Beacon Managing and News Editor | University of Portland

Beacon Managing and News Editor

Job Title

Beacon Managing and News Editor

 

Stipend

$5500/year

 

Duties and Responsibilities

  • This position is open to all UP students. However, preference is given to applicants with relevant experience.
  • Plays leadership role as directed by adviser and editor-in-chief during Beacon Boot Camp training in August
  • Assigns reporters news stories on multiple platforms, enforcing deadlines
  • Is promptly responsive to email, Slack and text messages
  • Ensures news coverage is accurate, fair, ethical, diverse and inclusive and allows for a wide range of representation of the campus community
  • Approves and posts news content throughout the week
  • Monitors news content for accuracy and promptly posts all corrections and clarifications for the News section when warranted.
  • Assigns reporters beats and monitors their progress
  • Is in charge of spread sheet (“story budget”) that lists all assignments. Updates regularly
  • Coaches reporters on interviewing, reporting and writing with assistance from adviser
  • Is available to reporters via phone, text, Slack and email and scheduled one-on-one meetings
  • Edits news content and writes headlines
  • Has authority over all recorded (podcasts, video) and live news content
  • Posts at least one multimedia piece (ie: video, slideshow) in the News section per week
  • Mentors other editors as needed
  • Generates content ideas and coverage strategies for the news section
  • Reports and writes stories for the News section
  • Keeps up with current events, UP-related topics, student culture and higher education in general
  • Supervises Community Engagement Editor on news content in Beacon social media
  • Coordinates with Multimedia Editor in assigning news videos, photos, infographics,
  • Encourages and executes innovation in multi-platform storytelling
  • Oversees breaking news coverage
  • Contributes two story ideas each week
  • Acts as Editor-in-Chief when Editor-in-Chief is unavailable

 

General Qualifications and Requirements

  • Must have at least a 3.0 GPA
  • Has excellent writing and critical thinking skills
  • Is insatiably curious, creative and proactive about learning
  • Is a good listener as well as a natural leader
  • Is dependable, considerate, ethical and emotionally mature
  • Does not shy away from a challenge
  • Can manage peers in a professional setting, holding them accountable
  • Manages time and stress well; thrives on a busy schedule
  • Must be able to handle stress well, including short deadlines
  • Reads journalistic media for fun and curiosity
  • Is excited about multimedia as well as writing
  • Is a go-getter, strives for excellence, naturally goes above-and-beyond what’s expected
  • Collaborates and communicates well in a team setting
  • Is open to instruction
  • Has at least one year of reporting experience

 

Time Commitment and Availability

  • Attends staff meetings Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5:40 unless there is a conflict with a class and the editor-in-chief approves the absence in advance. Beacon staffers are strongly discouraged from registering for classes that meet during those times.
  • The person in this position makes up part of The Beacon Editorial Board. In addition to Tuesday and Thursday all-staff meetings, Editorial Board members also have a required meeting on Wednesday nights at 7.
  • Meets with adviser and editor-in-chief every Monday
  • Attends Beacon Boot Camp training in August