CISLM Associate Director

PeopleAdmin, Inc.; Chapel Hill (NC); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid leave

Health insurance

Retirement plans

Tuition assistance

Discounts on campus events

Job summary

The Associate Director is the senior operational leader for the Center for Innovation and Sustainability in Local Media (CISLM) at UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media. The role partners with the Director to translate strategy into coordinated programs, partnerships, and measurable results.

The position oversees day-to-day operations, budgets, staffing, grants, events, and external commitments, while enabling fundraising and donor relations and representing the Center in meetings with UNC,

Qualifications

• First time manager with Masters and 5+ years of relevant experience; or Bachelors with at least 1-2 yrs supervisory experience and 5+ years of relevant experience
• Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills
• Ability to manage budgets and contracts and coordinate with university offices
• Excellent written and verbal communication with senior leaders, staff, and partners
• Commitment to collaborative, inclusive, ethical work and accountability

Responsibilities

• Serve as the Director’s operational and programmatic partner, translating priorities into plans, timelines, budgets, and success measures
• Direct day-to-day administration of the Center’s research, education, development, public programming, and industry partnerships
• Coordinate staff, interns, contractors, and project teams; set expectations and monitor workload
• Identify risks, capacity constraints, deadlines, and resource needs; escalate decisions to the Director
• Manage grant and financial operations in coordination with school and university offices
• Support fundraising and grant development through prospect tracking and proposal coordination
• Represent the Center in internal and external meetings with UNC, news partners, funders, and vendors
• Oversee records, reporting, and knowledge management to demonstrate impact

Skills

Project management

Budget monitoring

Communication

Leadership

Strategic planning

Organizational skills

Education

Masters degree or higher

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Project-management platforms

Content-management systems

Email newsletters

Spreadsheets

Databases

Job description

Please see Special Instructions for more details.

Hiring Range Dependent of experience and qualifications

A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks among the nation's top public universities. Known for its beautiful campus, world-class medical care, commitment to the arts, and outstanding athletic programs, Carolina is an exceptional place to teach, work, and learn.

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes paid leave, health, life, and retirement plans, as well as programs and resources that promote employee well-being and work-life balance. In addition, employees enjoy exclusive discounts on retail, dining, and performing arts experiences, savings on local child care, and special rates on select campus events.

The Hussman School of Journalism and Media is deeply committed to supporting the professional growth and career development of its employees. Our staff and faculty have access to a wide range of professional training, leadership development programs, and educational opportunities designed to foster continuous learning and career advancement. Eligible employees may also take advantage of the University’s educational assistance benefits, including tuition waiver programs, to pursue additional coursework or academic degrees.

Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit

The Center for Innovation and Sustainability in Local Media conducts research, develops practical resources and works with students and industry partners to strengthen local journalism and help news organizations navigate changes in technology, audiences and business models.

The mission of the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media is to prepare students to ignite the public conversation in our state, the nation and the world, and to understand the role of communication in fostering democracy. Our faculty, staff, students and administrators work collaboratively to build and foster an environment that is welcoming, inclusive and accessible to people with diverse backgrounds, experiences and beliefs.

The school offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees, and administers a variety of professional development and distance-learning programs. Enrollment includes about 1,000 undergraduates and 130 graduate students in addition to professional development and distance education students. Our faculty members are international thought leaders whose scholarly and creative activities are visible and respected in the public realm.

Position Summary

This position may be eligible for hybrid work schedule. Employees are generally required to reside in North Carolina, within a reasonable commuting distance of their assigned duty station.

The Associate Director is the senior operational leader for the Center for Innovation and Sustainability in Local Media ( CISLM ) and serves as the Director’s principal partner in translating the Center’s strategy into coordinated programs, projects, partnerships, and measurable results. The position manages the Center’s day-to-day operations and maintains a comprehensive view of priorities, deadlines, budgets, staffing, grant obligations, events, communications, and external commitments. Working with substantial independence and delegated authority, the Associate Director anticipates needs, resolves operational problems, and brings decisions or risks to the Director at the appropriate time.

The Associate Director coordinates the work of staff, students, contractors, faculty collaborators, and external partners; establishes systems that promote accountability and continuity; and ensures that the Center’s initiatives are completed on time, within budget, and in alignment with its mission. By providing strong internal leadership and operational follow-through, the position enables the Director to devote significant attention to fundraising, donor cultivation, strategic partnerships, thought leadership, and the Center’s long-term growth.

The position also supports grant development and fundraising by organizing proposal development, coordinating information and materials, tracking prospective opportunities and donor follow-up, developing budgets and work plans with the appropriate School offices, and ensuring that funded commitments are carried out and reported accurately.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the Director’s principal operational and programmatic partner, converting strategic priorities into clear work plans, timelines, assignments, budgets, and measures of success.
• Direct the day-to-day administration and execution of the Center’s portfolio of research, education, professional development, public programming, and industry partnership initiatives.
• Coordinate and supervise the work of staff, student employees, interns, contractors, consultants, and project teams; establish expectations and monitor performance and workload.
• Maintain an integrated view of Center commitments and proactively identify risks, capacity constraints, missed deadlines, resource needs, and decisions requiring the Director’s attention.
• Manage grant and financial operations in coordination with School and University offices, including budgets, expenditures, contracts, purchasing, reporting deadlines, and compliance documentation.
• Support fundraising and grant development through prospect tracking, proposal coordination, research, budget and work-plan development, stewardship materials, and donor or funder follow-up.
• Represent the Center in internal and external meetings as delegated by the Director and maintain effective working relationships across UNC and with news organizations, funders, speakers, vendors, and community partners.
• Oversee the systems, records, communications, and reporting needed to preserve institutional knowledge and demonstrate the Center’s activity, reach, and impact.

Occasional evening or weekend work and limited travel may be required to support Center programs, meetings, and events.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

First time manager with Masters and 5+ years of relevant experience; or Bachelors with at least 1-2 yrs supervisory experience and 5+ years of relevant experience

Required Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience

• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex projects, priorities, and deadlines with a high degree of independence and sound judgment.
• Experience translating organizational goals into work plans, coordinating execution across multiple contributors, and holding teams accountable for deliverables.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills, including the ability to anticipate needs and resolve routine and non-routine operational issues.
• Experience with budget monitoring, financial tracking, contracts, purchasing, or related administrative processes.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with senior leaders, faculty, staff, students, funders, and external partners.
• Ability to create and improve workflows, documentation, project-management systems, databases, and reporting practices.
• Commitment to collaborative, inclusive, ethical, and professionally accountable work.

Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience

• Experience supervising, coordinating, coaching, or mentoring employees, students, interns, contractors, or project teams.
• Experience supporting grant development, proposal preparation, grant administration, fundraising, donor relations, or stewardship.
• Experience in local news, journalism, media, civic information, higher education, research centers, nonprofits, or professional education.
• Experience managing a portfolio of externally funded projects and coordinating narrative, financial, and impact reporting.
• Familiarity with project-management and collaboration platforms, content-management systems, email newsletters, spreadsheets, and constituent or contact databases.
• Experience planning conferences, workshops, speaker programs, training initiatives, or other public-facing events.
• Understanding of the challenges facing local news organizations and the relationship between informed communities and democracy.

Special Physical/Mental Requirements

Campus Security Authority Responsibilities

Office of Human Resources Contact Information

If you experience any problems accessing the system or have questions about the application process, please contact the Office of Human Resources at [phone] or send an email to [e-mail]

Please note: The Office of Human Resources will not be able to provide specific updates regarding position or application status.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Required Documents

• Curriculum Vitae / Resume
• Cover Letter
• List of References

Optional Documents

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• * Please select the response below that best describes your experience/education for the Business Manager 2 position.
  • Manager with Masters and 5+ years of relevant experience
  • Bachelors with at least 1-2 yrs supervisory experience and 5+ years of relevant experience
  • None of the Above