Head of Media Studio

Mission to Metrics

The Ocean Cleanup is a global nonprofit that develops and scales solutions to rid the world’s oceans of plastic, driving systemic change and creating a lasting positive impact for people, wildlife, and the planet.

The Ocean Cleanup is seeking an experienced Head of Media Studio to lead its in-house creative production team based in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Reporting to the Communications Director, this role is responsible for the day-to-day leadership of the Media Studio, ensuring the team delivers high-quality creative assets across video production, photography and design that support the organization’s communications, marketing and fundraising objectives.

The Media Studio operates as an internal creative production agency, partnering with Communications, Social Media, PR, Marketing, Partnerships, Business Development, Internal Communications, regional teams and other internal and external stakeholders to produce compelling content that helps advance The Ocean Cleanup’s mission to rid the world’s oceans of plastic.

This is a hands-on leadership role. The Head of Media Studio combines strong people leadership with operational excellence, contributing directly when needed while building the systems, processes and capabilities that enable the team to deliver at scale.

The role is responsible for defining the Media Studio’s objectives, strategy and tactics, managing resources and budgets, establishing KPIs, measuring performance, developing the team, driving continuous improvement, and ensuring the Media Studio delivers high-quality creative content efficiently and consistently across the organization.

Responsibilities

• Lead a reliable, always-on Media Studio that operates as an internal production agency, responding to organizational priorities and relevant external content opportunities with speed, consistency and strong creative judgment.
• Build and manage a motivated, high-performing team with clear roles, accountability and development paths, consistently delivering high-quality work on time and to the standard required by The Ocean Cleanup’s global visibility.
• Define a clear Media Studio strategy, with objectives, priorities and a roadmap aligned with the overall Communications strategy and The Ocean Cleanup’s organizational objectives.
• Develop scalable production operations supported by effective workflows, planning, governance, tools and equipment that enable the team to deliver efficiently and consistently.
• Establish clear KPIs and regular performance reporting covering delivery, quality, efficiency, content performance and internal stakeholder satisfaction, using insights to drive continuous improvement.
• Manage budgets across staffing, external suppliers, production, equipment and post-production in a disciplined and sustainable way.
• Ensure the Media Studio is equipped to support The Ocean Cleanup’s global footprint and produce content across markets, languages and cultural contexts, working closely with internal stakeholders and relevant external partners.

Professional Qualifications

“Even if you don’t meet every professional qualification listed, we strongly encourage you to apply if you believe you have the right skills, experience, and motivation to contribute to our mission. We recognize that talent and potential come in many forms, and we value diverse perspectives and unconventional career paths. If you’re passionate about the work we do and confident in your ability to make an impact, don’t hesitate to submit your application—we’d love to hear from you”

• 10+ years of experience in media or creative production, gained in an in-house studio, agency or a combination of both, including at least five years of leadership experience managing and developing multidisciplinary creative teams.
• Proven experience delivering high-quality multimedia content and campaigns across markets and channels, ideally in a global or multi-market environment.
• Strong operational experience, including production planning, resource management, budgets, end-to-end workflows, and selecting, briefing and managing freelancers, agencies and production partners.
• Experience developing clear creative briefs and translating strategic priorities into executable production plans.
• Strong understanding of brand building, digital platforms, the media landscape, current trends, and emerging production technologies.
• Experience with live production, events, or livestreaming is an advantage.
• Industry recognition or awards are an advantage, but do not replace demonstrated leadership and operational experience.
• Fluency in English is required. Spanish is a strong advantage, as are other languages spoken in countries where The Ocean Cleanup operates.
• Experience working within or alongside engineering, science or technology-driven organizations is an advantage.
• Experience working in a scale-up environment or managing content operations at scale is a strong asset.

Personal Qualifications

• Operationally strong, able to anticipate bottlenecks, establish effective systems, and keep people and production moving at scale.
• Leads with trust, gives credit where it’s due, empowers the team and creates clear accountability, while remaining hands-on and close to the work.
• Resilient and calm under pressure, with strong attention to detail, quality, and deadlines.
• A clear and confident decision-maker who knows when to consult, when to challenge and when to act.
• Understands the role of media in advancing a global mission and the demands of running an internal production agency within a purpose-driven organization.
• Strong commitment to The Ocean Cleanup’s mission and environmental impact.
• Strong brand judgment, with the ability to balance creative ambition, organizational needs, and brand integrity.
• Culturally aware and able to adapt creative work for different markets, audiences and contexts.

Additional Details

• Willingness and ability to travel internationally to support productions, operations, campaigns and events, sometimes at short notice.
• Conducting a pre-employment check may be part of this recruitment process.