Associate Producer For Intake, Audio Production

Job Description

OVERVIEW

Content Operations comprises several teams working across all content types and platforms to bring the strategic business goals of the NPR Network to fruition. We do this in partnership with NPR and Member station colleagues to enable effective content creation, management, and distribution systems. With a focus on NPR's audience, we're finding new ways to feed the expanding demand for daily, on-demand news, information, and music content while driving value for our entire ecosystem.

The Associate Producer for Intake, Audio Production supports the newsmagazines with audio production of reporter pieces filed to NPR by performing quality assurance ingest of audio elements, verifying script accuracy, and mixing the reporter pieces. The Intake Producer also produces long-form audio stories for air or digital publication. In addition, the producer may be assigned to work on long-form collaborative projects, special programs, and podcasts. The producer occasionally trains colleagues, supports special coverage, and could be assigned to other production needs, for example, during breaking news coverage. This position has shifting hours, including late evenings and weekends, and collaborates with other colleagues.

This is a union represented role covered under the terms of a collective bargaining agreement with SAG-AFTRA.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Intake:
• Works independently to monitor the daily intake of stories filed remotely to NPR
• Provides quality control for stories filed remotely, including but not limited to verifying the presence of all necessary audio elements, assessing sound quality, and confirming script accuracy.
• Advising reporters, editors, show staff, and managers as necessary about content discrepancies and how to correct them.
• Works directly with Audio Engineering team to address audio fixes
• Provides feedback and advice to reporters and editors on best filing practices
• Proactively identifies poor production workflow trends and ways to promote best practices
• Updates internal spreadsheet and story properties in Nexus
• Stays current with major news developments and with NPR editorial processes and practices
• Provides feedback as needed on editorial issues with filed stories

Mix Audio:
• Produces audio stories for Newsmagazines, podcasts, and other NPR audio platforms
• Maintains clear and regular communication with other NPR staff, including other Intake producers, and show staff
on story filing and production status
• Suggest editorial changes or updates while developing stories

Long-term Projects, Training, and Digital Content Production:
• Produces long-term projects as assigned
• Assists in the production of stories for digital platforms
• Lead the way in promoting audio recording and production best practices
• Provides training to other NPR staff
• Writes copy as assigned
• Works in the field with reporters as assigned
• Maintains working knowledge of all the latest sound-gathering and filing technologies NPR uses.
• Contributes to the production of broadcast specials, live Special Coverage, and other special audio projects as assigned

The above duties and responsibilities are not an exhaustive list of required responsibilities, duties and skills. Other duties may be assigned, and this job description can be modified at any time.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
• At least four years of radio production experience, including experience on broadcast digital audio workstations
• At least two years experience in editorial decision-making with demonstrated ability to exercise solid, independent news judgment
• Ability and willingness to work varied shifts
• Demonstrated ability to assimilate and organize large amounts of information
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate daily news coverage quickly and efficiently under deadline pressure.
• Ability to handle multiple complex projects simultaneously under stringent timeframes with changing priorities/conditions.
• Familiarity with a range of subject areas such as world news, business, science, and arts
• Understanding of journalistic ethics. Experience maintaining high journalistic standards under deadline pressure, including standards of objectivity, balance, and fairness
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Proven ability to consistently work well with others, demonstrating at all times respect for the diverse constituencies at NPR and within the public radio system
• Demonstrated field production experience
• Ability and willingness to travel
• Ability to relocate. In the future, NPR may transfer employees to other geographic locations. Severance provisions of the AFTRA collective bargaining agreement will apply should you choose not to accept a transfer

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
• Radio production experience, with a keen ability to mix audio
• Experience in a demanding, fast-paced newsroom
• Experience producing on digital audio workstations
• Experience working in news journalism
• Experience with show production under breaking news conditions
• Familiarity with public radio

EDUCATION REQUIREMENT

Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience in journalism, communications/media/media production

WORK LOCATION
• Remote Permitted: This is a remote permitted role. This role is based out of our Washington, DC office but the employee may choose to work on a remote basis from a location that NPR approves.

JOB TYPE
• This is a full time, exempt position.

COMPENSATION

Hourly Rate: The US based anticipated hourly rate for this opportunity is $42.06 per hour. The range displayed reflects the minimum and maximum hourly rate NPR expects to provide for new hires for the position across all US locations.

Benefits: NPR offers access to comprehensive benefits for employees and dependents. Regular, full-time employees scheduled to work 30 hours or more per week are eligible to enroll in NPR's benefits options. Benefits include access to health and wellness, paid time off, and financial well-being. Plan options include medical, dental, vision, life/ accidental death and dismemberment, long-term disability, short-term disability, and voluntary retirement savings to all eligible NPR employees.

Does this sound like you? If so, we want to hear from you.

The range displayed reflects the minimum and maximum salaries NPR expects to provide for new hires for the position across all US locations.

NPR Pay Range

$42.06 - $42.06 USD

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Jobcode: Reference SBJ-rbzk0k-18-223-108-71-42 in your application.