Journalist Assistant Jobs in Iowa (NOW HIRING)

Position Number: 100081

Unit/Department: General Athletics & School of Journalism & Mass Communication

Salary: Commensurate with qualifications and experience

Drake University's Athletics Department competes in the Missouri Valley Conference at the NCAA Division I level. Bulldog student-athletes thrive in the classroom and their respective field of play. Drake Athletics sport programs are considered Des Moines’ Hometown Team.

The department culture is predicated on a common value statement known as The Bulldog Way written by coaches, staff, and student-athletes. This intentional commitment to a championship culture is led by integrity, excellence, wanting the best for and best from one another, and aspiring to greatness provides a foundation for student-athletes, coaches, and athletics staff to study, work, and play.

Drake Athletics is seeking a qualified candidate to fill the opening of Assistant/Associate Athletic Director for Video Production. Reporting to the Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Operations, this position leads the day-to-day operations of Drake University Video Production, primarily in support of ESPN+ and In-Venue presentations. The Assistant/Associate Athletic Director supervises the Assistant Director of Video Production, student staff, and contracted services. The primary responsibility is successfully delivering productions on the Valley on ESPN and in-venue productions. This includes creation of videos such as team intros, animations, graphics and features. Other duties include development and creation of videos to assist in revenue generation and branding to tell the Bulldog Athletics story through video production. In addition, the Assistant/Associate Athletic Director works with university and community entities on production needs hosted in the Drake Athletics campus.

This position also includes a unique opportunity to share expertise and train students in the classroom with a teaching assignment of one course (3 credits) each semester in support of the Drake School of Journalism and Mass Communication’s Sports Media and Communication major. https://www.drake.edu/degree-programs/sports-media-communication

This position will work nights, weekends, and possibly holidays. Other duties as assigned.

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Three (3) to Five (5) years of previous production experience in athletic video production that meets established ESPN+/MVC broadcast minimums is required, preferably within collegiate or professional athletics.
• Ability to produce and direct broadcasts for The Valley on ESPN.
• In-Arena video board production experience.
• Experience with Ross Carbonite switchers, NewTek/VIZRT Tricaster switchers, NewTek 3Play replay system and Ross XPression graphics strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of Daktronics Display Studio and Venus Control Suite preferred.
• Strong communication and organizational skills.
• Commitment to the standards set forth by Drake University and the NCAA.
• Ability to work nights and weekends.
• Valid driver’s license.

• Knowledge of NCAA rules and regulations.
• Knowledge of in-venue productions, including two (2) years of experience in the creation of videos such as team intros, animations and features, to potentially include sponsorship fulfillment during home athletic events.
• Three (3) years of working in sports video production with a demonstrated knowledge of video lighting and composition, filming, non-linear editing, color grading, and audio mixing required.
• Three (3) years of experience with Adobe Creative Suite, Adobe Premiere, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe After Effects required.
• Experience with developing and creating video content for social media in support of revenue generation goals. Related sports content creation experience, including creative storytelling and demonstrated knowledge of photography preferred.
• Three (3) years of experience working in athletics at a college/university or comparable preferred.
• Master’s degree in related field.

• Drake University, a Division I institution competing in the Missouri Valley Conference, seeks an Assistant Director for Video Production.
• Essential functions include, but are not limited to:
• 30% - Oversight of live web streaming, including producing/directing Drake Athletics productions on ESPN+, pre-production prep, setup of equipment, troubleshooting, scheduling of student staff, training student staff, scheduling talent and all other elements required for a successful broadcast. Will also support events including, but not limited to – Drake Relays, Iowa High School State Track, Drake and High School Graduations. - (Essential)
• 30% - Oversight of in-venue productions, including creation of videos, videoboard graphics, and features for sponsorship fulfillment during home athletic events. - (Essential)
• 10% - Development and creation of videos to assist in revenue generation and branding, graphic design and web features, and other creative needs for the athletic department. Also responsible for post-production and general media needs (e.g. post-game media availabilities). - (Essential)
• 10% - Supervise one full-time staff member and student staff. Manage budget to ensure equipment remains state-of-the-art while hiring contractors for production events, as needed. - (Essential)
• 5% - Effective undergraduate teaching in an active, engaged classroom environment. - (Essential)
• 5% - Support additional events hosted in the Knapp Center, Drake Stadium, Mediacom Stadium requiring production services (i.e. University events, DMPS High School graduations, State Track meet, etc.) - (Essential)
• 5% - Liaison to manage large file and network infrastructure within the Knapp Center and Drake Stadium, primary point person with Valley on ESPN, Mediacom, and other partner agencies. - (Essential)
• 5% - Other duties as assigned. - (Essential)

A review of applications will begin immediately. This position will remain open until filled.

The salary for these positions is competitive with peer schools and will be commensurate with qualifications and experience of the selected candidate.

At Drake, we are proud to offer our employees, their spouses, and eligible dependents a comprehensive benefits package, which includes a wide range of core benefits, perks, and discounts. If you are exploring a job with Drake University, we invite you to spend a little time with our digital benefits guide: Drake Benefits Guide (Plan Year 2026) [https://www.drake.edu/hr/benefitsoverview/].

One of our very popular policies provides a tuition waiver for Drake employees, their spouses, and eligible dependents. Drake also participates in two tuition exchange programs available to dependent children. You can learn about both the tuition waiver policy and tuition exchange programs here: Tuition Benefits [https://www.drake.edu/hr/benefitsoverview/tuitionbenefits/].