Justin La Rocca

Emmy Award Winning Unit Manager/Producer: CBS Mornings, CBS Saturday Morning, & Race & Culture Unit

New York City Metropolitan Area

About

Justin La Rocca is a human resources and media professional responsible for directing all people and operations functions. He is a strategic leader with recognized strengths in recruiting, policy development and compliance, talent development, project management, series budgeting, monthly operational budgeting and employee relations. Justin likes to find the balance of the production needs vs. the budgetary obligations though "out of the box techniques." He believes part of doing his job is part skills, part people relations, part life relations, and also keeping up with industry trends and news such as: New Flight Routes, Positions/news of the competition, planning resource tools. Justin has had a passion for the entertainment industry most notably the Television sector, and this passion comes across in everything he touches.

Experience

  • CBS News (10 yrs 3 mos)
    • Assistant Unit Manager: CBS This Morning, CBS This Morning - SAT, Overnight News, & Morning News
      Oct 2016 - Present · 9 yrs 9 mos

      - Audit and Process Payroll for 100+ Freelance, Staff, and Various Union employees. *Developed and implemented Excel Timesheet, eliminating manual paper timesheet with multiple opportunities for human error. - Process invoices across multiple shows/department. While in this position I transitioned vendors to Excel bills/electronic billing improving workflow speed. - Create Budgets for various productions including: *Saturday Sessions: AFM, AFTRA, and Studio Operations fees essential to the "Green Light Process." *Multi-Show Productions: Created budgets for large trips across multiple countries, that the finance department used to project accruals. - Track all outside KU/Satellite Trucks and Studio Costs weekly for Finance. - Track all Contributors for: CBS This Morning & CBS This Morning - Saturday. - Enforced Expense Policy's for Staff Members, while approving expenses. - Responsible for Freelance Employee on-boarding, and paperwork associated with promotions. - Implanted and enforced all employee exit procedures including: expense close-out and asset retrieval. - Manages the Internal Sharepoint System - works across departments to implement paperless procedures - Created workflow and budgets for the new formed "Office of Professional Development" for the news division. - Point person for all Race & Culture productions - Including shoot deployments, covid compliance, budget creation and tracking, and expense management,

    • Satellite Coordinator / Production Management - CBS This Morning & CBS This Morning Saturday
      Apr 2016 - Oct 2016 · 7 mos

      - Set Up guest remotes WorldWide, including: booking studio space, fibers, and satellite space. - Compile remotes for 2 hour broadcast, and distribute to control room staff and senior level producers for show. - Compile shots in order of occurrence or 2 hour broadcast, and distribute to control room staff and senior level producers for show. - Manage and distribute camera equipment, sound, and lighting kits for production team. - Assist with guests if needed. *Promoted to Assistant Unit Manager (October 2016).

  • Al Jazeera America (2 yrs 9 mos)
    • Acting Newsroom & Bureau Coordinator
      Oct 2015 - Mar 2016 · 6 mos

      • Support the administrative needs of the President and Senior Vice Presidents • Manage the schedules for Anchors, Reporters, Producers, and other Editorial Staff; 200 fulltime and freelance staff • Establish and track monthly budgets for each broadcast • Compile and process payroll for several departments of both staff employees and freelance • Manage vacation and sick time for staff of 200+ in multiple bureaus + NYC newsroom • Plan and manage the travel for executives and anchors

    • Production Coordinator (America Tonight & Compass)
      Jul 2013 - Oct 2015 · 2 yrs 4 mos

      • Supported the Senior Vice President • Managed crews, vendors, travel, expenses and scheduling for daily, national magazine show which often had 30+ simultaneous stories in development and/or production • Standardized financial reporting templates for the production & finance departments • Coordinated recruitment, hiring, and onboarding of 20+ Staff Members. • Established and managed internship program • Trained production managers network wide on cost reporting • Liaise between Finance, Production, Accounts Payable, and HR to create synergy • Remote site manager. Provided support for field teams • Filled in for Production Manager seamlessly when needed

  • Production Staff Accountant at Sirens Media
    Jan 2012 - Jul 2013 · 1 yr 7 mos

    • Created and standardized financial reporting templates for the production department • Accurately maintained general ledger entries on individual production books • Prepared and maintained production cost reports • Compiled and reviewed expenses for simoustanly productions • Worked collaboratively with Production Managers to ensure cost reports were up to date • Supported Executive Vice President of Finance on special initiative projects

  • Production Assistant at Brides Style Shop
    Oct 2010 - Oct 2011 · 1 yr 1 mo

    •Shadowed executive producer to run experiential pop-up store •Responsible for load-in coordination, including 15+ vignette integrations •Acted as runner for supplies, props, flowers, food and all other needs •Coordinated assignments for staff of 20

  • Production Intern (BIO Series: Twisted Fate) at Sirens Media
    May 2011 - Aug 2011 · 4 mos

    • Casted recreation actors, managed props, and scouted locations • Drafted contracts for shoots including location and talent agreements, and support staff • Created expense reports for Producers and Associate Producers • Booked travel for staff and participants