News Director

POSITION SUMMARY:

Date application must be received for priority consideration by: October 15, 2024
Anticipated Appointment Begin Date: December 1, 2024
Closing Date or if blank, Open Until Filled:
Job Family Group: Administrative and Professional
Division/Department: President's Office/Jefferson Public Radio
Compensation Range (commensurate with experience): $5,833.33-$6,666.67 monthly or $70,000-$80,000 annually @ 1.0 FTE
FLSA Status: Exempt
Appointment Basis: 12-month
Time Type: Full-time
Benefits Eligible: Yes
Renewable/Non-renewable/Grants/Limited Duration: Renewable
This position must possess and maintain a current, valid Driver License: Yes
This position is designated as a critical, security-sensitive or safety-sensitive position; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a Criminal Background Check: Yes
Lead Work/Supervisory Responsibilities: Yes
Work Location Type: On-campus
Work Hours: M-F (8:00a – 5:00p) Hours are subject to change with notice.
Worker Status: Must be able to legally work in the United States without visa sponsorship

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS TO APPLICANT:

• Each applicant is required to provide (as attachments to the online application) the following supplemental documents: (1) a letter providing some detail of the applicant’s qualifications and interest in the position; and (2) current resume/CV
• For inquiries and additional information, please contact Human Resource Services via email at hrs@sou.edu or by phone at (541)552-8553.
• To view SOU’s very generous benefits and pension programs available to eligible positions, please visit https://inside.sou.edu/assets/hrs/Benefits/Benefit_Flyer/2024_Prospective_Candidate_Benefit_Overview_012024.pdf
• Our benefits package is an important complement to the offered salary and our Total Compensation Calculator, https://inside.sou.edu/hrs/comp-calc.html, demonstrates our value and commitment to our employees.

POSITION DESCRIPTION:

Jefferson Public Radio (JPR) is a network of 23 public radio stations and 36 translators serving a 60,000 square-mile area of Southern Oregon and Northern California. JPR is licensed to and operated by Southern Oregon University (SOU), whose main campus is located in Ashland, Oregon. JPR operates from a state-of-the-art broadcast center on the SOU Ashland campus and also operates a satellite studio facility in the Cascade Theatre in Redding, California. JPR provides three fully separate, full-time program services and is an NPR member station. Learn more about JPR's history and public service mission at ijpr.org.

JPR seeks a News Director (ND) to lead and manage JPR news content across broadcast and digital platforms. The ND reports to the Executive Director, serves on the senior management team and works with station leadership and staff to support the station mission. The ND manages day-to-day news coverage and collaborates with the Executive Director to develop and implement JPR's news strategy. The ND supervises all news department staff.

The ND helps establish and maintain ethical, editorial, artistic and technical standards for broadcast news programs. The ND assists with news programming decisions and news operations. The ND, as JPR's top news authority, is responsible for the journalistic quality and integrity of all station news activities and platforms.

Minimum Requirements

• A four-year degree in journalism or related field, or equivalent, required.
• Minimum four years full-time professional experience in journalism - preferably in a multi-platform news environment.

Preferred Requirements

• Master's degree in Journalism or related field.
• Experience managing a news department, either as a News Director or Senior Editor.

Essential Functions

Duties - The following examples are typical work activities that are meant to illustrate the general range of work functions and are not meant to be all-inclusive or restrictive:

(65%) Editorial Planning, Scheduling, Editing

• Direct the activities of the news staff to develop story ideas, track issues and events, select reporters for coverage and schedule stories for broadcast and publication on JPR digital platforms.
• Serve as the primary editor to ensure news reports are produced in an effecti