Job Description Summary

Eastern Oregon University (EOU) – Oregon’s Rural University! is currently accepting applications for a Sports Information Director to work in the Athletics Department. This is a 12-month, Full-Time, 1.0 FTE, benefits eligible position that reports directly to the Assistant Athletic Director of Marketing and Communications.

The Sports Information Director manages the coverage, support to, and promotion of EOU’s 15 Intercollegiate Sports and recreation programs, and student-athletes within these programs. Responsibilities include management of the day-to-day sports information office, management of the sports information budget, creating social media content and promotional materials, and lead on all event operations and planning.

This position is responsible for all administrative duties in the sports information office, including: performance and academic awards submissions; proper handling of student records and information; management of EOU Athletics Webpage and social media accounts; creating social media and video content; and oversight of promotional and marketing materials.

The Sports Information Director is responsible for the training and supervision of one graduate-assistant, two part-time support positions, and 10-30 student-workers. The Sports Information Director cultivates a growth and innovative mindset around the promotion and marketing of student-athletes, programs and the department.

Responsibilities
Publication Development:
- Promote Athletics, through a variety of platforms with a strong presence in publication development.
-Design creative and innovative video productions for recap stories, game highlights and promotions, season promotion videos, and special cover stories.
- Work closely with University Advancement (UA) to coordinate the use of official University branding and logos.

Leadership & Administrative Responsibilities:
-A strong commitment to leading the sports information staff to excellence in the promotion of student-athletes and operations of all events and activities that are supported by the sports information department.
-Work with the NAIA eligibility coordinator on academic award submissions

Primary Media Liaison:
-Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with local, regional, and national media outlets.
-Communicate sports schedules with all local media and facilitate access to events and equipment, as needed to cover home competitions.

Marketing:
-Secure and maintain up to date and accurate student-athlete and staff profiles. Promote team, individual, and division accomplishments, awards, human-interest stories through regular web postings, press releases, and videos.
-Ensure fluency with video production, to design and promote innovative and exciting team highlights, cover stories, hype videos, and many others.
-Monitoring of team social media accounts, to ensure best practices are applied and posts are fully aligned with values and principles.
-Oversee the submission of paperwork to conference and national agencies related to postseason academic and performance awards.

Event Management:
-Secure game management personnel for all home contests, to include all media support positions (announcer, scoreboard, score clock, book, statistics, video personnel, and many others). Ensure full coverage of all student-worker staff, to operate ticket box-office, check tickets, run concessions, sing the national anthem, and many others.
-Ensure full coverage of all student-worker staff, to operate ticket box-office, check tickets, run concessions, sing the national anthem, and many others

Special Instructions to Applicants    
Eastern Oregon University – Oregon’s Rural University! – is a respected public, higher education institution of academic excellence. Outstanding faculty and staff thrive and together fulfill their career ambitions to serve students from all walks of life.

Five work-life balance reasons to work at Eastern Oregon University:

1. A Great Place to work. Personal, relaxed, a small, intimate university environment. Good people, satisfying work, and a collaborative environment.
2. Make a difference. Become a part of something that really matters.
3. A Beautiful tree-lined campus. Classic 1929 Italian renaissance-style architecture, with impressive viewscapes, set above the town of La Grande.
4. Small, family-friendly historic town. On the Oregon Trail, in the fertile Grande Ronde Valley at the base of the Blue Mountains.
5. Exceptional outdoor recreation nearby. Skiing, fishing, mountain climbing, rafting, hiking, biking, camping. Close proximity to world class mountain wilderness.

Applicant must provide:
1) Letter of application (which should include why this position is attractive to the applicant, how it meets the applicant’s professional goals, and what attracts the applicant to EOU);
2) Resume/Curriculum vitae;
3) Submit names, emails, and phone numbers for at least three references in the reference section of the application.

Candidates are encouraged to review the values and principles of Eastern Oregon University.

Only complete files of qualified applicants will be reviewed.

EOU has requirements that all employees show proof of vaccination or request and receive an approved vaccination exemption.

EOU is a beautiful, quaint campus nestled in a remarkably scenic, high elevation valley populated by wonderful, community-minded citizens that have balanced work-life flexibility. Take a virtual tour of Eastern Oregon University.

EOU offers a very attractive package of State of Oregon public employee benefits including:
• Paid holidays (10 days/year), and paid sick time-off (12 days/year), paid vacation (22 days/year)
• Individual and Family Healthcare Insurance (95%+ employer-paid medical, dental, vision)
• Generous Oregon Public Employee Retirement benefits
• Employer-paid life insurance
• Discounted tuition benefits for employees and eligible dependents
• For more details, see Prospective Employees https://www.eou.edu/hr/prospective-employees/.

Eastern Oregon University is an EEO Employer and welcomes applications from women, members of historically underrepresented minority groups, US Veterans, and persons with disabilities. EOU is committed to providing equal opportunity in its recruitment, admissions, educational programs, activities and employment without illegal discrimination on the basis of age, color, disability, national origin, race, marital status, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or any status as protected by state or federal law.

Minimum Qualifications
-Bachelor’s degree in communication, journalism, sports management/marketing, or a related field.
-One (1) to three (3) years of directly relatable experience.
-Strong written and verbal communication skills, strong organizational skills
-Commitment to gender equity and diversity
-First Aid/CPR Certified
-Mental Health First Aid Training
-Current and Valid Driver’s License with clean driving record.
-Active COSIDA Membership
-Must satisfactorily complete EOU criminal and credential background check. Having a criminal history is not an automatic bar to employment.
-In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. Eastern Oregon University does not sponsor applicants for employment visas.

Preferred Qualifications
-Master’s degree in communication, journalism, sports management/marketing, or a related field.
-Three (3) to Five (5) years of directly relatable experience.
-Background in working with collegiate student-athletes and coaches.