Project Manager - Center for Conservation Media

Department Background

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Center for Conservation Media (CCM) is a full-scale media production and communication strategy group, specializing in science-based content primarily focused on biodiversity conservation. Our explanatory media, documentary films, data visualizations, educational materials, and social media are designed to support scientific institutions, governmental agencies, conservation practitioners, local communities, and organizations around the world to impact priority environmental issues that are integral to sustaining species, ecosystems, and human livelihoods.

Our operating approach is to identify urgent issues where science is under-utilized; forge alliances with the local, regional, and international stakeholders leading established initiatives to accomplish specific objectives; work closely with those partners to co-design and produce high-quality content, educational tools, and media kits for tactical outreach; and disseminate media assets to all groups that are dedicated to a given conservation issue.

About the Position

While position responsibilities vary, every member of our community is expected to foster a culture of belonging and a psychologically healthy work environment by communicating across differences; being cooperative, collaborative, open, and welcoming; showing respect, compassion, and empathy; engaging and supporting others regardless of background or perspective; speaking up when others are being excluded or treated inappropriately; and supporting work/life integration of oneself and others.

As a leader and member of a dynamic team, the Production Operations Manager supervises budgetary, technical, logistical, and project management for all productions that are part of the unit’s annual production slate and provides day-to-day supervision, mentorship, and career development for 3-5 CCM staff members.

The core responsibilities for this role are:

• Manage and supervise the operational activities of the CCM. This includes project budgets, production schedules, personnel assignments, contracts and licenses, and media asset management.
• Responsible for executing contracts; manage and distribute human and production resources; ensure that contractual obligations are met on time and on budget.
• Working with Center Director and Financial Specialist, create, schedule, and coordinate project budgets, the monitoring of expenses, and the leadership of long-term financial planning including assessing risks and benefits of expending program funds.
• Provide regular and accurate administrative and financial status reports on program operations, and ensure all activities align with University practices and formal policy.
• Manage, supervise, and mentor direct reports and freelance staff.
• Collaborate with Human Resources and other supervisors in CM to oversee personnel needs and manage personnel issues including conflict resolution and performance improvement plans and disciplinary actions.
• Directly formulate, implement, and manage the standard operating procedures for productions and detailed workflow processes for story development through project completion and archiving.
• Collaborate with other Center Directors and Administrators in the Lab to meet the goals and objectives of the Lab’s strategic plan and explore opportunities for interdisciplinary collaborations.
• Establish and maintain a safe, productive, and respectful working environment that fosters a culture of inclusiveness, teamwork and high-quality results.

This is a full-time (40 hours/week) Contract College position that is based in Ithaca, NY at the Lab of Ornithology approximately 3 miles from Cornell’s main Ithaca campus. This position follows an in-person-to-home hybrid work arrangement after a period of orientation and training. This hybrid work arrangement is subject to change.

Culture of Inclusion and Community Standards

As a university founded to be a place where “…any person can find instruction in any study,” diversity and inclusion are at the core of our values and mission. We strive to be a welcoming, caring, healthy, and equitable community where students, faculty, and staff with different backgrounds, perspectives, abilities, and experiences can learn, innovate, and work in an environment of respect, and feel empowered to engage in any community conversation. As a member of the Cornell University community, it is important to recognize our shared responsibility to each other to cultivate a culture of inclusion for all.  Cornell Core values 

As an individual contributor you will model and support a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and wellbeing and continua