Operations Manager at Sinclair in Steubenville, OH

WTOV-TV is seeking an experienced and detail-oriented Operations Manager to oversee the day-to-day technical and production operations of the station. This role is responsible for ensuring reliable broadcast operations, managing operational staff, maintaining compliance with FCC and company standards, and supporting news, sports, and programming initiatives through efficient technical execution.

Key Responsibilities 

• Ensure all on-air content is broadcast accurately, on time, and in compliance with FCC regulations and Sinclair standards.
• Develop and enforce operational policies, procedures, and best practices.
• Sports & Special Productions (Mobile Production Unit)
• Serve as lead producer and operational coordinator for all WTOV mobile production unit events, including:
  • 21 high school football broadcasts
  • 18 high school basketball broadcasts
  • 7 high school baseball broadcasts
  • 15 Sports on the Go productions
  • High School Media Days
  • High School Awards Show
  • Multiple “Your Town” productions
• Oversee all technical and production planning for mobile broadcasts, including staffing, equipment, scheduling, and execution.
• Coordinate with schools, venues, talent, engineering, and station departments to ensure successful live and recorded productions.
• Ensure consistent production quality and branding across all sports and community programming.
• News & Special Programming Support
• Coordinate and provide operational support for special news events, live remotes, and breaking news coverage.
• Edit and oversee special programming for news, including long-form content and station initiatives.
• Work closely with News leadership to align technical resources with editorial and production needs.
• Staff Management
  • Foster a culture of accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
• Technical Oversight
  • Work closely with Engineering and IT teams to maintain and troubleshoot broadcast systems, automation, production equipment, and mobile unit technology.
  • Identify operational risks and proactively address potential issues affecting on-air performance.
  • Assist with implementation of new technologies, workflows, and system upgrades.
• Quality Control & Compliance
  • Ensure compliance with FCC rules, closed captioning, and station policies.
  • Maintain accurate logs, reports, and documentation related to operations and compliance.
• Cross-Department Collaboration
  • Collaborate with News, Sports, Programming, Sales, and Promotions to support station initiatives and live productions.
  • Communicate clearly with station leadership regarding operational performance, production schedules, and resource needs.
• Budget & Resource Management
  • Assist in managing operational budgets, overtime, and resource allocation.
  • Recommend process improvements to increase efficiency and reduce costs without compromising quality.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, or related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• 3–5 years of experience in television broadcast operations; supervisory or production leadership experience preferred.
• Working knowledge of broadcast automation systems, live production workflows, and mobile production units.
• Understanding of FCC regulations and broadcast compliance requirements.
• Proven ability to lead teams and manage complex production schedules.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to remain calm and decisive under deadline pressure

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience producing live sports broadcasts.
• Experience working in a local television newsroom environment.
• Familiarity with Sinclair Broadcast Group systems, standards, or workflows.
• Experience with digital workflows, OTT, or multi-platform content distribution.

Physical & Scheduling Requirements

• Ability to work flexible hours, including nights, weekends, holidays, and on-call shifts.
• Ability to travel locally for remote productions and operate in outdoor environments.
• Ability to lift and move broadcast equipment as required.

Sinclair is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and a drug free workplace. Employment practices will not be influenced or affected by virtue of an applicant's or employee's race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.

About Sinclair:

Sinclair, Inc. (Nasdaq: SBGI) is a diversified media company and a leading provider of local news and sports. The Company owns, operates and/or provides services to 177 television stations in 79 markets affiliated with all major broadcast networks; owns Tennis Channel, the premium destination for tennis enthusiasts; and multicast networks CHARGE, Comet, ROAR and The Nest. Sinclair’s AMP Media produces a growing portfolio of digital content and original podcasts. Additional information about Sinclair can be found at www.sbgi.net.

 About the Team

The life-blood of our organization is our people. We have a compelling story, a goal-oriented culture, and we take really good care of people. How good? Here is a glimpse: great benefits, open-door policy, upward mobility and a strong desire to see you succeed. Ready to be part of a winning team? Let’s talk.