Senior Multimedia Producer/ SVJ, Serial

Serial Productions, in collaboration with The New York Times Metro desk, is launching a new bi-weekly narrative podcast focused on New York City. The podcast will be accompanied by weekly editorial extensions — primarily social video, but also newsletters and live events — that share the sensibility of the show while standing alone as distinctive creative work.

The Senior Multimedia Producer will lead the conception, production and evolution of these extensions, helping invent a distinctive visual language that translates Serial's narrative, character-driven stories about New Yorkers into social-first video and other formats that feel unmistakably of New York City.

This role is a key member of the Serial editorial team and will work closely with Serial producers and editors, New York Times video, social and marketing teams, and freelance collaborators to create fun, experimental and ambitious content that grows and deepens the audience for the show and for Serial more broadly.

This role is based in New York City. The Senior Multimedia Producer is expected to spend significant time in person with Serial, Metro and partner teams, in accordance with New York Times policies, while also doing field and location work across the city as needed.

Responsibilities:

• Lead the editorial vision and production strategy for all extensions to the podcast, including social video, newsletters and live or virtual events.

• Develop platform-specific social video concepts (for example, TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts) that translate the show's reporting, characters and ideas into compelling visual storytelling.

• Oversee end-to-end production of social videos, from pitching and scripting through shooting, editing, sound design, approvals and publishing.

• Be able to independently shoot and edit straightforward social video pieces when needed, while primarily commissioning work from New York Times video teams and freelance collaborators.

• Work with the Metro desk, Serial producers and reporters to identify stories, moments and themes that lend themselves to extensions, and to ensure alignment with the core podcast.

• Hire, manage and direct freelance videographers, editors, designers and other collaborators; over time, this role may supervise staff producers or associates.

• Work with Serial staff to develop newsletters and other written extensions that bring the project's reporting, voice and perspective to readers in distinctive formats.

• Partner with events and live journalism teams to design and produce live or virtual experiences that reflect Serial's editorial sensibility and can generate compelling audio and video.

• Work with the NYT Audience team to define success metrics for extensions, track performance across platforms and incorporate data and audience insights into ongoing strategy.

• Run experiments in format, tone, length and distribution to learn what resonates with different audiences while maintaining Serial's editorial standards.

• Ensure all extensions adhere to New York Times and Serial guidelines around fairness, accuracy, ethics and visual and audio standards.

• Help foster an inclusive, collaborative and creatively adventurous culture on the Serial team and across partner desks.

• Demonstrate support and understanding of our value of journalistic independence and a strong commitment to our mission to seek the truth and help people understand the world.

• You will report to the Executive Editor, Serial Productions.

Basic Qualifications:

• Experience (typically 4+ years) producing digital video, social content and multimedia storytelling, ideally in a news, documentary or narrative audio environment.

• Demonstrated ability to conceive, produce and deliver compelling and unique social video series or campaigns that grow and engage audiences across platforms.

• Strong hands-on production skills, including scripting, directing talent, field production and working with editors on visual and audio cuts, as well as the ability to shoot and edit short-form social video.

• Experience collaborating with editorial, audience, marketing and visual teams on cross-platform projects.

• Comfort working with analytics and platform tools (such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and internal dashboards) to interpret performance and inform decisions.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Proven experience managing complex projects with multiple stakeholders, deadlines and deliverables.

• Experience hiring, directing and giving constructive feedback to freelance and, ideally, staff colleagues.

• Excellent communication, organization and time-management skills.

• Deep familiarity with, and enthusiasm for, Serial's work and The New York Times's audio journalism.

• Experience producing content specifically about New York City and its communities, or in another large metropolitan context with similar complexity.

• Background in podcast or audio production and comfort working alongside audio-first producers and editors.

• Experience developing live or virtual events tied to audio or video projects.

• Familiarity with The New York Times newsroom, standards and workflows, or comparable large news organizations.

This position is represented by the NewsGuild of NY.

Additional Compensation and Benefits

For roles in the U.S., dependent on your role, you may be eligible for variable pay, such as an annual bonus and restricted stock. Benefits may include medical, dental and vision benefits, Flexible Spending Accounts (F.S.A.s), a company-matching 401(k) plan, employee stock purchase plan, paid vacation, paid sick days, paid parental leave, tuition reimbursement and professional development programs.

For roles outside of the U.S., information on benefits will be provided during the interview proces

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Candidate Use of GenAI Tools:

We’re excited to learn more about you and your experience. To keep our hiring process as fair and authentic as possible, we ask that you submit your own work and not use GenAI tools to generate substantive content during the application and interview process.

If you’re an engineering candidate, we’ll let you know what specific GenAI tools you are permitted to use for your technical assessment.

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