Assistant Director of Creative Services

About UMass Amherst

The flagship of the Commonwealth, the University of Massachusetts Amherst is a nationally ranked public land-grant research university that seeks to expand educational access, fuel innovation and creativity, and share and use its knowledge for the common good. Founded in 1863, UMass Amherst sits on nearly 1,450-acres in scenic Western Massachusetts and boasts state-of-the-art facilities for teaching, research, scholarship, and creative activity. The institution advances a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community where everyone feels connected and valued—and thrives, and offers a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees across 10 schools and colleges, and 100 undergraduate majors. We believe every member of our university community can contribute to our ongoing success by striving for the highest level of excellence as we seek breakthrough solutions to mounting environmental, social, economic, and technological challenges in our world.

Job Summary

The Assistant Director of Creative Services position will work as a part of our Creative Services Team to create exciting and engaging photo and video content for Massachusetts Athletics with a primary focus on football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, and ice hockey creative content and sales collateral to support attendance and revenue generation.

Essential Functions

• Work with the creative, communications and marketing teams and select sport teams in shooting and/or editing engaging photo and video content.
• Assist Associate Athletics Director of Creative Services and Digital Strategy, in collaboration with coaching staffs, with the overall ideation, creative direction and production of engaging digital content across multiple mediums, with a focus on the @UMassAthletics and several sports-specific social media platforms. Videos would include marketing/advertising pieces as well as video board content, and hype videos.
• Create, develop, and implement social media content strategies, guidelines and creative campaigns.
• Lead the creative vision, storyboarding and production planning for multimedia features that capture and showcase the pride, passion and excellence that define Massachusetts Athletics. Play a key role in shaping the organization’s public image by producing engaging, high-impact video content that tells our story and elevates our brand.
• Collaborate across departments to bring major initiatives, events, and campaigns to life through compelling visual storytelling.
• Serve as a creative leader within the team, using video to connect audiences, drive engagement, and showcase the organization’s mission and successes. Track platform specific analytics and recommend content engagement and growth strategies.
• Plan, oversee, coordinate, and craft creative athletic team video content. This includes pre-production, scheduling, ideation, equipment management, filming, archiving footage and post-production. Research and assess new videographic methods and technology. Make recommendations for new equipment and process enhancements.

About UMass Amherst

The flagship of the Commonwealth, the University of Massachusetts Amherst is a nationally ranked public land-grant research university that seeks to expand educational access, fuel innovation and creativity, and share and use its knowledge for the common good. Founded in 1863, UMass Amherst sits on nearly 1,450-acres in scenic Western Massachusetts and boasts state-of-the-art facilities for teaching, research, scholarship, and creative activity. The institution advances a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community where everyone feels connected and valued—and thrives, and offers a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees across 10 schools and colleges, and 100 undergraduate majors. We believe every member of our university community can contribute to our ongoing success by striving for the highest level of excellence as we seek breakthrough solutions to mounting environmental, social, economic, and technological challenges in our world.

Job Summary

The Assistant Director of Creative Services position will work as a part of our Creative Services Team to create exciting and engaging photo and video content for Massachusetts Athletics with a primary focus on football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, and ice hockey creative content and sales collateral to support attendance and revenue generation.

Essential Functions

• Work with the creative, communications and marketing teams and select sport teams in shooting and/or editing engaging photo and video content.
• Assist Associate Athletics Director of Creative Services and Digital Strategy, in collaboration with coaching staffs, with the overall ideation, creative direction and production of engaging digital content across multiple mediums, with a focus on the @UMassAthletics and several sports-specific social media platforms. Videos would include marketing/advertising pieces as well as video board content, and hype videos.
• Create, develop, and implement social media content strategies, guidelines and creative campaigns.
• Lead the creative vision, storyboarding and production planning for multimedia features that capture and showcase the pride, passion and excellence that define Massachusetts Athletics. Play a key role in shaping the organization’s public image by producing engaging, high-impact video content that tells our story and elevates our brand.
• Collaborate across departments to bring major initiatives, events, and campaigns to life through compelling visual storytelling.
• Serve as a creative leader within the team, using video to connect audiences, drive engagement, and showcase the organization’s mission and successes. Track platform specific analytics and recommend content engagement and growth strategies.
• Plan, oversee, coordinate, and craft creative athletic team video content. This includes pre-production, scheduling, ideation, equipment management, filming, archiving footage and post-production. Research and assess new videographic methods and technology. Make recommendations for new equipment and process enhancements.
• Shoot gameday footage, practice sessions, student-athlete features and other projects, photo and/or video coverage for Olympic Sports and select revenue sports as assigned. Produce highlights of events that tell the story beyond just what happened in competition.
• Hire, train and manage creative content team interns with the Associate AD of Creative and Digital Strategy. Recruit and mentor student interns to assist with photo, video, and editing of content.
• Research best practices to ensure content strategy is in-line with audience trends.

Other Functions

• Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Visual Design, Sports Management, or related field and one (1) year of relevant experience.
• Demonstrable knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite (Premiere, Lightroom, Photoshop).
• Understanding and knowledge of photography & videography.
• Ability to provide a portfolio which highlights a variety of projects including photo and video skills.
• Strong organizational skills with ability to adapt quickly to changing priorities and manage several projects at one time.
• Excellent communication skills, including written and verbal, and have the ability to present ideas clearly and concisely.
• Ability to work independently and self-manage project flow.
• Team player with the ability to work well in a team setting and across diverse groups, organizations and departments.
• Must be detail-oriented, proactive, energetic, curious, creative thinker, trouble shooter and problem solver.

Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• A strong understanding of sports.
• Proficiency in graphic design (Photoshop).
• Knowledge of Motion Graphics.

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

• Typical office environment.
• Extended periods of sitting; standing; repetitive movements; may require lifting and/or carrying video and/or production equipment.

Work Schedule

• Monday- Friday, 37.5 hours per week.
• May be required to work some evenings and weekends.

Salary Information

Level 26

PSU Hiring Ranges

Special Instructions to Applicants

Along with the application, please submit a resume. References will be checked at the finalist stage. Please be prepared to provide contact information for three (3) professional references.

The University of Massachusetts Amherst welcomes all qualified applicants and complies with all state and federal anti-discrimination laws.

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