The posting
About The Drum
The Drum is a global media platform and community for the marketing, advertising, media and creative industries. We celebrate creativity, champion innovation and bring together the people and businesses shaping the industry through our journalism, content, events, awards and experiences.
Video plays an increasingly important role in how we tell stories, engage audiences, showcase creativity and deliver value to our commercial partners.
We're looking for an experienced, organised and technically capable Video Production Manager to help us deliver high-quality video content across the business, while continually improving how we plan, produce and distribute it.
About the role
This is a hands-on production management role, responsible for coordinating and managing the day-to-day delivery of video production across The Drum.
Working closely with Editorial, Commercial, Social, Publishing and Events, you'll ensure productions are well planned, efficiently resourced, delivered to a high standard and completed within agreed budgets and deadlines.
The role covers a wide variety of content, including branded and client productions, editorial interviews, documentaries, podcasts, social-first video, promotional films and coverage of major UK and international industry events.
You'll be responsible for organising shoots, managing production schedules, briefing freelancers, coordinating equipment and suppliers, overseeing editing and ensuring all content is delivered to the required standard.
Alongside managing productions, you'll be expected to get hands-on where needed, including filming, editing and helping to resolve technical challenges.
We're also keen to make better use of technology, AI and automation to improve production workflows, reduce repetitive tasks and increase the amount of quality content we can produce.
This is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys the practical and organisational side of video production, is comfortable working across different types of content and wants to help make a busy production operation more efficient.
Key responsibilities
Production planning and delivery
o Manage the day-to-day planning and delivery of video productions across The Drum.
o Coordinate production briefs, schedules, budgets, resources, filming requirements and deadlines.
o Work with Editorial, Sales, Client Services, Social, Publishing and Event Production to understand requirements and agree production plans.
o Ensure projects are properly scoped and achievable within agreed budgets and timelines.
o Organise crews, equipment, locations, filming schedules, editing and final delivery.
o Monitor production progress and identify potential issues before they affect deadlines or budgets.
o Coordinate the production process from initial briefing through filming, editing, approvals and final delivery.
o Keep relevant teams updated on production progress and any changes to schedules or requirements.
Branded and commercial content
o Coordinate the production of branded content, sponsored films, client interviews and bespoke commercial productions.
o Work closely with Sales and Client Services to understand client briefs, deliverables, budgets and expectations.
o Ensure production requirements are clearly understood before work begins.
o Brief and coordinate freelance crews, videographers and editors.
o Monitor production quality and ensure client requirements are met.
o Coordinate feedback, amendments and approvals.
o Ensure all agreed commercial deliverables are completed and supplied on time.
o Identify opportunities to capture additional content and maximise the value of each production.
Editorial, documentary and social content
o Work with Editorial to coordinate video requirements for interviews, news coverage, features and documentaries.
o Help translate editorial ideas and commissions into practical production plans.
o Coordinate filming schedules, contributors, locations, footage, editors and graphics.
o Support the production of longer-form and documentary content alongside editorial leads and specialist creative talent.
o Develop efficient approaches to social-first and mobile-first video.
o Ensure filming is planned to capture multiple content opportunities, including short clips, behind-the-scenes material and promotional assets.
o Work with Social and Publishing to ensure content is edited and supplied in the correct formats for different platforms.
o Help speed up the process from filming through to editing and publication.
Events and international production
The Drum covers and delivers a number of major industry events, both in the UK and internationally. The role will help coordinate the video production requirements for these events.
This includes Cannes Lions, CES, Advertising Week and The Drum's own conferences, festivals, awards and live events.
Responsibilities include:
o Organising video production requirements and schedules ahead of events.
o Coordinating filming crews, equipment, locations and production logistics.
o Managing multiple shoots and competing production requirements.
o Working closely with Event Production on technical requirements, AV, schedules and suppliers.
o Coordinating editorial interviews, branded content, social coverage and event filming.
o Organising on-site editing and fast-turnaround content delivery where required.
o Establishing relationships with reliable local freelance crews in international locations.
o Ensuring production commitments are delivered on time and within agreed budgets.
o Being available to travel internationally and work outside normal hours, including evenings and weekends, when required.
Production workflows, AI and automation
We want to continually improve how video is produced across The Drum, making better use of technology and more efficient working methods.
You'll be expected to identify practical opportunities to improve existing processes.
o Review production workflows and identify opportunities to improve efficiency.
o Explore AI and automation tools for transcription, editing, clipping, captioning, graphics and content versioning.
o Improve processes for file transfers, footage logging, storage and media management.
o Introduce templates and consistent workflows to reduce repetitive work.
o Explore tools that help speed up editing, approvals and content delivery.
o Keep up to date with new production technologies and developments in AI.
o Work with colleagues to introduce practical improvements that increase productivity without compromising quality.
Editing and hands-on production
This role requires someone with strong practical production skills who is comfortable getting involved in the work themselves.
o Have strong working knowledge of Adobe Premiere Pro and professional editing workflows.
o Undertake routine editing, client amendments, social content, interviews and promotional videos where appropriate.
o Understand filming, camera operation, lighting, sound, graphics and post-production.
o Review and quality-check work produced by freelance editors.
o Help troubleshoot technical issues during filming and editing.
o Be comfortable filming smaller productions independently where this is the most efficient approach.
o Ensure video content meets the required technical standards and is supplied in the correct formats.
Freelancers, crews and suppliers
o Build and maintain a network of reliable UK and international freelance editors, videographers, camera operators and production crews.
o Source and brief external production specialists as required.
o Coordinate freelancers to ensure they understand production requirements, budgets, deadlines and deliverables.
o Manage supplier relationships and monitor the quality and value of their services.
o Ensure freelancers receive the necessary information, assets and instructions.
o Help establish efficient processes for commissioning, file sharing, feedback and delivery.
o Identify opportunities to use local crews and suppliers to reduce international production costs.
Budgets and cost management
o Manage production expenditure, supplier costs and purchase orders within agreed budgets.
o Monitor project costs and flag potential overspend.
o Obtain quotes and compare production supplier costs.
o Ensure production resources are used efficiently.
o Work with Sales and Client Services to understand the production costs associated with commercial projects.
o Identify opportunities to reduce costs through better planning, technology, local crews and improved workflows.
o Keep the COO informed of production costs and any significant budget issues.
Video asset management
o Maintain an organised and accessible video asset library.
o Ensure footage, project files and final edits are stored correctly.
o Maintain consistent file naming, metadata and archiving processes.
o Ensure valuable footage can be easily located and reused.
o Work with Editorial, Social and Commercial teams to identify opportunities to repurpose existing content.
o Ensure appropriate permissions, releases and usage rights are recorded.
Working across The Drum
The role will work closely with teams throughout the business, including:
o Editorial: Interviews, documentaries, news coverage and editorial commissions.
o Sales and Client Services: Commercial briefs, client requirements, production costs and delivery.
o Events: Event filming, AV requirements, technical planning and logistics.
o Social and Publishing: Platform-specific content, editing and rapid publication.
o Finance: Production budgets, supplier costs and purchase orders.
o Technology: AI, automation and production workflow improvements.
The role will be expected to work collaboratively, communicate effectively and ensure production requirements are understood and delivered across all relevant teams.
Why join The Drum?
You'll be joining a business at the heart of the global marketing, advertising and creative industries, with the opportunity to work on a diverse range of interesting content and productions.
From international industry events and high-profile client projects to editorial storytelling and social-first video, no two productions will be quite the same.
You'll work with talented colleagues across the business, collaborate with interesting people and brands, and play an important role in helping The Drum grow and improve its video output.
If you're an experienced, hands-on video production professional who enjoys making great content, organising people and projects, and finding better ways to work, we'd love to hear from you.
Requirements
About you
We're looking for someone with solid experience in video production who is equally comfortable organising a production, managing freelancers, working with clients and getting hands-on with filming or editing.
You'll be organised, practical and proactive, with the ability to manage several projects at once without losing sight of deadlines, budgets or quality.
You'll also be interested in new technology and keen to find ways to make video production faster, more efficient and more effective.
Essential experience and skills
o Proven experience in video production and production coordination or management.
o Experience delivering branded, commercial or editorial video content.
o Good understanding of documentary, interview and longer-form production.
o Experience producing short-form and social-first video.
o Strong practical editing skills, particularly Adobe Premiere Pro.
o Good technical knowledge of cameras, lighting, audio and post-production.
o Experience organising filming schedules, crews, equipment and locations.
o Experience briefing and coordinating freelance editors and production crews.
o Ability to manage multiple projects, deadlines and budgets.
o Strong organisational and project management skills.
o Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
o Good attention to detail and a commitment to quality.
o Ability to work independently, use initiative and resolve problems.
o A practical and cost-conscious approach to production.
Desirable experience
o Experience working in media, publishing, marketing, advertising or a creative agency.
o Experience producing video at conferences, festivals and major industry events.
o Experience of international filming and working with overseas production crews.
o Experience with social video editing apps and mobile production tools.
o Familiarity with AI-assisted editing, transcription, captioning and automation.
o Experience producing podcasts and audio/video content.
o Experience managing video asset libraries and digital content workflows.
Personal qualities
You'll be:
o Organised: Able to manage multiple productions and competing deadlines.
o Proactive: Someone who takes ownership and gets things done.
o Practical: Comfortable finding solutions and getting involved when needed.
o Collaborative: Happy working with different teams and external suppliers.
o Technically confident: Comfortable with filming, editing and production equipment.
o Commercially aware: Understands the importance of budgets, deadlines and delivering value.
o Adaptable: Able to respond to changing requirements and fast-moving production environments.
o Forward-thinking: Interested in new technology, AI and better ways of working.
What success looks like
o Video productions are well organised and delivered on time.
o Projects are completed within agreed budgets.
o Editorial and commercial teams receive the production support they need.
o Client commitments and deliverables are consistently met.
o Shoots are planned effectively and generate a good range of content.
o Social content is considered from the outset of production.
o Editing and content delivery become faster and more efficient.
o Freelancers and suppliers are briefed and managed effectively.
o Production costs are controlled and resources are used efficiently.
o AI and automation are used where they provide genuine improvements.
o The overall quality, consistency and volume of The Drum's video output continues to improve.
Benefits
- 28 days holiday
- Pension
- Company-wide discretionary bonus scheme based on business performance
- Enhanced above industry standard family leave package
- x2 paid volunteering days a year
- Company-wide mentoring programme
- Employee referral bonus
- Company social events
- Hybrid working
- Early finish on Fridays
- Dog friendly offices
- Eye care vouchers and contribution towards glasses
- Learning & Development fund/opportunities
