ARTS ACCESS DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT FELLOW

Seeking a one-year fellow for the Arts Access Digital Engagement Fellowship.
 

WHO WE ARE:

KERA and The Dallas Morning News are launching a new model for journalism partnerships.

We’re North Texas’ two largest media organizations and we’re collaborating to reimagine the coverage of arts, music and culture through the lens of access and equity.

What does that mean? We’re raising community and philanthropic dollars to fund a small, pioneering team of arts journalists to produce digital stories that center, serve and engage a younger, more diverse local audience. The Arts Access fellow will be a part of a team that also includes a Coordinating Editor and two reporters. The fellowship lasts one year from the date of hire.

North Texas is home to 7.5 million people. It’s the 5th largest public media market in the country. It includes Dallas (42% Hispanic, 24% Black); Fort Worth (median resident age of 33); Denton (home of University of North Texas); and a constellation of cities and suburbs with unique cultural identities.

We’re defining “story” broadly — on purpose. A story could be a written piece for our websites, an online interactive, an audio report or podcast, a social video, a pop-up newsletter, a text message series, a radio report, a TV segment, a print package — or some creative combination of all of the above. Or a totally new idea you come up with.

This team is being built to experiment, to take risks, to try things, to learn things, to make a measurable impact.

Our two organizations have the resources, tools, contacts and expertise to make most anything possible. Let’s build something great together that can become a national model for a new kind of arts journalism.

But first, we need you.

POSITION SUMMARY

Is this you?

We need you to be obsessed with details, digitally savvy, nerdy about metrics and data, and focused on helping people find stories that matter to them. You are someone who isn’t intimidated by a new CMS or an analytics tool, and you love a newsletter with a well-defined purpose. You know how to execute a plan — including one with multiple players and lots of moving pieces from two different organizations — and hit a deadline.

You are able to pivot quickly and work across social media platforms from Twitter to TikTok and you are hyper-focused on our mission to reach and grow new audience.

You respect, value and want to help our reporters and editors tell more stories about and for diverse communities. You want to help define and shape the collaborative’s digital identity. You want your work to matter.

This is an FLSA classified non-exempt position, which is eligible for overtime. The position reports directly to the VP, Arts and indirectly to the Arts Access Coordinating Editor.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

Responsibilities include:

· Create new and innovative platform-specific storytelling on a variety of social media channels (Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube)

· Engage with our audience on those social platforms to build community with the collaboration

· Use tools such as Hearken and surveys to listen to our audience and gather feedback for stories and future product ideas

· With the team, conceive and execute in-person and virtual events that will connect with younger and diverse audiences.

· Report, create and share digital stories for KERA and The News platforms

· Participate in various industry and consumer events and platforms (e.g. FB/Instagram livestreams and podcasts) to improve the reach and impact of Arts Access team’s journalism

As a KERA employee:

· Be an active participant in KERA’s work towards equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging

· Work in a manner that is consistent with KERA’s mission, vision and values; and maintain compliance with all company policies and procedures

· Comply with KERA’s COVID policies.

· Perform additional duties as assigned

This list of job duties is not exhaustive and is subject to regular reviews and updates.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL

We believe a strong organization includes employees from a range of backgrounds, with different skills, experiences and passions. If you don't meet every job qualification but have some of these skills and think you’re the right person for the job, we'd like to hear from you. Please apply and tell us more about yourself.

· Early career journalist with a background or experience in journalism or mass communications

· Proven ability to write stories that are clear, compelling and accurate in multiple styles and formats

· Solid knowledge of Associated Press style, ability to exercise sound news judgment and follow KERA/NPR ethics and editorial standards

· Enthusiastic about public media journalism and a passion for engaging younger and diverse audiences with ddemonstrated commitment to diversity in reporting and sourcing

· Experience tailoring content for multiple platforms and using social media (e.g. FB, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok) to engage with audiences to source, enhance and promote content

· Organized and detail-oriented with ability to communicate and collaborate on multiple projects, sometimes under deadline pressure

· Valid Texas Driver’s License and insurance required for assignments/activities that involve work outside of the office.

BONUS IF YOU BRING: · 2 to 3 years reporting experience

· Audio and visual producing/editing experience

· Working knowledge of Spanish and/or other languages common in Texas

SALARY RANGE

· $45,000-55,000 annually depending on experience

BENEFITS

· Generous vacation (3 weeks), sick (8 days), personal time (2 days) and holidays (11)

· Comprehensive health, dental and vision insurance

· KERA-paid short and long-term disability, basic life insurance and AD&D insurance

· Flexible scheduling and hybrid work environment

· Work culture intentionally focused on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging

· Robust employee assistance program available to the employee and all members of their household

LOCATION: KERA welcomes a hybrid working environment. This position is expected to work in our Dallas office at least 40% of the time (one day onsite at KERA, one day onsite at Dallas Morning News). HOW TO APPLY:

· Complete the application on KERA’s employment page.

· Attach a resume and cover letter summarizing how you define access and equity when it comes to arts and culture journalism and what excites you about this job. Please include links to 3 examples of how you effectively told stories using different digital methods or formats.

KERA is an Equal Opportunity Employer KERA believes that diversity is important to our success. We are committed to equal employment opportunity and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, religion, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by law.