How to hire an associate producer

How to hire an associate producer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step associate producer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an associate producer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new associate producer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an associate producer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the associate producer you need to hire. Certain associate producer roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect associate producer also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   Here's a comparison of associate producer salaries for various roles:

   Type of Associate Producer	Description	Hourly rate
   Associate Producer	Producers and directors create motion pictures, television shows, live theater, commercials, and other performing arts productions. They interpret a writer’s script to entertain or inform an audience.	$14-33
   Freelance Video Editor	A freelance video editor offers video editing services to individuals and businesses. Most freelance video editors manage their own time and work at their preferred places, some even working from home... Show more	$15-43
   Photographer, Editor	A Photographer, Editor selects, edits, and positions photos in print and web publications. They work for newspapers, magazines, websites, or other publications.	$17-34

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Video Content
   • Sales Floor
   • Control Room
   • Instagram
   • Production Assistants
   • Facebook
   • Video Production
   • Twitter
   • News Stories
   • Food Safety
   • YouTube
   • Pallet Jack
   • QA

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead the process of channel acquisition for YouTube channel properties.
   • Manage social media accounts using Hootsuite, TweetDeck, Facebook, Instagram, etc.
   • Assist in editing final show to air, create video clips, select viewer emails and manage social media.
   • Collaborate with first and third party agencies and vendors to achieve time sensitive goals and satisfy marketing objectives for Xbox.com.
   • Oversee the content release process for GameHouse.com, scheduling DRM wrapping and managing the CMS and e-Commerce system for games release.
   • Manage client relations, music scores, user interface sound design and FMOD implementation (FM3) on Xbox exclusive titles.

   More associate producer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your associate producer job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An associate producer salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, associate producers' average salary in utah is 54% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level associate producers earn 56% less than senior-level associate producers.
   • Certifications. An associate producer with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in an associate producer's salary.

   Average associate producer salary

   $47,279yearly

   $22.73 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level associate producer salary

   $31,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 24, 2025

   Average associate producer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$66,593	$32
   2	New York	$66,063	$32
   3	Connecticut	$63,572	$31
   4	Nevada	$62,596	$30
   5	District of Columbia	$57,479	$28
   6	Washington	$49,017	$24
   7	Georgia	$48,353	$23
   8	Florida	$47,935	$23
   9	Ohio	$47,020	$23
   10	Texas	$46,002	$22
   11	Massachusetts	$42,461	$20
   12	Arizona	$41,098	$20
   13	North Carolina	$39,880	$19
   14	Minnesota	$39,016	$19
   15	Pennsylvania	$35,912	$17
   16	Colorado	$34,775	$17
   17	Missouri	$34,571	$17
   18	Illinois	$34,558	$17
   19	Michigan	$33,782	$16

   Average associate producer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Apple	$114,118	$54.86	13
   2	Altice USA	$94,111	$45.25	4
   3	Bloomberg	$87,737	$42.18	1
   4	R/GA	$85,229	$40.98
   5	Travelzoo	$85,068	$40.90	1
   6	TBWA Worldwide	$84,367	$40.56
   7	Jack Morton Worldwide	$83,186	$39.99	10
   8	Amazon	$82,910	$39.86	33
   9	DDB	$76,111	$36.59
   10	Rockstar Games	$75,981	$36.53	1
   11	ZeniMax Media	$75,978	$36.53	4
   12	Electronic Arts	$75,735	$36.41
   13	Bungie	$75,368	$36.23
   14	2k	$75,178	$36.14
   15	Activision Blizzard	$75,026	$36.07	10
   16	Trion Worlds	$74,797	$35.96
   17	Hi-Rez Studios	$74,746	$35.94
   18	Epic Games	$74,680	$35.90	3
   19	Schell Games	$74,165	$35.66
   20	Vox Media	$72,769	$34.99	8

4. Writing an associate producer job description

   A job description for an associate producer role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's an associate producer job description:

   Associate producer job description example

   Responsible for production services ranging from overseeing the creation of WFM's original programming and corporate video initiatives to delivery, execution, and maintenance of signage and marketing materials at the store and regional level. For programming and video, creates concepts and new media and ensures that overall visual style is met on an episodic basic. Directs talent, develops and writes scripts, and facilitates show production.
   Associate Print Producer Whole Foods Market & Amazon Fresh
   Based In Austin, TX
   
   Job Description:
   The Associate Print Producer is a supporting role to the Whole Foods Market and Amazon Fresh print production team.
   This includes creating partnerships with suppliers to not only continually create production efficiencies, but also manage an intricate network of custom platforms to both Whole Foods Market and Amazon Fresh needs.
   
   This role will engage with internal and external partners to identify needs, collaborate with partners to create effective solutions, and ensure final products represent the quality of the Whole Foods Market and Amazon Fresh brands.
   
   The Associate Print Producer is a member of the Global Marketing Operations team and reports to the Senior Print Producer. This position is based in Austin, TX and will require 50% of your time in our downtown HQ office (550 Bowie St). Responsibilities: Support various production projects in a high-volume, quick-turn retail environment for both Whole Foods Market and Amazon Fresh. Management of print production and fulfillment of in-store signage, regular promotions & event kits, weekly circulars, and miscellaneous collateral
   Gain understanding and functionality of current portals for item/quantity ordering systems and on-demand print requests for store and marketing stakeholders' needs Foster strong relationships with marketing stakeholders and Whole Foods Market and Amazon Fresh to create regular engagement and collaboration Partner and engage with Procurement to assess needs, efficiency, and best-fit partners without bias Create win-win partnerships with vendors as partners Drive overall operational excellence by actively engaging in marketing plans and processes
   Manage operational and functional changes across various teams through creation of standard operating procedures and training materials Provide regular reporting on production tracking, needs, expenses and recommended improvements Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in Design, Art, Marketing, Communications, or related field
   Minimum 2 years' professional experience managing print production, working in fast-paced brand or agency environment Thorough understanding of printing process including paper/substrates, materials, coatings, etc., including a knowledge of earth-friendly and materials sourced from recyclables Desired experience of having successfully lead creation or management of internal or 3rd-party custom order and fulfillment platform Experience in intricate direct mailings with USPS requirements to ensure final asset adherence Experience in managing production budget & expenses; ability to forecast financial needs
   Experience with Canada and UK print production vendors desired Collaborative spirit to work with all internal and external stakeholders to gain consensus and clarity Keen listener to understand Team needs and create solutions Resourceful self-starter, comfortable with ambiguity Position located in Austin, Texas at Whole Foods Market Global Headquarters
   
   At Whole Foods Market, we provide a fair and equal employment opportunity for all Team Members and candidates regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, marital status, disability, or any other legally protected characteristic. Whole Foods Market hires and promotes individuals solely based on qualifications for the position to be filled and business needs.

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5. Post your job

   To find the right associate producer for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with associate producers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit associate producers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your associate producer job on Zippia to find and recruit associate producer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit associate producers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new associate producer

   Once you have selected a candidate for the associate producer position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new associate producer. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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