Job Title Assistant Director, Student Media Department Student Activities Job Code A41305 Job category Full Time Staff Terms and Hours .83 Full Time Exempt; 10-month assignment period of August 1 through May 31 Salary Range Starting salary at $44,650 for the 10-month assignment period; commensurate with experience Job Summary The Assistant Director, Student Media is responsible for the recruitment, training, advisement, and professional development of the University of Portland's student-run, all-digital news source, The Beacon. This position will oversee The Beacon student positions and provide mentorship with best practices for journalism and ethics in a student-centered, liberal arts setting. The Assistant Director, Student Media will provide secondary duties for Student Activities as needed during the academic year, including consult support for the part-time staff advisors, working in collaboration with the Director, Student Activities. This position reports to the Director, Student Activities. This is a full-time position that works a 10-month assignment period from August 1 thru May 31, in alignment with the academic year, and is benefits eligible for all 12 months of the year as a .83 FTE. Core Duties Primary Advisor Duties * Provide effective and visible student media leadership through active, engaged mentoring and professionally informed advising in all aspects of a university student-run news source. This includes but is not limited to managing student recruitment & training, advising on news coverage, opinion pieces, and advertisements. Advise on best practices in journalism and ethics in a student-centered, liberal arts setting. * Provide operational oversight to assure that news deadlines, production goals, and regulatory/legal issues are properly understood and addressed by student leaders and student staff members. * Oversee and maintain an accessible, welcoming, creative, diverse, and professional organizational newsroom culture that fosters student growth in service to the campus, community, and mission along with professional development. * Ensure student program leaders provide performance expectations that are developed with accountability measures and thorough and timely feedback on all student output, including review of article copy, photography, videography, website layout, and advertisements for The Beacon. * Prepare, monitor, and manage The Beacon operating budget and reconciliation processes, including the student stipend payment process to ensure timely and accurate payments to student volunteers occur. * Arrange for alumni and visiting professionals to provide informational and professional context, and guidance on journalism best practices to support professional development. * Attend professional conferences related to journalism topics with student representatives, as resources and budget allow. * Refer and recommend student journalists for internships, awards, and scholarship opportunities. Additional Duties * Serve as a consultant for part-time Student Media Advisor staff for the Log Yearbook and KDUP radio station. * Develop assessment process for program and efforts. Create and measure student learning outcomes and student media impact and success, providing recommendations to process improvements and policy changes to the Director, Student Activities. * Provide excellent customer service for in-person, email, and phone inquiries related to Student Media as needed. Respond to internal and external inquiries and take appropriate action as required including proactively addressing potential issues and systematic matters, acting proactively in bringing information and potential issues to the attention of the Director, Student Activities. * Provide event coverage and administrative support for large events hosted by the Office of Student Activities. * Advise student government committees or projects on behalf of Student Activities as assigned. * Serve on campus-wide committees as assigned. Other duties as relevant to the duties of the position or as assigned by supervisor or designee. Please note that the above list of duties is not comprehensive but generally demonstrates the types of matters under this position's purview and responsibility. Education & Experience * Required: Bachelor's degree in relevant field of study. * Required: Two years of professional experience in journalism with experience in media hardware and software platforms. * Preferred: Master's degree in journalism or communications. * Preferred: Previous experience working in higher education. * Or a combination of equivalent education and/or experience. Certifications & Licenses * None Knowledge, Skills & Abilities * Knowledge of journalism ethics and standards with the ability to mentor and train students. * Ability to read and interpret policies, including state and federal regulations to ensure compliance. * Strong ability to work collaboratively, accomplish organizational goals, communicate clearly, and act proactively. * Strong organizational skills with the ability to consistently handle and follow through with multiple projects and assignments and meet deadlines. * Ability to perform in a busy work environment, working independently and as part of a team, and able to effectively receive supervisory input and feedback. * Excellent written and oral communication skills. * Analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to exercise sound judgment routinely and independently in making decisions. * Demonstrated commitment to fostering a diverse working and learning environment. * Competence with and commitment to inclusive excellence; ability to be an effective partner with diverse students, faculty, and staff. * Ability to establish effective working relationships, professional rapport, and effectively accomplish work within a University setting that includes a wide array of individuals, groups, policies, and processes. * Effective ability to use and learn computers, technology, software, and applications at level of sophistication required for the duties of the position, including, without limitation, Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), the internet, and computerized maintenance management systems. * All University of Portland positions require the ability to quickly learn and use new technologies, software, and applications in depth and at level of proficiency required for duties of the position. In most situations, the necessity of learning, using, and supporting new technologies, software, and/or applications does not change a job description nor make the position one that involves higher level duties. Physical Requirements * Frequently: sit, perform desk-based computer tasks; use fine manipulation and grasp; use a telephone; write by hand; sort and file paperwork. * Occasionally: stand and walk; twist; lift, carry, push, and pull objects that weigh up to 10 pounds. * Occasionally: ability to attend events and activities on or off campus. * Frequently: ability to interact and communicate with members of the University and others as necessary. Working Conditions * Hours of employment: sometimes may require working flexible and/or longer hours, including nights and weekends, when necessitated by projects. * Stress from work-related situations such as those involving challenging, important, urgent, time-sensitive, or multiple matters. Work Standards * Respect for the University's mission and Catholic identity: demonstrates commitment to learning, respecting, and contributing to the mission of the University, a Catholic and Congregation of Holy Cross institution. * The full Mission Statement is at: www.up.edu/about/mission. * The full Statement of Inclusion is at: www.up.edu/disclosures/inclusion. * Promote culture of safety: demonstrates commitment to personal responsibility and value for safety; communicates safety concerns; uses and promotes safe behaviors based on training and lessons learned. * Compliance with laws and policies and procedures: subject to and expected to comply with all applicable University, departmental, and other applicable policies and procedures, including but not limited to, the personnel, business, and/or other policies of the University. * Compliance with driving-related laws and requirements: when conducting university business while driving, must comply with the Oregon Vehicle Code and University of Portland driving requirements. * Interpersonal skills: demonstrates the ability to work professionally with all University of Portland community members, external organizations, and any other person or organization employee interacts with in his or her University capacity. Benefits Medical and dental insurance, life insurance, sick time and vacation time consistent with University policies, long-term disability insurance, flexible spending account benefits, tuition remission benefits generally starting after 90 days (employee) or 2 years (spouse and children) of employment, retirement contributions generally starting after 2 years of employment, and eligibility for the University's home purchase assistance program consistent with program requirements. (Benefits are subject to all relevant University policies, practices, contracts, and any other relevant materials.) Posting Detail Information Posting Number S253-2023 Number of Vacancies 1 Estimated Start Date Open Date Close Date Open Until Filled No Special Instructions Summary