UIS Observer is hiring: Media Writer/Producer Announcer II (Community Voices Pro

Media Writer/Producer Announcer II (Community Voices Producer/Co-Host)

Media Writer/Producer Announcer II (Community Voices Producer/Co-Host)

Summary

Responsible to grow and cultivate audience through participation in on‑air interviews and promotion. Oversees the station's Community Voices project including producing and hosting daily program and programming local breaks with excerpts and promotions. Works with staff and community to increase broadcast and digital audience growth.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Host, research, conduct multiple interviews on‑site and remotely, and deliver originally produced NPR‑quality features as assigned on deadline. Assure stories are relevant and understandable to the community while being accurate. Creative approach to interviewing with an accessible, advanced radio storytelling technique. Produce stories with a local target audience. Manage multiple assignments and deadlines concurrently that involve interviews with accessible narratives. Travel when necessary to produce sound that doesn’t involve phone recordings and is rich and scene‑setting in support of the story.
• Host programs, moderate speaking events, interviewing people live, and respond to developing topics, including but not limited to special events such as speeches, concerts, promotional and other events. May lead team coverage of determining whether to pre‑empt regular programming for special coverage. Develop an on‑air personality and credibility. Able to participate in impromptu two‑ways.
• Responsible for station’s digital presence for Community Voices through developing, editing and crafting digital story posts on website, social media, podcasts, and other channels. Edits materials produced by other podcasters and assists them in production. Develops necessary graphics to support postings.
• Assist Audience Development manager in planning, producing, and executing engagement and training events.
• Build database of “people‑to‑know” in the community in order to produce content with the highest level of credibility, and strategically develop long‑range plans for coverage and producing audio/video and written content for on‑air and online use. Establish and maintain contacts to facilitate access to and receipt of relevant local information for on‑air use.
• Ensure integrity of interviews comply with applicable laws, and FCC regulations. Complete appropriate paperwork and other duties as assigned, including assisting supervisor and/or Director of Business and Finance with department budget preparation and control.
• Train and supervise host/producers, interns and student workers; provide guidance and direction to subordinate(s), including setting performance standards and monitoring performance. Work with announcing and production staff on advanced announcing and production techniques.
• Aggregate interviews into at daily sixty‑minute program.
• Enthusiastically participate in station fundraising and engagement activities and adapt to new work situations, people, ideas, procedures, and organizational structures, in order to accommodate an evolving work environment. Represents station at professional workshops and conferences.
• Schedule and supervise editing of interviews and promos into local breaks around the clock.
• Ensure daily program guests are promoted in broadcast promos and e‑newsletter.
• Supervise other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

1. Any one or any combination totaling three (3) years (36 months) of the following types of preparation:
A. progressively more responsible work experience in the production and presentation of radio or television programs, social media, and/or print or online journalism
B. vocational training in radio and/or television production, journalism, social media, news or feature writing and/or announcing or closely related fields
C. college course work in radio/television, journalism, social media, news or feature writing or closely related fields – 60 semester hours equals one (1) year (12 months); 75 semester hours equals one (1) year and six (6) months (18 months); 90 semester hours equals two (2) years (24 months); 120 semester hours or a Bachelor’s degree equals three (3) years (36 months)

2. One (1) year (12 months) of work experience in the production and presentation of radio or television programs, social media, and/or print or online journalism in addition to the preparation required in #1 above.

3. One (1) year (12 months) of work experience comparable to that performed at the Media Writer/Producer/Announcer I level of this series or in other positions of comparable responsibility.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Keen sense of judgment and ability to make independent decisions
• Strong analytical and research skills
• Ability to plan and manage multiple assignments
• Proficient at efficiently editing and producing audio story segments
• Proficient in operating broadcast equipment with an emphasis on audio and digital production
• Ability to meet daily deadlines delivering audio and digital stories simultaneously
• Ability to take initiative and work with minimal amount of direct supervision while being responsive to direction
• Ability to communicate effectively with and understand sources and experts
• Familiarity with public media journalism
• Teamwork
• Thorough knowledge of computer systems in a media environment

Physical Demands

• Standing : Occasionally
• Walking : Occasionally
• Sitting : Frequently
• Lifting : Occasionally
• Carrying : Occasionally
• Pushing : Occasionally
• Pulling : Occasionally
• Climbing : Occasionally
• Stooping : Rarely
• Kneeling : Rarely
• Crouching : Rarely
• Reaching : Rarely
• Handling : Occasionally
• Grasping : Rarely
• Feeling : Frequently
• Talking : Constantly
• Hearing : Constantly
• Repetitive Motions : Occasionally
• Eye/Hand/Foot Coordination : Rarely
• Taste/Smell : Rarely
• Performing Manual Tasks : Frequently

Working Conditions

• Extreme cold : Rarely
• Extreme heat : Rarely
• Humid : Rarely
• Wet : Rarely
• Noise : Frequently
• Temperature Change : Rarely
• Atmospheric Conditions : Rarely
• Vibration : Rarely

Travel Requirements

10% Travel to events and meetings.

Union Affiliation

This position classification is represented by University Professionals of Illinois, Local 4100 Service, Clerical or Technical Union.

Employment Policies and Other Information

Failure to accurately describe work experience, or failure to submit college transcripts may result in an applicant not being admitted to the exam.

UIS an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer with strong institutional commitment to recruitment and retention of a diverse and inclusive community. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. As a qualifying federal contractor, the University of Illinois System uses E‑Verify to verify employment eligibility.

The University of Illinois may conduct background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer of employment. Background checks will be performed in compliance with state and federal law.

Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply and may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process. Requests may be submitted by contacting UIS HR at hremployment@uis.edu or call 217‑206‑6652.

*Please Note: All postings close at 5:00 pm CST on the posting close date.*