Stillman College, West Alabama’s only four-year HBCU and one of the nation’s most storied historically Black institutions, is at a defining moment in its history. As the College celebrates its sesquicentennial and advances the ASCEND 2030 Strategic Plan, telling the Stillman story clearly, consistently, and compellingly has never been more important to its growth. To meet this moment, Stillman seeks a creative, organized, and mission-driven Director of Creative Media and Office Manager. Housed in the Office of the President, this position will build the President’s creative media function from the ground up, working in collaboration with the Director of Communications, capturing and sharing the people, programs, progress, and traditions that define Stillman, while also ensuring the efficient daily operation of the Office of the President. This is an exceptional opportunity for a skilled visual storyteller and capable administrator who is drawn to the meaning of elevating an institution with irreplaceable cultural significance, and who thrives in a role that combines creativity, initiative, and service.
Key Priorities and Early Leadership Agenda
The incoming Director will be expected to make meaningful progress in the following areas
within the first six to twelve months:
Building the President’s creative media function in collaboration with the Director of Communications
Completing an audit of the College’s existing cameras, lighting, audio, software, storage, archives, and social channels within the first 30 days, before recommending purchases
Establishing a consistent publishing schedule of original institutional content, including regular short-form video
Building a centralized, well-organized archive of institutional photography and video
Launching recurring storytelling series featuring students, scholarships, alumni, academics, and community impact
Recruiting, training, and supervising a team of student creatives
Establishing efficient systems for the daily operation of the Office of the President
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Reporting directly to the President, the Director of Creative Media and Office Manager builds
and leads the President’s creative media function, producing photography, video, social content,
and visual storytelling for the College in collaboration with the Director of Communications. The
position also supports the creative media efforts of the Director of Athletics and other members
of the senior leadership team as needed, and manages the daily operations of the Office of the
President. Approximately 80 percent of the position’s effort is devoted to creative media and 20
percent to office management.
Creative Media and Visual Storytelling
Lead photography, video, interviews, social content, and visual storytelling for the College and its approved institutional priorities
Develop and produce recurring storytelling series featuring students, alumni, faculty, scholarships, traditions, and community impact
Produce short- and long-form stories, profiles, event recaps, and multimedia projects approved through the institutional planning process
Maintain an annual storytelling calendar aligned with fundraising, alumni engagement, enrollment, major College events, and presidential priorities
Prepare captions and accessible assets and publish approved content through authorized College channels
Presidential and Institutional Event Coverage
Accompany the President to institutional, community, and external events to document the College’s presence and leadership
Publish approved content from presidential and major institutional events in real time or promptly afterward
Document academics, student life, athletics, campus events, milestones, and institutional achievements
Support for Athletics, Senior Leadership, Advancement, and Admissions
Support the creative media efforts of the Director of Athletics, including coverage of Stillman Athletics and the return of football
Support the creative media efforts of other members of the senior leadership team as needed
Create donor, scholarship, stewardship, and alumni impact content in partnership with Institutional Advancement
Produce authentic student experience and campus content in partnership with Admissions
Coordinate permissions, factual review, campaign timing, and calls to action with the department that owns each message or campaign
Visual Asset Management
Build and maintain a centralized photo and video archive with consistent naming, metadata, storage, access, and backup practices
Create a reusable library of current images and video for leadership, Institutional Advancement, Admissions, and campus departments
Maintain visual documentation of major institutional milestones as part of the College’s historical record
Student Creative Development
Recruit, train, schedule, and supervise a team of student creatives
Provide students with professional experience in photography, videography, editing, interviewing, social content, and equipment care
Establish clear procedures for supervision, releases, equipment checkout, and credit for student work
Measurement and Reporting
Track published content, audience reach, engagement, turnaround time, archive growth, and department support
Provide regular reports to the President on creative media output and results
Use results to adjust the publishing calendar, coverage priorities, and resource recommendations
Office Management
Manage the daily operations of the Office of the President, including office systems, supplies, and records
Process purchasing requests and monitor the Office of the President budget in coordination with Finance and Administration
Coordinate logistics for meetings and events hosted by the Office of the President
Schedule and supervise work-study students assigned to the Office of the President
Work in close coordination with the Executive Assistant to the President to ensure the office runs smoothly and responsively
Coordination and Institutional Standards
Work in collaboration with the Director of Communications to align creative media with the College’s communications strategy; the Director of Communications retains approvalauthority for institutional messaging, brand standards, public relations, and crisis communication
Follow College policies for photo and video releases, privacy, image and music licensing, and account security
Follow College procurement, inventory, and equipment policies
General Responsibilities
Maintain confidentiality and discretion appropriate to the Office of the President
Serve on institutional committees and participate in College events as assigned
Perform other duties as assigned by the President
Funding and Effort Reporting
This position is supported in part by federal Title III funds. The creative media portion of the position, approximately 80 percent of effort, is supported by Title III. The office management portion, approximately 20 percent of effort, is supported by institutional funds. The incumbent will complete periodic time-and-effort certifications documenting the actual distribution of work, in accordance with federal requirements.
Qualifications and Characteristics of the Successful Candidate
Required Qualifications
The successful candidate will hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in communications, journalism, digital media, film, photography, marketing, or a related field, and will bring a minimum of three (3) years of professional experience in photography, videography, and digital content production. A portfolio demonstrating photography, video, and storytelling work is required. Experience in office administration or operations is preferred, and experience in higher education is strongly preferred.
Highly Desired Experience
Proficiency with professional editing and design software, such as Adobe Premiere Pro, Lightroom, Photoshop, or comparable tools
Experience managing institutional social media channels and publishing calendars
Experience building and maintaining digital asset archives
Experience supervising and training students or junior staff
Experience in an executive office or with office budgets, purchasing, and records
Familiarity with HBCU culture and the mission of historically Black colleges and universities
Leadership Attributes
A compelling visual storyteller with a strong eye for composition, quality, and authenticity
Highly organized, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and requests at once
Discreet and professional, with sound judgment in a high-visibility executive office
Flexible and available for evening and weekend events as required
Collaborative, with the ability to work effectively with students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, and external partners
A strong work ethic and a high level of personal and professional integrity
Background Investigation Statement
Before hiring, the final candidate(s) must pass a pre-employment background investigation, including information obtained from social media and other internet sources. A prior conviction
reported as a result of the background investigation does NOT automatically disqualify a candidate from consideration for this position. A candidate with a previous conviction or negative behavioral red flags will receive an individualized review before a hiring decision is made.
Application
Review of confidential applications will begin immediately and remain open until the position is filled. Applicants should include a portfolio or links to recent work. Visit www.stillman.edu to
apply for the position. Stillman College is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate unlawfully in employment matters based on race, religion, gender, color, ancestry, national origin, age, disability, or any other category protected by law.