We are seeking a versatile, highly skilled, and leadership-oriented Manager, Graphics Playout with significant experience in live news coverage to join our team. This role oversees the real-time delivery of on-air graphics, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and visual consistency across all news broadcasts.
The Manager will lead a 24/7 graphics playout team supporting live and pre-produced programming, breaking news, and special events. This position requires strong leadership, deep technical expertise in broadcast graphics systems, and the ability to thrive in high-pressure, fast-paced live production environments.
Key Responsibilities
Team Leadership & Strategy
- Lead, supervise, and develop a 24/7 graphics playout team, including overnights, weekends, and holidays, in multiple locations including Manhattan, NY and Englewood Cliffs, NJ.
- Provide expert technical and editorial support to on-air and off-air productions.
- Serve as the primary liaison between Engineering, Show Teams, Real-Time Graphics, Editorial, and other production groups.
- Lead and manage a team comprising both union-represented and non-union employees and freelancers, ensuring compliance with applicable collective bargaining agreements while maintaining consistent performance standards.
- Drive collaboration across departments to support maintenance, testing, and implementation of new and existing technologies and workflows.
- Foster a culture of accountability, efficiency, and continuous improvement.
- Train and mentor staff on best practices, newsroom workflows, and system enhancements.
Live Graphics Operations
- Oversee the execution of full-screen graphics, lower thirds, and other visual elements during live and recorded broadcasts.
- Operate and manage playout systems (e.g., Vizrt Trio and other industry-standard platforms).
- Coordinate closely with editorial and production teams to align graphics with scripts, rundowns, and breaking news updates.
- Collaborate with designers to deploy urgent and breaking news graphics in real time.
- Ensure brand consistency, editorial accuracy, and high production standards across all visual elements.
Technical Oversight & Troubleshooting
- Understanding of control room workflows such as routing, engine inputs, and multiview layouts
- Troubleshoot and resolve technical issues quickly to minimize on-air disruptions.
- Maintain quality control standards for design integrity, data accuracy, and system reliability.
- Support testing and rollout of new graphics systems, workflows, and display technologies.
- Ensure proper scheduling and staffing coverage for all broadcasts and special events.
Performance Indicators
- Accuracy and timeliness of on-air graphics execution.
- Minimal technical or operational errors during live broadcasts.
- Team productivity, efficiency, and adherence to brand standards.
- Successful support of breaking news and high-profile live events.
- Effective cross-functional collaboration and workflow optimization.