Associate Director of Athletics Communication

Posting Number: S000895

Position Title: Associate Director of Athletics Communication

Department: Sports Information

Division: Institutional Communication

Supervisor Title: Director of Athletics Communication

Status: Full Time Regular

Salary Range: $41,000 - $48,000

Position Summary: The Associate Director of Athletics Communication plays a vital role in partnership with the Director of Athletics Communication and plays a key role in overseeing all aspects of athletics communications for North Central College athletics. This position is responsible for coordinating athletics communication coverage for athletic events, promoting the public image of North Central College by developing, implementing, and managing athletics-focused communications. This role is responsible for ensuring effective research, organization, documentation and dissemination of communication information related to the College's intercollegiate athletic programs. Additionally, this role manages student workers, oversees the athletics-specific newsletter and other communication functions such as media, social media, photography and livestream coverage; statistical tracking (live stats) and reporting; post competition written recaps; roster management; the athletics department website; and gameday management such as official clock and scoreboard operation.

Description of Key Responsibilities:
•  Fulfill duties in the Office of Athletics Communication to ensure professional and comprehensive coverage for assigned athletics program that is commensurate with the national caliber of the College's 26 intercollegiate athletics programs. Comprehensive coverage includes, but is not limited to:
•  Update the athletics website and social media channels.
•  Generate regular features stories that reach beyond the competition space to communicate the overall student athlete experience at North Central College.
•  Compile competition statistics and provide live stats for applicable home competitions.
•  Schedule and produce livestream video coverage of home competitions.
•  Maintain and revise team schedules for the College's 26 intercollegiate athletic programs.
•  Assign and schedule public address announcers and other staff for applicable home competitions.
•  Publish timely post-competition recaps and social media posts for all home and away competitions.
•  Manage the press box, scorer's table, or other home gameday administrative outposts to ensure a high-functioning work environment for all scoreboard and clock operators, scorekeepers, media representatives, and others with official duties.
•  Share responsibility with the Department of Athletics to appoint scoreboard and clock operators, official scorekeepers, and other gameday functions.
•  Communicate with media representatives. Write, edit, produce, and distribute media releases that report on various athletics programs, events, and activities and that highlight accomplishments by individual students and coaches.
•  Contribute to the creation of a positive gameday experience for student athletes, coaches, spectators, media representatives, guests, viewers throughout the country, and others.
•  Produce an athletics electronic newsletter.
•  Travel with teams participating in NCAA or other national competition as assigned.
•  Manage all communication functions for assigned athletics program, and field all internal and external inquiries regarding the sport.
•  Ensure presence at all home games for assigned athletics events and provide coverage as directed by the Director of Athletics Communication. Identify, promote and write stories relating to selected athletics programs to area media.
•  Manage, generate, and distribute a regular athletics-specific newsletter that communicates updates, scores, features, images, and video to keep subscribers informed.
•  Supervise and train graduate assistants and student workers within their athletic programs of responsibility, develop and manage a model for providing internal livestream video coverage of athletic events.
•  Plan, develop and implement communications outreach in support of North Central College Athletics. Review, edit, proofread, and publish written content to the athletics website and other communication channels.
•  Develop, write, coordinate production of and disseminate athletics communication materials and programs for individual events. Develop athletics content for College newsletters, the College's magazine, and other College communications.
•  Provide communications support for special events related to the athletics program and/or individual events, such as the annual Athletic Hall of Fame induction. Coordinate external media engagement. Assist in activities associated with organizing and conducting larger-scale athletic events, such as conference or NCAA events, on the North Central College campus.
•  Update and maintain the athletics website for assigned athletic programs and other athletic department initiatives.
•  Assist with the updating and management of the College's social media and other communicate channels. Generate regular features stories that reach beyond the competition space to communicate the overall student-athlete experience at North Central College. Attend regularly scheduled Office of Institutional Communication content meetings to ensure athletics communication coverage.
•  Assist in managing media inquiries and interviews with College coaching staff, student-athletes, and others within the areas of responsibility, and provide backup support for the Director of Athletics Communication.
•  Contribute substantively to determine and execute initiatives in support of the College's Strategic Plan pillars. Oversee development, production and dissemination of written, video, and social-media content which does the same.
•  Contribute feature stories about student athletes and coaches that stretch beyond the competition space to advance the image and reputation of the College and its athletic programs.
•  Hire, train, and develop a competent student work force to perform game-day management duties, such as public address announcements, operation of scoreboards and/or play clocks, and in-game statistics; perform aforementioned game-day management duties for certain sports. Assist with the selection, training, development, and evaluation of the work of graduate assistants in promoting and covering sports assigned to them.
•  Other job-related duties as appropriately assigned.
OTHER KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•  Support the College's mission, vision and values, and contribute to the advancement of the College's Strategic Plan.
•  Demonstrate a strong commitment to continuous quality improvement.
•  Demonstrate civil and inclusive behavior when interacting with staff, faculty, students and visitors to the College. Promote a flexible, collaborative and inclusive work and living environment and engage in educational opportunities.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: 1. Mature news judgment and excellent writing, organizational, interpersonal and communications skills. In particular, the ability to apply professional-quality journalism skills in the production of concise and highly readable copy presented in creative and attractive formats.

2. Ability to use mathematical skills for compiling, summarizing and analyzing large volumes of statistical data.

3. Knowledge of the rules that apply to sporting contests, as well as strategies and techniques which may be used in games, especially for major athletics programs. Knowledge of NCAA rules and regulations pertaining to materials published for recruiting purposes.

4. Experience in reporting on athletics events. Knowledge of and ability to use computer-based systems including word-processing, statistical packages, and desktop publishing software.

5. Familiarity with desktop publishing, image editing, video editing, and web editing software is critical.

6. Ability to manage multiple priorities and to work to deadline. This requires an individual who is well organized, detail-oriented, flexible and self-directed with good stress management skills.

7. Ability to continuously demonstrate outstanding interpersonal skills in dealing with persons internal and external to the College.

Distinguishing Characteristics: This position requires critical thinking, athletics communications experience, with excellent writing and editing skills, sound judgement and problem-solving abilities, and the skill to cultivate relationships that advance the College. The successful Associate Director of Athletics Communication provides effective, appealing communications with complete accuracy regarding College athletics; meets ongoing deadlines and annual goals; organizes and manages projects and people in a fast-paced environment; effectively interacts with administrators, coaches, and representatives of multiple College departments; coordinates athletics communication functions; and integrates seamlessly with the Office of Institutional Communication. Outstanding interpersonal skills and professionalism are essential.

Education/Training: Bachelor's degree is required, preferably in communications, journalism, or a related field.

Experience: Two to four years experience in athletics communication is preferred.

Licenses or Certifications: A valid driver's license and acceptable driving record is required.

Is This a Temporary Position?: No

Employment Conditions: . click apply for full job details