Program Administrator - AFS Exchanges

The American Film Showcase grant, now in its 14th year at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, is the premier film and TV diplomacy program of the U.S. Department of State, and the largest arts exchange program of the U.S. Government. Each year, AFS partners with U.S. Embassies and Consulates in more than 60 countries to develop their film, TV, and digital storytelling exchange programs.

AFS sends American films, filmmakers, and industry experts abroad to lead screenings or filmmaking workshops. In addition, AFS produces regional workshops and a Los Angeles-based residency for international filmmakers. Currently, AFS is funded to produce, over the course of one grant cycle, up to 60 international weeklong exchanges for American filmmakers, four regional and U.S.

-based weeklong workshops for international filmmakers, two international alumni film festival exchanges, and up to 20 virtual master classes and multi-day workshops.

The Program Administrator oversees the programming of the exchange programs of the American Film Showcase, serving the diplomacy goals of up to 50 U.S. Embassies each year, by planning and overseeing all in-person and virtual international film exchanges, as well as designing and implementing regional and U.S.

-based film workshops. This position evaluates and develops operating procedures and best practices around AFS exchanges, designs special workshops to serve U.S. Embassy or Department of State priorities and international filmmaker needs, and consistently communicates the status of exchanges within the organization and with the grant funding body. The Program Administrator builds and maintains a network of American film and TV professionals who serve as film experts on AFS exchanges, as well as serves as the primary resource for American foreign service officers, offering guidance on how to implement and lead AFS film-related exchanges and workshops effectively.

The position offers the opportunity for significant international travel while working closely with filmmakers, American diplomats, and international arts organizations.

The ideal candidate will have significant experience within the American film and TV industry, familiarity with international film or TV trends, extended international experience, as well as awareness of international relations. This candidate should be a natural leader, an exceptional written and oral communicator, have a timely and proactive work style, flexible and calm in the face of challenges, a creative problem-solver, passionate about international travel, team player, and adept at connecting with people from different cultural backgrounds.

This position requires significant international travel as well as regular early morning and evening calls with U.S. Embassies around the world.

This position is based in Los Angeles at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. It is a full-time, hybrid in-person and remote, fixed-term position. U.S. citizenship required due to federal regulations.

• Oversees and implements the Exchanges Program of the American Film Showcase. Plans and develops, in collaboration with U.S. Embassies and Consulates, the programmatic content of all weeklong international film exchanges, virtual exchanges ranging from 3 hours to 10 days, and regional and U.S.
  
  -based workshops. Assesses the effectiveness of programs and modifies exchanges goals and activities for more impactful engagements. Tracks and identifies trends in U.S. cultural diplomacy as well as global film and TV trends to maintain AFS's relevance and demand in the field.
• Develops all written communication, both specific and general, related to best practices, operating procedures, opportunities, and policies for all exchanges for dissemination to U.S. Missions. Navigates the occasionally conflicting requests of U.S. Embassies, the U.S. State Department, the American film experts, and the requirements of the university. In doing so, resolves problems and establishes new program precedents and exceptions.
• Maintains and builds a network of American professionals in film, TV, animation, gaming, and AI who, as independent contractors for USC, serve as AFS experts, traveling abroad to teach various aspects of filmmaking to a range of audiences. Provides leadership and guidance when working with these experts as they develop curriculum and presentation materials for targeted audiences. Understands the skills sets of the experts and appropriately selects professionals to serve the goals of specific U.S. Missions.
  
  Develops evaluation methods to gauge the effectiveness of potential and current experts.
• Serves as the primary point of contact for the AFS network of American film experts, international exchange participants, foreign service officers, and local employees at U.S. Missions and international partner cultural institutions. Liaises all communication between U.S. Embassies and exchange experts. Navigates cross-cultural communication, managing embassy expectations…