• Work-life balance
• Holidays-10 paid holidays per year and 1 Floating Holiday
• Vacation- 15 days per year (New Employees to 10 years; after 10 years the accrual rate increases)
• Sick Leave – Earned at an accrual rate of .0416125 for each hour in pay status.
• Employee and Dependent Tuition Waiver
• Opportunities to engage in professional development opportunities
• Committed to employee wellness and access to a robust Employee Assistance Program
• Medical Benefits that are robust and affordable
• Visit MUS Benefits to learn more about our benefit package including
  • Medical, Vision, and Dental
  • Life Insurance and Long Term Disability are incorporated into our benefits.
  • Learn more about our retirement benefits at MUS Retirement.
  • Opportunities for career growth and a variety of career paths
  • Campus vibrancy- coffee shops, FREE attendance to MSUB concerts, athletic events, and lectures, access to recreation center, library, etc.
  • Beautiful campus environment that features our MSUB Mile walking path

Yellowstone Public Radio (YPR) is a region-wide public radio service licensed to Montana State University Billings, broadcasting twenty-four hours a day to a large portion of central and eastern Montana and northern Wyoming. The primary signal originates at the Joseph S. Sample Studios on the MSUB campus as KEMC-FM in Billings. KEMC-FM repeats on eleven additional transmitters and twenty-four translators within YPR’s broadcast area.

Under direction of the General Manager, the News Director is responsible for the editorial direction and day-today management of YPR’s news team. This includes, but is not limited to, creating and implementing short and long term strategies and goals for news production and reporting, both on-air and on YPR’s digital platforms; maintaining the editorial integrity and professionalism of YPR’s news reporting; overseeing the daily planning, scheduling, and editing of news stories for broadcast and digital; managing a team of reporters and freelance content providers, including story assignments, shift scheduling, and coordinating story edits; acting as the liaison between YPR and National Public Radio (NPR); creating and implementing content-sharing opportunities with other public radio stations; and acts as a backup on-air host for YPR’s live-hosted newscasts. 

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develops, creates, and implements YPR’s news reporting strategies and goals. Responsible for the development, management, production, and editing of regional news programming. Directs a team of news reporters and freelance content providers. Plans news program specials and series. Supervises the coverage of statewide elections. Supervises the coverage of state legislative sessions. Schedules and implements news content for broadcast and digital platforms. Oversees and implements the news department’s contributions to social media platforms.

• Supervises news department employees, student workers, and interns under the direction of the General Manager. Assigns stories and oversees news employee pitches. Supervises the training of news department employees and evaluates employee performance and, when necessary, recommends disciplinary actions. Supervises the purchase of audio recording equipment, audio editing software, and other equipment required for news reporting.

• Maintains the editorial integrity and professionalism of YPR’s newsroom. Responsible for the factual reporting of the news. Directs news department employees on editorial best practices. Maintains an updated resource on publishing guidelines. Responsible for communication with YPR listeners regarding YPR’s news reporting. Supervises any retractions, corrections, or other modifications to broadcast or published content when necessary.

• Daily, oversees the meetings and correspondence necessary to plan and implement the day’s news reporting. Supervises reporters on sources, story direction, fact-checking, and either edits or provides an editor for each story. Oversees the transition from broadcast story to published story on YPR’s digital platforms. Coordinates YPR’s Twitter feed. In coordination with Montana Public Radio’s News Director, oversees content sharing between the two stations.

• Represents YPR in communication and collaboration with NPR. Directs news employees on pitching stories to NPR. Researches and implements NPR best practices for use in the YPR newsroom. Oversees and implements collaborative opportunities with other news gathering organizations to partner on news content. Seeks out opportunities to submit YPR news programming for local, state, and national awards.

• Directs and supervises the on-air news hosts. Provides voice coaching and other feedback on a regular basis to ensure professional delivery of YPR newscasts. Acts as a substitute host in the event of vacation, sick leave, or other absence.

• Other duties as assigned: participates in the semi-annual on-air fundraising weeks; represents YPR at station functions and other public appearances; represents YPR to various community groups when needed.

• This position is considered essential and high priority. The News Director is on-call and is required to work irregular hours as circumstances dictate.

Physical Demands:
Must be able to lift and carry a minimum of 10 pounds of field recording gear

REASONABLE ACCOMODATIONS:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

MANDATORY REPORTER:
All employees of Montana State University Billings are Mandatory Reporters. They must report information to the Title IX Office (Director of HR) as soon as they become aware of alleged discrimination or harassment on the basis of sex, gender, or any other protected class (see HR’s harassment policy for more information). This includes, but is not limited to, alleged sexual assault.

CAMPUS SAFETY:
Montana State University Billings is committed to assisting all members of the MSUB community in providing for their own safety and security. The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available on the University Police Department website at: http://www.msubillings.edu/police/pdf/Annual_Security_and_Fire_Safety_Report.pdf

This institution is an equal opportunity employer

This job description is not designed to be an all-inclusive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the employee. There may be other duties as assigned.

Background checks are required prior to employment offers.

Salary:

Salary range of $70,000.00 to $74,000.00 annually, commensurate with experience, education, and qualifications 

Special Instructions:

This position is not eligible for sponsorship.