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Job: National Community and News Literacy Roundtables project manager


Those interested in applying for this position should send resume and cover letter to ASNE President Chris Peck at asne@asne.org


PROJECT MANAGER: The National Community and News Literacy Roundtables project is looking for an innovative, energetic manager dedicated to the cause of helping Americans become more news literate.
 
PROJECT OVERVIEW:  Americans are confused about big issues and need skills to navigate through the ocean of news, information, opinion, advertising, marketing and propaganda that washes over our lives in a constant stream of social media and always-on digital devices. The National Community and News Literacy Roundtables project is designed to help people gain the tools and learn the techniques of news literacy. This non-partisan project will be built around a series of community roundtable events where a cross-section of local residents will focus on an issue of intense local interest to explore what it means to separate fact from fiction as the basis for civil discourse and moving the conversation forward in a challenging 21st-century media landscape. The project is being run under the auspices of the American Society of News Editors, in partnership with the News Literacy Project and the American Press Institute. It is funded in part by the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
 
JOB DESCRIPTION: Working with the national partners, the project manager will help ensure that the community roundtables are successfully produced and serve to launch news literacy ambassadors in each of the participating communities.
 
The project manager will serve as the primary day-to-day contact person for those who are interested in hosting a roundtable at a local site. The project manager will help identify local media partners, educational partners, and community partners who will be asked to help with local fundraising and event planning of roundtables around the country. The project manager will be responsible for keeping the local roundtables on deadline and on track. This will include making sure materials and training developed for the national news literacy roundtables are understood, used and improved upon.
 
The project manager will help identify individuals at each roundtable who can join a national network of news literacy ambassadors who will emerge from the roundtable events and continue to be local contacts and resources for future news literacy discussions and events locally and around the country.
 
The project manager also will assist with additional national and regional fundraising as needed. Innovation that aligns with the project's goals is encouraged.
 
SPECIFIC DUTIES:

  • Work with the national partners to develop a timeline and checklist for rolling out the roundtables project.  Should have experience in planning and hosting events.
  • Help identify, assist and encourage local roundtable partners and help identify local news literacy ambassadors.
  • Serve as spokesperson for the roundtables project at select industry events and meetings, as well as online.

JOB REQUIREMENTS
:

  • Must be highly organized, efficient, detail-oriented and able to manage multiple tasks.
  • Able to work independently and collaboratively, with good interpersonal skills.
  • Experience in event planning and production with community partners is essential.
  • Background in news media and knowledge of journalism ethics and integrity.
  • Commitment to developing a good working knowledge of news literacy.
  • Superior oral and written communication skills.
  • Experience interacting with board members, donors and heads of organizations.
  • Command of digital media and digital office tools.
  • Bachelor's degree preferred.

LOCATION AND COMPENSATION
:

  • The project manager can be located in one of three places: the Washington, D.C., region, Chicago, or Columbia, Missouri. Office space will be provided.
  • Salary is negotiable based on credentials, skills and experience.
  • This is a two-year consulting position with the potential to extend it.
  • Application deadline: Nov. 15, 2014
  • Start Date: Jan. 1, 2015

Email resume and cover letter to ASNE President Chris Peck at asne@asne.org

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