 
• Provide backup directing/control room support in emergency, disaster Recovery or unexpected circumstances. 
• Lead strategic planning and continuous improvement efforts, identifying opportunities to streamline workflows and elevate on-air quality. 
• Maintain local and network SOP’s, informing and training the team on updates and workflow changes.
• This is a live 24/7 broadcast operation and out-of-hours availability is often required.

• Minimum of 10 years relevant experience, including a minimum of 3 years of managing a studio or production team in a major market, large network environment or production service-based environment. 
• Bachelor’s degree in Media, Communications, IT, Journalism, Broadcast engineering or equivalent experience. 
• Experience working with union teams in a production setting. 
• Strong knowledge of audio systems, switchers, graphics systems, XPression, intercom/IFB, routing, and control room equipment. 
• Clear understanding of contribution and distribution processes of OTA television 
• Hands-on live studio production experience partnering closely with News and Creative teams to understand show design, editorial priorities, and production challenges. 
• Working knowledge of studio lighting systems, design and ETC lighting consoles. 
• Demonstrated experience coordinating multiple teams and turning editorial needs into technical and operational action plans. 
• Responsibility and Accountability are key to success within this role.

Skills & Experience we are looking for: 

• Experience managing personnel, studio tech and operational standards.
• Experience leading local news or live event production operations. 
• Prior experience as a Director or TD within automated control room environments.  
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to unify groups and build trust across departments. 
• Familiarity with NRCS platforms in newsrooms and digital production environments. 
• Knowledge and awareness of AR and VR in a production environment a must.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects under breaking-news pressure and tight deadlines. 
• Knowledge of FCC rules and laws pertaining to news broadcasting on multi-media platforms, and employment and labor regulations. 
• Written and oral fluency in English and Spanish preferred.

Additional information:

Required On-Site: This position is required to be performed full-time from an NBCUniversal-designated worksite.

This position is eligible for company sponsored benefits, including medical, dental and vision insurance, 401(k), paid leave, tuition reimbursement, and a variety of other discounts and perks. Learn more about the benefits offered by NBCUniversal by visiting the Benefits page of the Careers website. 

Salary range: $115,000 - $150,000 (bonus eligible)

As part of our selection process, external candidates may be required to attend an in-person interview with an NBCUniversal employee at one of our locations prior to a hiring decision. NBCUniversal's policy is to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, gender identity or expression, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, veteran status, membership in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable law.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran and require support throughout the application and/or recruitment process as a result of your disability, you have the right to request a reasonable accommodation. You can submit your request to [email protected].