Senior Video Producer Director

Job title: Senior Video Producer / Director

Requisition ID: (phone number removed)

Salary: £51,029 per annum

Grade: 8

Location: City Hall

Contract type: Permanent

Closing Date: 20/11/24 at 23:59

Team: Digital Communications

Directorate: Strategy and Communications

Strategy and Communications

Strategy and Communications sits at the centre of the organisation, bringing together several teams with organisation-wide remits and mutual collaboration opportunities. The work of the directorate’s teams includes delivery of major events, designing and leading public affairs or marketing campaigns, providing data, evidence and analysis, leading cross-organisational programmes, to making sure we plan for and can respond to emerging events or emergencies in our city.

About the team

The Digital Communications team, an integral part of the External Relations directorate, is dedicated to strategically amplifying the Mayor’s initiatives, policies, and events to engage and inform London’s diverse and vibrant population. Through the creation of world-class, innovative digital content, the team leverages a dynamic array of platforms including social media, email, digital advertising, and emerging channels, ensuring impactful communication that resonates with Londoners across the capital and beyond.

About the role

Drive the development of a dynamic digital content programme designed to engage and connect with Londoners across video platforms. This role focuses on producing innovative video and audio content that showcases the work of the Mayor of London and the Greater London Authority, ensuring impactful reach through the GLA’s digital and social media channels. By crafting compelling and informative content, you will help communicate the initiatives and accomplishments of the Mayor and the GLA to a broad audience, strengthening their connection with the people of London.

What your day will look like / Principal accountabilities

Work with the Senior Video Director/Manager and the rest of the senior Digital Comms team to plan the monthly video output, advise on content prioritisation and strategy, and review all incoming video requests.

Work directly and independently with the Mayor and his immediate team. Represent the Digital Communications team with professionalism, providing the Mayor with a first-class video service and influencing upward to ensure our video strategy and output is strategic and cutting-edge: - Work directly with the Mayor’s speechwriters and private office to generate social media-first video scripts for the Mayor’s video recordings

- Combine excellent stakeholder management with deep knowledge of video best practices: learn and adapt to the Mayor’s preferred camera style, maintain a trusted relationship, and ensure the best possible on-camera performance.

- Maintain flexibility in working hours and sudden changes to video shoots, in line with the Mayor’s ever-changing schedule, to ensure the team can always provide the video service required by the Mayor’s Office

● Direct and supervise in-house shoots and provide end-to-end production to post-production:

Work with the Senior Video Director/Manager and Senior Video Producer to identify priorities

Develop creative concepts for videos across all digital outputs, developing bespoke concepts per channel if necessary

Work with the Deputy Head of Digital Communications and video colleagues to develop scripts according to the media briefings and top lines

Independently set up and manage shoots, from “run and gun” to events, to piece to cameras with autocues. Direct and produce videos. If independent execution is not possible, identify that outside support is needed and obtain it, either from colleagues or freelancers, to ensure that each production is a success and kept to timelines.

Generate interview frameworks to get the best possible performance from video contributors, many of whom are members of the public with no video/media training.

Direct on-camera contributors to ensure coherent and engaging delivery.

Work with the Designer to produce After Effects assets to take the creative to the next level

● Direct and supervise video shoots that involve freelancers:

Hire, brief and manage the work of production freelancers.

Assess the required look, feel and creative style of each project and brief freelancers accordingly to ensure it is delivered.

Provide overall creative support to ensure high production value.

Generate edit briefs and provide edit review notes across all projects.

Generate interview frameworks to get the best possible performance from video contributors, many of whom are members of the public with no video/media training.

● Evaluate all incoming video requests and advise internal and external stakeholders on creative execution and production strategy. Generate project-bespoke creative film treatments and crew production briefs that:

Deliver to the complex needs of multiple project stakeholders.

Actively involve multiple stakeholders including the GLA creative team and third-party freelancers and suppliers.

Work with budget and time constraints.

Provide expert advice on how to achieve project priorities and appropriately allocate resources (budgets, suppliers, etc.)

● Work with the Senior Digital Communications Officer to maintain accurate and up-to-date knowledge of priority video production projects across the GLA, and lead on managing stakeholder relationships across each project:

Manage timelines, the stakeholder matrix, and the budget involved.

Take ownership of tracking and maintaining project status documentation and be prepared to update stakeholders at any time with the latest information on their projects.

Ensure stakeholder briefing and buy-in for the project, including the creative vision and the operational steps needed to achieve it.

Manage feedback and signoff procedures from beginning to end of project lifespan.

● Identify inefficiencies in project procedures, and drive the process of improving them to ensure streamlined delivery and best use of limited resources.

Demonstrate responsible use of resources by creating new content from existing video archives, for various outputs including short videos, video adverts, gifs and other formats.

● Manage quality assessment and delivery of all projects, ensuring Quality Control and brand consistency:

Maintain a working, up-to-date knowledge of social media video best practices and strategies, ensuring that our content delivers to that standard.

Work with the Senior Digital Communications Officer and rest of the senior Digital Comms team, and the Creative team to ensure the creative style of content is consistent, and review that style when needed to ensure content remains relevant to current social media styles and best practices.

● Maintain care and responsibility for all GLA technical filming equipment:

Assess any repairs, managing quotes and booking those repairs.

Ensure that all kit is in working order at all times.

Keep abreast of any technology updates (both hardware and software) and perform audits of team kit to make recommendations for new purchases.

● Realise the benefits of a flexible approach to work in undertaking the duties and responsibilities of this role, and participating in multi-disciplinary, cross-department and cross-organisational groups and project teams.

This role is based at City Hall, in the Royal Docks (Kamal Chunchie Way, London, E16 1ZE)

Skills, knowledge and experience

To be considered for the role you must meet the following essential criteria:

Minimum of four years experience as a self-shooting video director/producer or similar, developing creative treatments, taking a brand's identity to the next level while respecting their guidelines, and with substantial experience in producing, directing and editing video content designed for social media platforms – particularly digital display, digital video organic and paid social.

Extensive experience in video shooting with industry-standard equipment, including autocues, with a proven ability to independently lead "run and gun" shoots. Highly skilled in video editing, preferably using Adobe Creative Suite (After Effects skills preferred), capable of editing to a professional standard with minimal support. Possesses robust technical expertise to operate all equipment and software independently.

Best-in-class understanding of digital media, initiatives and new opportunities to differentiate via media channels, with strong writing skills for video scripts, text in video, and accompanying social media post language.

Highly organised, with the ability to plan and manage video production hands-on, leveraging a range of tools and providers.

Strong people skills with substantial experience working with stakeholders at the most senior level in complex organisations, as well as line management of a staff member.

Substantial experience working under pressure and in a changeable environment, with a strong understanding of a socially and politically sensitive organisation and the role of marketing and communications professionals within this context