How to hire a senior producer

How to hire a senior producer, step by step

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

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

What does a senior producer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a senior producer, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A senior producer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, senior producers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of senior producers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Senior Producer	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior 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.	$35-81
   Camera Operator	A camera operator is responsible for operating various technical equipment to support technical operations, such as media productions and live events. Camera operators must have extensive knowledge of different camera features to select the appropriate device and manage the production's overall visual presentation... Show more	$12-35
   Freelance Videographer/Editor	A freelance videographer/editor is responsible for processing and editing video contents, usually on a project basis. Freelance videographer/editors create their footage using their shooting equipment, utilize various design and editing software, and finish the project based on the clients' specifications and deliverables... Show more	$16-32

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Project Management
   • Video Production
   • Facebook
   • Digital Content
   • Production Process
   • QA
   • Control Room
   • Twitter
   • Video Content
   • Booking
   • Client Facing
   • SR
   • User Experience
   • Web Content

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Utilize Basecamp and JIRA to manage communications.
   • Manage local NYC staff and off site personnel.
   • Manage the day to day operations of high end NYC audio studio.
   • Manage all stages of creative for promotion of WETA and national PBS programming.
   • Oversee and manage digital projects within JIRA, EAS, Smartsheet, and Sharepoint.
   • Manage internal and client status calls, timelines, and key milestones via Basecamp.

   More senior producer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your senior producer job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A senior producer salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a senior producer in South Dakota may be lower than in Nevada, and an entry-level senior producer usually earns less than a senior-level senior producer. Additionally, a senior producer with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average senior producer salary

   $112,393yearly

   $54.04 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior producer salary

   $73,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

   Average senior producer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$155,297	$75
   2	Nevada	$147,483	$71
   3	Connecticut	$128,804	$62
   4	Georgia	$124,232	$60
   5	New York	$123,510	$59
   6	Washington	$120,426	$58
   7	District of Columbia	$111,537	$54
   8	Oregon	$107,065	$51
   9	Virginia	$99,945	$48
   10	Massachusetts	$90,932	$44
   11	Minnesota	$89,131	$43
   12	Colorado	$88,185	$42
   13	Texas	$88,074	$42
   14	Illinois	$83,659	$40
   15	Florida	$80,063	$38
   16	Wisconsin	$70,437	$34

   Average senior producer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Lifetime	$187,306	$90.05
   2	Netflix	$176,889	$85.04	5
   3	NVIDIA	$163,865	$78.78
   4	The Walt Disney Company	$161,551	$77.67	42
   5	Apple	$159,054	$76.47	14
   6	Microsoft	$151,748	$72.96	12
   7	Accenture	$148,970	$71.62
   8	Turner Broadcasting	$144,157	$69.31
   9	ViacomCBS	$143,758	$69.11
   10	Condé Nast	$141,382	$67.97	2
   11	Deluxe Entertainment Services Group Inc.	$138,801	$66.73
   12	Hearst	$136,024	$65.40	50
   13	PlayStation	$135,043	$64.92	2
   14	ESPN	$132,411	$63.66	2
   15	Citi	$130,184	$62.59
   16	The New York Times Company	$130,059	$62.53	8
   17	TBWA Worldwide	$129,134	$62.08
   18	Amazon	$129,055	$62.05	27
   19	Jack Morton Worldwide	$127,421	$61.26	6
   20	Sony Interactive Entertainment America	$127,366	$61.23

4. Writing a senior producer job description

   A good senior producer job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a senior producer job description:

   Senior producer job description example

   OVERVIEW OF THE COMPANY
   Fox TV Stations
   
   Fox Television Stations is one of the nation's largest owned-and-operated network broadcast groups, comprising 29 stations in 18 markets and covering over 37% of U.S. television homes. This includes seven duopolies in the top 10 markets: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco, Washington, D.C. and Houston; as well as duopolies in Minneapolis, Phoenix, Orlando and Seattle.
   
   JOB DESCRIPTION
   FOX 5 Atlanta (DMA #6) is hiring a Senior Newscast Producer to oversee our weekend newscasts and weekend digital/social coverage and line producing newscasts as assigned.
   
   Does this sound like you? You're a proven, dependable leader who motivates and inspires those working with and for you. You're driven, quick-thinking, resourceful, energetic, and have a passion for news and information. You pivot quickly and keep your cool during stressful situations.
   
   Responsibilities:
   Plans and supervises the production of afternoon and evening newscasts on Saturday and Sunday, determining content and coverage Collaborates with and oversees newscast producers, associate producers, assignment editors, reporters and photographers assigned to the weekend newscasts Evaluates work performance of newscast producers and associate producers assigned to the weekend newscasts Develops, implements and maintains standards of performance in writing, reporting, photography, editing and use of graphics on the weekend newscasts Line produces early weekend newscasts Line produces and writes scripts for weekday newscasts as assigned Line produces unscheduled news coverage as needed Utilizes a variety of storytelling techniques, devices and studio stage locations to showcase news content in the most compelling and appropriate manner possible Builds graphic elements for use in the newscasts Monitors and contributes content to the station's digital and social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram on weekends Innovates non-traditional storytelling techniques
   
   Requirements:
   Ability to prioritize and work under daily deadline pressure Proficient in writing conversational broadcast news copy under deadline Computer literacy Communicates clearly and effectively/politely with the public in person and over the telephone
   
   A bachelor's degree from a four year college or university preferred. Minimum three years of experience producing television newscasts for broadcast at a commercial television station; four to six years preferred. Supervisory experience preferred.
   
   We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with applicable law.
   
   At FOX, we foster a culture and environment where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. We are deeply committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, including attracting, retaining, and promoting diverse talent across our company. We live in a diverse world, with different ideas and different perspectives that come together to spark new ideas and make great things happen. That means reflecting the diversity of the world around us is critical to our company's success. We ensure that our viewers, communities and employees feel heard, represented, and celebrated both on screen and off.Click here to learn more about the diverse communities of people behind our brands.

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5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right senior producer for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your senior producer job on Zippia to find and recruit senior 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 senior 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.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 senior producer

   Once you've decided on a perfect senior producer candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new senior producer. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

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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