Swarthmore College Hiring for Assistant Director, Athletic Communications at Swarthmore Full Time

Job no: 495207
Work type: Full Time
Location: Swarthmore
Categories: Staff, Hourly (Non-Exempt)

Swarthmore College is a highly selective liberal arts college located in the suburbs of Philadelphia, whose mission combines academic rigor with social responsibility. Swarthmore has a strong institutional commitment to inclusive excellence and nondiscrimination in its educational program and employment practices and encourages candidates who will further advance the goal of fostering a diverse and inclusive community. As one of the nation’s finest institutions of higher learning, Swarthmore College is global in outlook and draws students from around the nation and world. The 425‐acre campus is a designated arboretum, complete with gardens, rolling lawns, a creek, wooded hills, and hiking trails in the Crum Woods.

Who We Are:

A member of the NCAA Division III and the Centennial Conference. Swarthmore College is a highly selective liberal arts college located in the suburbs of Philadelphia, whose mission combines academic rigor with social responsibility. Swarthmore has a strong institutional commitment to inclusive excellence and nondiscrimination in its educational program and employment practices and encourages candidates who will further advance the goal of fostering a diverse and inclusive community. As one of the nation’s finest institutions of higher learning, Swarthmore College is global in outlook and draws students from around the nation and the world. The 425‐acre campus is a designated arboretum, complete with gardens, rolling lawns, a creek, wooded hills, and hiking trails in the Crum Woods.

The opportunity:

The Assistant Director of Athletic Communications assists with the day-to-day operations of the athletic communications office and supervises student workers. The Assistant Director of Athletic Communications assists with administering and coordinating all aspects of the communications program for all intercollegiate varsity sports, supports institutional branding and positioning efforts, and manages the Athletic Communications department (including student workers). Reporting directly to the Director of Athletic Communications and ultimately to the Director of Athletics, the Assistant Director of Athletic Communications will be responsible for assisting with media relations, sports information, statistical management, event staffing, video broadcasting, marketing, and promotion of the College’s NCAA varsity sports and other programs associated with the department of athletics, and other duties as assigned. This position supports the missions of the College and the Department and works to ensure equitable promotion of varsity intercollegiate athletic programs.

Essential Responsibilities

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Attend home games and selected road games for varsity intercollegiate sports teams, and compile statistical data from those games for dissemination to the web, opposition, Centennial Conference, NCAA, and other media.
• Assist with media relations for the athletic department as needed.
• Assist with coordinating the video efforts of the athletic department, which include video streaming on the Garnet Sports Network and creating and editing video features and highlights.
• Maintain the statistical history and record books for all sports programs.
• Write press releases and recaps for the Athletics Dept. website.
• Design and produce publications (game-day materials/content) for all home events
• Submit statistical data to affiliated conferences and/or the NCAA as required.
• Support and collaborate with the College’s Office of Communications as requested.
• Produce creative content for athletics department social media platforms pertaining to contests, special events, social media campaigns, and other department events.
• Promote our student-athletes and department with innovative social media graphics.
• Coordinate photography for the athletic department.
• Assist in the coordination of special events for the Department (Hall of Fame, Senior Student-Athlete Banquet, etc.).
• Update and maintain the department’s website.
• Promote the achievements of Swarthmore’s student-athletes, teams, coaches, and staff to the public through a wide variety of audiences and media outlets.
• Assist with or manage staffing efforts for Swarthmore home events.
• Recruit, train, and evaluate student employees.
• Coordinate the nomination of Swarthmore student-athletes for conference and national awards.
• Maintain Swarthmore’s historical archive and serve as the main caretaker of the Garnet Athletics Hall of Fame.

Additional Responsibilities

• Support the athletic administration and College administration on various projects as needed.
• Collaborate with various constituencies (e.g., media/promotion companies, external vendors, GCAC, Associate Director of Athletics Giving, etc.) as needed.
• Serve on Department and College committees as requested.
• Continue professional development/education and stay abreast of best practices.
• Write articles for the College’s magazine/website as needed.

Supervisory Responsibilities

The Assistant Director of Athletic Communications supervises the following:

• Student employees

Who you are:

• Knowledge of intercollegiate sports.
• Ability to work independently with efficiency and attention to detail.
• Strong writing, communication, organizational, and time management skills.
• Strong communication, interpersonal, multi-tasking, organization, and time management skills.
• Knowledge of and experience with video broadcasting and production.
• Ability to work with student-athletes, coaches, administrators, and the media.

What you bring:

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree, preferably in communications, sport management, or related field.
• Previous experience in a sports information/communications office.
• Experience managing social media platforms and knowledge of emerging communication technologies.
• Experience with Adobe Creative Suite.
• Experience with statistical software. (e.g. StatCrew, NCAA Live Stats, Presto Stats)

Physical Demands

The Assistant Director of Athletic Communications must be able to work extended, unconventional hours, including evenings and weekends. This position requires the ability to sit or stand for long periods of time and move about athletic facilities as needed (including climbing stairs/bleachers). This position will also carry, move, set up, and break down equipment pertaining to job responsibilities (e.g., cameras, tripods, video cameras, computers, monitors, etc.).

Working Conditions

The Assistant Director of Athletic Communications must be able to work extended, unconventional hours, including evenings and weekends. This position is required to work home contests and special events as needed, which occur at both indoor and outdoor venues (i.e. bleachers, press box, etc.). The ability to work in various weather conditions, including inclement weather, is necessary.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree preferred (but not required)
• Strong knowledge of intercollegiate athletics, including rules & regulations
• Previous experience in game-day management, including supervisory responsibilities
• Experience in writing, editing, layout, and design of publications
• Previous experience working with the media

What You Will Get:

You’ll work at one of the world’s most renowned liberal arts Colleges, with incredible benefits, a stunning 420-acre campus, and a hybrid work environment. And you’ll join an award-winning team of passionate, creative, and supportive people who work hard and have fun telling the College’s story to the world.

Act 153 Required by Position This position may regularly interact with minors. Under Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law, (23 Pa. Cons. Stat. §§6301, et seq.) employees who have direct contact with minors are required to obtain the following background clearances prior to the start of employment:

Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History (PATCH) through the Pennsylvania State PolicePennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance (PACA) through the Pennsylvania Department of Human ServicesFBI Criminal History Background Check (FBI Fingerprint).

Review the Swarthmore Benefits Guidebook, we offer benefit plans starting at zero cost! Upon benefit eligibility, the College contributes 10% of an employee’s salary to their retirement account. Employees are 100% vested in their accounts on the date participation begins.

Tuition Grant Program

Paid Time Off (Staff)

Holiday Schedule

If you are excited about this role, we want to hear from you!

Swarthmore College actively seeks and welcomes applications from candidates with exceptional qualifications, particularly those with demonstrable commitments to a more inclusive society and world. Swarthmore College is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

Advertised: Jul 11 2023 Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close: Open until filled