Director, Student Media at Kent State University

The School of Media and Journalism at Kent State University invites applicants for our next Director of Student Media. We seek a visionary leader with the background and experience to position our award-winning operation for a new, multi-platform era.

The Director is charged with providing functional oversight of advertising, marketing, distribution, finance, and personnel, advising student content leaders and serving as a liaison to the Student Media Board. The Director oversees professional and student staff in Student Media, reports to the Director of the School of Media and Journalism, and serves on the School’s Faculty Advisory Committee.

Kent State Student Media is in the early stages of executing a cutting-edge strategic plan that emphasizes audience engagement across new and emerging distribution mediums, including social media, streaming video, streaming audio, and podcasts, while retaining ties to legacy newspaper, magazine, radio, and TV platforms. The plan is designed to enable Student Media to provide the best possible service to the University community, industry-standard training for students in a variety of media fields and protect the independent content decisions of students.

The Director will serve as the adviser to student leaders and staff for the University’s digital media brand, repositioning it as the primary distribution medium for student-produced content. The successful candidate will help select and coordinate efforts with advisers across all Student Media units, ensuring all students have access to professional mentoring and advising.

In addition, the Director:

• Serves as a non-voting member of the Student Media Board.
• Works collaboratively with student leaders to execute the Student Media strategic plan and updates key constituencies with a report on progress each semester.
• Works with the Director of the School of Media and Journalism and faculty to enhance and create co-curricular opportunities that align with the School’s Strategic Plan.
• Through the office staff, provides support services to Student Media units.
• Manages revenue and expenses; recommends and/or approves investments and equipment purchases; ensures the proper use and maintenance of all Student Media equipment.
• Serves as the public face of Student Media and cultivates positive relations with the University, community, and media industry leaders.

Our ideal candidate would have a bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications or a related field and have a minimum of five years’ experience in a professional or college/university media organization. Key competencies include leadership, digital media, and financial management experience. Our preferred qualifications include an advanced degree as well as experience with one or more of the following disciplines: Digital media production, electronic newsgathering/broadcast journalism, audience development, newswriting, still photography and design.

Other desired skills and abilities include:

• A keen understanding of market and audience trends facing media companies.
• Experience mentoring students.
• Knowledge of personal computer applications and digital content management systems.
• An understanding of relevant state and federal regulations and laws.
• Strong verbal, written and interpersonal communication with the ability to adjust to students, university, and external constituents.
• The ability to lead and manage collaborative decision-making processes.