Public Communication Specialist

Competency Level: Journey

Position Number: 301930

FLSA:
Non-Exempt

FTE: 1 = 40 hours/week, 12 months

Department Hiring Range
$35,880-$54,485

EEO-1 Category
Professionals

SOC Code
27-1019 – Artists
and Related Workers, All Other

Be an Eagle – Where Purpose Takes Flight!

Are you ready to make an
impact? At North Carolina Central University (NCCU), we are more than an institution-we are a community rooted in a legacy of excellence and transformation. A
historically Black university located in Durham, North Carolina, also known as ‘The City of Medicine,’ NCCU has
been a cornerstone of education since 1910, fostering innovation and progress.

Join our team and enjoy a comprehensive benefits
package and exclusive perks designed to support your work-life balance. At NCCU, your professional growth will be
nurtured, and your contributions will help shape the future for our students and the community we serve. Become part of a legacy that drives
change and achievement.

An opportunity awaits you at NCCU, where your purpose can take flight.
Visit
NCCU.edu.

Primary Function of
Organizational Unit

The primary purpose of this organizational unit is to operate a 50,000-watt FM radio station
which will provide education and training services to students and provide information and entertainment services to the community at large.
The station will provide services to our local community within our coverage area, 100 miles radius. The broadcast facility will be used to
provide public radio services to the general public and to support media related academic programs at the
university.

Primary Purpose of Position

The primary function of the position is to develop and
coordinate all news, informational and educational programs and to ensure quality news broadcasts on a daily basis. The employee may also
serve as an on-air announcer as scheduled and as needed, coordinate all public affairs and news programs along with the General Manager
and/or Program Director, supervise all news/public affairs staff members and schedule all programs on a daily program log along with the
Operations Manager and Traffic Coordinator. This employee is responsible for the production of all local, in-house production of Public
Affairs programs and the acquisition of all syndicated public affairs/news programs. In all functions of the role, this position shall
ensure compliance with the FCC rules and regulations and uphold a high standard of journalistic values, integrity
and accountability in all efforts of this role.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Bachelor’s
  degree in Journalism, Communications, or a related field (or equivalent combination of education and experience); Master’s degree
  preferred.
• Minimum of five (5) years of professional journalism experience, including at least two (2) years in a leadership,
  editorial, or supervisory role.

Minimum Education/Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in a discipline related to
  the area of assignment; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
• All degrees must be received from appropriately
  accredited institutions.

Licenses or Certification required by Statute or Regulation

• Strong editorial
  judgment with a deep understanding of public media’s mission, audience, and ethical standards.
• Demonstrated leadership,
  organizational, and communication skills, with the ability to manage staff, students, and newsroom operations effectively.
• Proficiency in digital journalism tools, broadcast production workflows, and newsroom systems comparable to public media organizations
  such as NPR.
• Experience mentoring, supervising, and developing students, interns, or early-career
  journalists in a newsroom or academic setting.
• Advanced knowledge of audio production, digital publishing, and multimedia
  storytelling across multiple platforms.
• Strong commitment to serving diverse audiences at the local, regional, and national levels
  through inclusive and community-focused content.
• Excellent customer service skills, with the ability to communicate effectively
  both orally and in writing across varied audiences and platforms.
• High proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office Suite,
  and other newsroom-related software to support content production and operational efficiency.

Equal Opportunity
Employer

North Carolina Central University is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified
applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity,
genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or status as a protected veteran.

Work
Hours: Standard working hours are 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM; however, additional evening and weekend hours may be required based on
operational needs.

Campus Security Authority Designated Position
No

Required
Competency
Knowledge – Technical

Duties

• Conduct remote broadcasts for community events,
  including equipment setup, interview coordination, content preparation, and on-air delivery, while promoting events before and after
  broadcast.
• Support and participate in community engagement initiatives such as forums, panels, and public discussions; coordinate
  virtual platforms to ensure accessibility and participation.
• Produce and manage podcasts and audio content, including editing,
  formatting, and distribution across digital platforms and on-air channels (HD1, HD2, HD3).
• Utilize broadcast technologies and
  software (e.g., Adobe Audition, WideOrbit, Canva) to create and deliver high-quality multimedia content aligned with public media
  standards.
• Manage and distribute content across multiple digital platforms, including streaming services, station websites, and
  other media outlets, ensuring consistency and accessibility.
• Research and implement emerging technologies to enhance production
  quality, workflow efficiency, and content distribution capabilities; train staff on new tools and techniques.
• Apply strong
  communication, design, and organizational principles to promote programming and expand audience reach across various media channels.

Required Competency
Program Knowledge

Duties

• Develop and implement a
  comprehensive newsroom editorial strategy aligned with public media principles, leading daily editorial meetings, long-term planning, and
  story development to ensure timely and impactful coverage.
• Oversee all aspects of news production across radio, digital, and social
  platforms, ensuring content is accurate, ethical, and consistent with journalistic and public media standards.
• Manage editorial
  operations, including assigning stories, editing scripts, and guiding content development to maintain high-quality production and efficient
  workflows.
• Supervise, coach, and evaluate staff, students, interns, and volunteers, providing mentorship, training, and performance
  feedback to support professional growth and development.
• Collaborate with university faculty and external media partners (e.g.,
  NPR) to integrate academic initiatives, expand content reach, and enhance newsroom visibility and engagement.
• Ensure compliance with FCC regulations and ethical journalism practices while promoting inclusive storytelling
  that reflects diverse communities.
• Manage newsroom resources, including budget and technology, while leveraging digital platforms
  and industry trends to improve content delivery, audience engagement, and operational effectiveness.

Required
Competency
Communication

Duties

• Produce daily live newscasts (minimum four per day,
  Monday-Friday), including researching, writing, and preparing accurate, timely news content in accordance with public media standards.
• Supervise and coordinate newsroom staffing, including scheduling students, interns, and volunteers, while ensuring effective support for
  daily operations and special coverage.
• Lead coverage of key events, including Board of Trustees meetings and political/election
  reporting, producing same-day content, conducting interviews, and delivering live updates.
• Ensure compliance with FCC requirements, including maintaining political files and contributing to public affairs programming and monthly
  thematic content development.
• Oversee content creation across radio, digital, and social platforms, approving scripts and
  multimedia elements while managing real-time newsroom response to breaking news.
• Build partnerships with university departments,
  media outlets, and community organizations; contribute original stories to external partners and represent the station in public and
  professional settings.
• Develop, write, edit, and evaluate content across platforms, ensuring clarity, accuracy, and adherence to
  public radio standards while maintaining strong stakeholder relationships and editorial quality.

Required
Competency
Consulting/Advising

Duties

• Serve as the primary liaison between the newsroom
  and stakeholders, including listeners, community partners, media affiliates, university departments, faculty, staff, and students, fostering
  collaboration and community-centered storytelling.
• Lead the newsroom’s editorial vision and strategic direction, ensuring all
  content reflects public media values, journalistic integrity, and compliance with FCC and ethical standards.
• Oversee daily newsroom operations, including editorial meetings, story assignments, content development, and news calendar management
  across radio, digital, and social platforms.
• Supervise, mentor, and support staff, students, interns, and community contributors by
  providing coaching, feedback, and professional development to strengthen newsroom performance.
• Collaborate with university partners
  and media organizations (e.g., NPR, PBS) to expand content, integrate academic
  initiatives, and enhance visibility and impact.
• Manage newsroom resources, including budget, staffing, and operations, while
  developing strategies to grow audience engagement and strengthen community connections.
• Lead newsroom response to breaking news and
  major events, while assessing communication needs and developing clear, effective, and strategic content across multiple platforms.

Required Competency
Project Management

Duties

• Lead WNCU’s community- and
  student-centered newsroom, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, mission-driven content across on-air and digital platforms while fostering
  a culture of mentorship, training, and professional development.
• Oversee the development and production of daily newscasts, feature
  stories, public affairs programming, podcasts, and digital content in alignment with public media standards and journalistic ethics.
• Educate, train, and supervise students in broadcast journalism and audio production, providing hands-on instruction in writing, editing,
  on-air delivery, and multimedia storytelling.
• Supervise and manage editorial staff, students, interns, and volunteers by providing
  coaching, performance feedback, and professional development opportunities within an inclusive and collaborative newsroom environment.
• Collaborate with Mass Communication faculty and university partners to support experiential learning, workshops, and academic
  integration with newsroom operations.
• Build and maintain relationships with students, faculty, staff, community partners, and
  industry professionals; represent the department at university and community events to strengthen engagement and outreach.
• Plan and
  manage complex newsroom operations and multimedia projects, assess stakeholder needs, and develop strategic communications and content that
  meet organizational goals while ensuring compliance with FCC regulations and public media standards.

Required Competency
Organizational Sensitivity

Duties

• Apply experience in
  educational, nonprofit, or public media settings to support the development and delivery of news and public affairs content that serves
  diverse communities, utilizing NPR-style standards and digital workflows.
• Demonstrate strong awareness of
  the mission, governance, and public accountability of a university-licensed public radio station; exercise sound editorial judgment to
  ensure alignment with station standards, university policies, and community expectations.
• Navigate and maintain effective
  relationships with station leadership, university administration, faculty, students, community partners, and external funders while
  upholding the highest standards of journalistic integrity.
• Support the educational mission of the university and the public service
  mission of the station by integrating newsroom activities with student learning, community engagement, and public media values.
• Balance editorial independence with institutional responsibilities and regulatory requirements, while identifying and addressing
  sensitive or complex issues with professionalism, transparency, and respect for diverse perspectives.
• Maintain confidentiality and
  exercise discretion in handling internal matters and editorial planning; ensure responsible programming that builds trust and upholds
  institutional credibility.
• Understand departmental goals and operations, assess the impact of internal and external communications,
  and adjust strategies to effectively meet stakeholder needs and organizational objectives.

Required Competency
Coordination – Operations

Duties

• Ensure newsroom and public affairs compliance with all FCC, CPB, and university regulations, including oversight of the Online Public Inspection File
  and timely preparation of the quarterly Issues/Programs List.
• Manage newsroom operations, including budget, equipment, and resource
  allocation, ensuring efficient and effective use of station assets.
• Produce and oversee weekly public affairs and talk programming
  featuring informational, educational, and community-focused content aligned with station goals.
• Supervise and support producers and
  hosts by providing clear editorial direction, performance feedback, and ongoing communication regarding show topics, guest selection,
  interview content, and program objectives.
• Lead regular production meetings and monitor programming to ensure broadcast quality,
  timeliness, and compliance; coordinate with the Operations Manager, Chief Engineer, and Program Director to address technical or content
  issues.
• Identify, develop, acquire, schedule, and manage both in-house and syndicated programming, ensuring accurate broadcast logs
  and consistent on-air delivery.
• Assess audience needs and community interests through surveys, ratings, and stakeholder feedback to
  inform programming decisions; support station advancement through contributions to grant proposals, reporting, and strategic planning
  initiatives.

Required Competency
Other Duties as Assigned

Duties

• Other
  duties as assigned.

Posting Number: SPA01459P

Close Date: 04/16/2026

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