Associate Director, Multimedia News and Video Production

Details•San Diego, CA

About The Position

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.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.
Five years’ experience in marketing, multimedia video editing and production, broadcast news, and/or digital storytelling.
Fluency with video development/editing programs.
Demonstrated editorial judgment, interpersonal skills, and technical expertise; must exhibit attention to detail with a high degree of accuracy.
Excellent written and oral communication skills required as well as exceptional critical listening and thinking skills.
Deep familiarity with professional cinema cameras, DSLR/Mirrorless setups, lighting kits, and field audio recording equipment.
Ability to use reporting tools to synthesize and interpret data related to tracking media appearances.
Ability to think creatively and analytically, manage multiple tasks, and meet deadlines.
Excellent news judgment; strong conceptual and story development skills; strong “news-gut” —the ability to identify what makes a story interesting to the public and the media.
Solid word processing, web, database management, and social networking skills.
Commitment to the mission and values of USD.
Must be friendly and personable; mature, positive attitude.
Valid driver’s license required.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Film/Video Production, Communications, or a related field.
Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign), video editing software (Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro), and mobile editing software such as iMovie and similar programs.
Experience working in media and higher education.
Bilingual in Spanish, verbal and written.

Responsibilities

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 and maintain relationships with campus colleagues to increase the generation of unique story pitches to Public Affairs.
Serve as the technical lead for the university’s weekly podcast, “At the Edge of it All,” including recording, audio editing, mixing, and distributing across hosting platforms.
Develop strong working relationships with local, regional, national, and international media, providing timely information and interviews to further strengthen USD’s position as a preferred news source.
Develop and maintain Public Affairs’ website, newsroom pages, and social media channels to keep up with the demands and needs of local, national, and international news media, ensuring all video and visual content is optimized for web and mobile viewing.
Upload and publish stories to the USD News Center and other multimedia channels; work collaboratively with other members of University Marketing and Communications (UM&C) as needed in the creation of storytelling projects.
Assist the executive director with creating new internal/external channels of communication (e.g. podcasts, newsletters, other production channels).
Facilitate daily communication with clients, colleagues, project managers, and vendors regarding project timelines, progress updates, budget constraints, and required approvals.
Produce video press releases and increase storytelling across the university.
Help develop/guide video projects across campus to increase brand awareness with outside media sources and audiences.
Advance the Office of Public Affairs’ digital footprint online and through social media.
Track editorial calendars, measurement, and analytics to demonstrate the effectiveness of media relations outreach.
Assist the executive director with media training for select university thought leaders.
Work closely with the team to identify visual opportunities within their pitched stories and research initiatives; advise on emerging trends, equipment needs, and digital strategies to increase the “shareability” of university news.
Assist executive director during sensitive situations; capture and edit internal/external video statements and monitor digital sentiment as needed.
Ensure all video content aligns with university branding, institutional storytelling priorities, and consistency across multiple platforms.
Provide visual coverage for major university events, press conferences, and dignitary visits and technical assistance in the organization of media events when appropriate.
Support and transport distinguished guests and USD personnel to media opportunities as needed.
Other duties as assigned.