Associate Director, Multimedia News and Video Production

Position Title & Department:

 Associate Director, Multimedia News and Video Production; University Marketing and Communications Posting #

5524

Department Description:

Public Affairs is dedicated to connecting the University of San Diego with the wider community through the media. An active media presence is vital for shining a spotlight on the distinctive work being done at USD. The Public Affairs team serves as the designated liaison between the university and the media. The team publicizes and handles media relations for major university announcements and events and helps connect faculty experts with print, broadcast and online media.

University Description:

The University of San Diego, an engaged and contemporary Catholic institution, was founded by the Diocese of San Diego and the Society of the Sacred Heart in 1949. Governed by an independent board of trustees since 1972, USD remains committed to a liberal arts education grounded in the Catholic intellectual tradition and the pursuit of truth, goodness and beauty. Inspired by this centuries old tradition of Catholic higher education, the University welcomes people of all faith traditions and any, or no, religious background. The future success of USD relies on the contributions of those who seek to foster the development of engaged global citizens and an earnest confrontation of humanity’s urgent challenges.

Detailed Description:

The associate director of multimedia news and video production serves as the primary visual storyteller for the Office of Public Affairs, transforming complex academic research, student achievement, and institutional initiatives into compelling video and digital content. This position is a highly technical “hands-on” production role responsible for the end-to-end creation of high-impact multimedia storytelling assets. Serving as a one-person news crew, this position is responsible for identifying stories, conducting polished interviews, and shooting and editing professional-grade videos. A direct liaison to academic and administrative divisions, the associate director works with campus-wide marketing and communications teams to develop strategies and implement proactive visual media projects promoting faculty and student achievement and select events with the goal of enhancing their reputations regionally, nationally, and internationally. The associate director produces multimedia stories for multiple platforms including print, electronic, social media, and broadcast. The associate director interacts with media outlets, developing and producing video releases and feature coverage about members of the university community, initiatives, and events. This position works to establish and maintain excellent relationships with reporters, editors, and key news personnel at print and broadcast media, as well as media/advertising partners, in the development of campus-wide news content. The associate director works to increase awareness of USD’s mission, support student recruitment efforts, uplift faculty thought leadership and research, and illustrate the case for philanthropic support of the institution. This position also tracks analytics to show effectiveness of media relations efforts.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Multimedia Production and Video Storytelling 

• Produce B-roll packages and video news releases (VNRs) specifically designed for distribution to local, national, and international broadcast media outlets.
• Lead conceptualization, cinematography, and post-production (e.g. editing, color grading, sound design) of news-style video packages and feature stories.
• Conduct on-camera interviews with faculty, students, and administration; elicit the “story” and extract compelling soundbites.
• Produce a consistent flow of features and news stories that effectively position USD, emphasize strategically important programs or developments, and differentiate the university from competitors.
• Assist the team in pitching video news and feature story ideas to promote key people, programs, and initiatives within areas of responsibility.
• Develop an