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University News Associate

Employer
University of Virginia
Location
Charlottesville, Virginia

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Administrative Jobs
Academic Affairs, Publishing & Presses
Institution Type
Four-Year Institution

Job Details

The Content & News unit of the University of Virginia Office of University Communications seeks a University News Associate to help us tell the dynamic story of UVA and support its strategic priorities through content that engages with and grows our diverse audience.

The University News Associate will produce stories from designated coverage areas for products including the UVA Today Daily Report e-mail newsletter, the UVA This Month monthly e-newsletter, the Research Digest and other platforms. The position requires a highly productive, accurate writer who will conduct interviews, produce content and pitch stories for earned media coverage that amplifies UVA’s priorities and elevates its reputation as one of the nation’s top public universities.

The successful candidate is comfortable producing stories on tight deadlines for a daily publication, and writing in a range of styles from straight news to long-form features to listicles. The position requires a passion for good journalism, accuracy, broad curiosity, and an ability to develop relationships with sources to find interesting and positive stories that appeal to a general audience. The News Associate will produce multiple stories weekly, regularly generate ideas, and always have a long-form story in development.

Our Content & News team operates a high-quality newsroom that values timeliness and urgency in its content, and collaborates to produce one of higher education’s most successful news products. The UVA Today Daily Report is delivered Monday through Friday to more than 100,000 recipients, and our UVA Today content attracted more than 7 million page views in 2020.

The University of Virginia is loaded with compelling stories. The right person will find many opportunities to produce higher education journalism that makes a difference in the lives of those it touches.

Responsibilities:

Find and tell compelling stories about the University that align with and advance UVA’s strategic priorities.

Write and distribute news releases, pitch stories, respond to media requests, and coordinate media coverage.

Collaborate with Content & News colleagues to ensure that storylines selected for emphasis get maximum exposure through the platforms and products managed in University Communications, including social media, marketing and paid content.

Foster productive working relationships with sources in an assigned coverage area across Grounds for coordination, story mining and proactive media relations.

Track owned and earned media progress and measure success using metrics gathered by tools such as Google Analytics, Parse.ly, etc.

Assist with editing and proofreading of content as needed.

Other duties as assigned.

Skills and Competencies:

Exceptional writing and editing skills.

Outstanding news judgment.

Ability to produce a high volume of content.

Ability to translate complex, technical or scientific subject matter into clear language for broad audiences. Ability to develop and execute earned media strategies.

Ability to operate effectively in a deadline-driven communications environment.

Interest in and curiosity about current news and events.

Experience or familiarity with modern communications tools such as the Office suite, social media, and analytics tools.

Required experience:

Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, or related field.

Demonstrated experience generating story ideas and producing accurate, timely content.

Preferred experience:

At least three years writing in a higher education, government agency, private or corporate environment, or comparable journalism-related experience.

Experience successfully pitching content for earned media coverage.

Anticipated Hiring Range: $60,000 to $75,000, commensurate with experience.

Organization

In 1819, the University of Virginia established a new model for intellectual exchange and cross-disciplinary collaboration in higher education. Two hundred years later, as a major research institution, we continue to challenge conventions, lead with ingenuity and advance knowledge for the common good.

What began as an innovative idea has become one of the nation’s leading public research universities, with over 21,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional students. UVA also has over 3,000 full-time faculty offering more than 400 degrees.

Each of the University’s eleven schools has its own distinctive mission, working together to garner consistently high rankings—including #2 Best Value Public College (Princeton Review, 2016), #3 Public University in the Nation (U.S. News & World Report, 2016), and #3 Best Value Among Public Colleges (Kiplinger’s, 2016).  

As we invest in and strengthen our research capabilities, UVA seeks new faculty ready to uncover new insights, rewrite old rules and collaborate on intellectual discoveries.

RESEARCH COLLABORATIONS THAT CROSS DISCIPLINES

As an R1 institution, the University’s research centers, consortia and laboratories are on the leading edge of discovery and technology, offering collaborative spaces for students and faculty to solve global problems.

Our professors are recognized members of major national scholarly and professional organizations, including the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Our faculty’s engagement in interdisciplinary research is being facilitated by new research institutes specializing in everything from big data to brain functioning, and by cluster hires across schools.

NATIONALLY RANKED HEALTH SYSTEM

UVA is also home to a nationally renowned academic medical center and the UVA Health System, which serves a three-part mission to treat patients, conduct translational research and train medical practitioners in a wide variety of disciplines.

Established as the nation’s 10th medical school in 1825, the institution has since grown to include a 612-bed hospital and a Level I trauma center, nationally recognized cancer and heart centers, a Children’s Hospital, and primary and specialty clinics throughout Central Virginia.

The UVA Medical Center is consistently ranked among the nation’s best hospitals by the U.S. News & World Report magazine and has been named among the top 25 percent in seven specialties.

INSPIRING STUDENTS, INSPIRED TEACHING

The vast majority of UVA students come from the top 10% of their high school class, as well as from all 50 states, over 142 countries and a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds. Despite their diversity, all UVA students share a love of learning and a drive to achieve.

One of the reasons students choose Virginia is our unique residential culture. At UVA, the community of students, faculty and staff personifies the Jeffersonian idea that living and learning are connected. The Academical Village was constructed to support a unique residential experience, with faculty living in the Pavilions, students occupying Lawn rooms and the world-famous Rotunda at its heart. The University’s residential culture continues to support this experience today—strengthened by students, faculty and staff rich in backgrounds, ideas and perspectives. Our unique culture is also paying dividends in innovation:  UVA’s faculty have generated more than 130 patents since 2010.

Perhaps most importantly, faculty come to UVA knowing that instruction is as important as research, and they pride themselves on their many teaching awards.  Our best professors look for ways to encourage, mentor and develop tomorrow’s leaders inside and outside the classroom.

LIFE IN CHARLOTTESVILLE

Living in Charlottesville you’ll find sophisticated restaurants, world-renowned wineries and breweries, cosmopolitan arts and music, friendly urban and suburban neighborhoods and a Piedmont landscape that has lured adventurous souls for centuries.  No wonder the U.S. National Bureau of Economic Research named Charlottesville the “happiest city in America” in 2014.

In addition to UVA and its health system, several major employers have facilities in Charlottesville, including State Farm, Northrop Grumman, the U.S. Department of Defense, GE and others.  Charlottesville is also becoming a center for innovative start-up businesses.  The University also actively helps spouses and partners of faculty members build their networks and pursue employment opportunities with a wide variety of area employers. 

The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, qualified individuals with disabilities are protected from discrimination and may be entitled to reasonable accommodations to assist in their pursuit of employment at the University. This includes assistance in completing the online job application as well as reasonable accommodations during the interview process. Please contact the UHR Service Center: 434.982.0123 orAskHR@virginia.edu to request assistance.

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