Records Manager, Frontline, WGBH, Boston MA
Posted May 6, 2014
PBS’s flagship public affairs series FRONTLINE — the longest-running investigative documentary series on American television — is expanding to a year-round broadcast schedule, with more long-form documentaries, more web-exclusive reports, and new magazine-format programs that fully explore and illuminate the critical issues of our times. Hailed upon its debut as “the last best hope for broadcast documentaries,” FRONTLINE has earned every major award in broadcast journalism. In 1995, the series pioneered one of the earliest websites for television; and today, pbs.org/frontline remains one of PBS’s most popular general-audience sites with 104 full-length documentaries available for viewing online.
Position Overview
The award-winning PBS documentary journalism program FRONTLINE seeks an experienced information professional for the role of Records Manager. Working as a member of the FRONTLINE administrative team, the Records Manager oversees all archival documentation generated during program production, processes audiovisual collections, and tracks the hiring and compensation of all program talent.
Key Job Functions
– Audiovisual processing: Arrange and describe collections of analog and born-digital audiovisual materials according to internal library standards and industry best practices.
– Database management: Collect descriptive databases generated during program production and enhance existing metadata to meet internal library and legal standards.
– Outreach and education: Create and maintain strong working relationships with filmmakers and production companies, guiding them through the process of documenting their audiovisual materials and acting as an expert resource on metadata standards.
– Reference and research: Respond to inquiries from filmmakers seeking archived audiovisual materials.
– Talent tracking and management: Generate and document all necessary paperwork to hire and compensate program writers, musicians, and other talent. Draft and submit all union talent agreements, including WGA, AFTRA, AFM, and composer contracts, as well as all cover letters and related correspondence. Process all talent payments.
– Collaboration: Work closely with administrative, editorial, post-production, legal, and media library teams to contribute to successful FRONTLINE programming.
Skills Required
– Knowledge of archival best practices, including arrangement, description, and preservation.
– Experience working with audiovisual and born-digital collections.
– Familiarity with database management software, preferably FileMaker Pro, as well as Microsoft Office products. Familiarity with Workday a plus.
– Strong attention to detail and organization.
– Knowledge of metadata standards, preferably PBCore.
– Excellent time management skills and the ability to meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
– Basic understanding of media copyright law.
– Discretion and a sense of responsibility with confidential information.
– Interest in documentary journalism and public broadcasting.
– Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
– Excellent oral and written communication skills.
– Personable and service-oriented.
Preferred Skills
– Pursuing or in possession of master’s degree in library science.
– Coursework completed in areas of records management, metadata, database management, and audiovisual collections.
– At least one year working in a records management role.
– Experience working within a production company.
– Understanding of talent unions.
– Experience working in a customer service capacity.
Educational Requirements
Bachelor’s degree in related field.
WGBH’s employment site is http://www.wgbh.org/about/