Career Center

As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.

UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty. 

The Production and Traffic Manager will have their finger on the pulse of the creative work carried out by University Marketing & Communications (UMAC), an arm of the University of Washington’s central Advancement division. UMAC supports the University’s strategic communication goals, working on broad University initiatives and functions (for instance, developing and maintaining the UW brand) and projects for unit partners across the University (for instance, Admissions materials and communications).

The Production and Traffic Manager manages the workflow and creative production for the many overlapping projects executed by UMAC’s Creative team — including writers, editors, graphic designers, photographers, videographers, brand managers and event producers. Under the supervision of the Assistant Director for Creative Operations, and in partnership with Project Managers, the Production and Traffic Manager will use a wide range of systems and tools to keep deliverables and timelines organized and ensure that production processes are followed. This position will provide day-to-day leadership keeping teams connected and projects on track.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Production and Traffic Management

•Manage multiple workstreams for creative products and materials in various stages of completion, from start to finish.
•Consult with project managers and project leads to prioritize incoming work; create detailed production timelines and secure creative resources.
•Connect with creative colleagues (designers, writers, editors, etc.) daily to ensure successful execution of all creative assets. This involves problem-solving, quick decision-making and “jumping in” as needed to help work proceed smoothly and contribute to solutions.
•Advise project managers and partners on project timelines, current project status and capacity. Lead the weekly production meeting to check in with key team members on each project’s status.
•Anticipate and respond to shifts in priorities, tasks and/or requirements on an ongoing basis.
•Monitor Creative team members’ workloads, adjusting assignments and deadlines accordingly.
•Help remove ambiguity in work requests and issues that arise, to provide a clear path forward for project teams.
•Effectively articulate and advise on roadblocks, gaps and project needs. Identify risks and provide recommended solutions.
•Clearly define and uphold roles and responsibilities with internal teams and campus partners; advocate for process.
•Identify priorities and make judgment calls when scheduling or rescheduling appointments and meetings as necessary to move projects forward.
•Manage production through a lens of equitable, antiracist communication and collaboration practices, being open to ongoing learning and feedback.
•A substantial portion of the projects this position coordinates will have predictable milestones and deadlines. However, at times, the demand for projects will exceed the capacity of the team. This position will play a critical role in negotiating prioritization of projects while maintaining relationships and a collaborative environment.

Production Systems Management

•Ensure that project statuses are consistently and accurately updated in project management software (Asana).
•Participate in the project management advisory group; provide insight and guidance on the production environment, processes and policies as they relate to the overall project management system.
•Work with colleagues to develop and implement project management best practices — model production schedules, project documentation, project workflows.
•Report and analyze production data and advise leadership on resource-related decisions.
•Maintain the SharePoint project library and ensure all final creative is archived appropriately.
•Act as liaison to production-software vendors.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

•2+ years of work experience with project or traffic management. While experience in marketing, event management, publishing or another related field can make for a good fit, if you have transferrable skills from another field, we want to hear from you.

Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

•Some knowledge of and a commitment to learning and implementing equitable, antiracist communication and working practices.
•Strong organizational and project management skills; ability to manage multiple priorities in a busy environment with many concurrent projects and timelines.
•Demonstrated ability to manage conflicts proactively and collaboratively in the best interests of the organization.
•Enthusiasm and aptitude for learning and adopting emerging technology to improve operational efficiency.
•A gift for attention to details and accuracy.   
•The ability and initiative to confidently and diplomatically influence, advise and lead creative teammates and other colleagues across UMAC and across organizational structures.
•Proficiency with Microsoft Office software applications: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams.
•Some experience with file management systems such as SharePoint or Dropbox, and project management tools like Asana, Smartsheet, Wrike or Monday.com, etc. is a plus. We use SharePoint and Asana.

DESIRED:
•You are a good listener and an effective and empathetic communicator.
•You take responsibility for goals and actions while upholding the mission, vision and values of the organization.
•You are willing to be consistently open and transparent in the way you work.
•You respect, value and contribute to the UW’s commitment to inclusiveness and diversity, and are committed to examining personal beliefs and biases and continuously developing as a member of a team devoted to equity. Learn more about the UW’s commitment to equity, inclusion, diversity and belonging:
oUniversity of Washington Race & Equity Initiative: uw.edu/raceequity/
oThe University of Washington’s Diversity Blueprint: uw.edu/diversity/diversity-blueprint 
oUniversity of Washington Advancement: Diversity, equity and inclusion: Vision, values and actions: uw.edu/advancement/ua-dei-visions-values-and-actions/
oDiversity related resources for faculty and staff: uw.edu/diversity/faculty-staff

WORKING CONDITIONS:

•This role is on-site in the University of Washington Tower in Seattle’s University District. The workspace is a cubicle/open environment that may result in additional or higher levels of noise and visual distractions.
•Our staff are currently working a hybrid schedule between the office and remote locations due to COVID. Hybrid/telework agreements may be negotiable. We are not able to offer relocation packages.
•The Marketing and Communications team supports campuswide marketing efforts. Work flows through in seasonal cycles. Occasionally, the volume of activities will require more than 40 hours of work per week to maintain deadlines. This position is overtime exempt.

WHAT WE OFFER (BENEFITS)
•Comprehensive medical and dental plan options
•Retirement plans with generous matching contributions
•15 days of accrued paid time off for the first year (rate of accrual increases after the first year)
•11 paid holidays per calendar year, plus one personal paid holiday
•Fully subsidized U-Pass for unlimited rides on King County Metro Transit, Community Transit, the Link light rail and more
•Child, adult and elder care benefits
•Tuition exemptions and reimbursements, and more: https://hr.uw.edu/benefits/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/02/benefits-professional-staff-librarians-academic-staff-2022-V1_a11y.pdf

Application Process:
The application process for UW positions may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process.  These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others.  Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.