Facilitator, National - StoryCorps

Facilitator, National

Job Title: Facilitator, National
Department: Interview Collection
Division: Programs
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Reports To: Associate Director, Community Partnerships
Status: Full-Time, Temporary (2 years)

POSITION OVERVIEW

Facilitators are the “Corps” in StoryCorps. They are the public face of the organization and work to carry out our mission.

StoryCorps National is one of our most portable and flexible methods for recording interviews, with National Facilitators constantly traveling across the country to record conversations. By recording on location, in partnership with organizations, groups, and institutions nationwide, we are able to expand the reach and accessibility of StoryCorps.

The Facilitators welcome participants to the recording site, orient them to the interview process, handle the technical and administrative aspects of recordings, and make the StoryCorps experience a positive one for participants and partners. This role is a customer service-oriented role set in a recording environment.

The National team primarily records for our Custom Services Department, facilitating interviews under a “Fee-for-Service” model in which partner organizations fund recording visits. These partners range from community organizations like libraries and museums to larger corporate partnerships. This role frequently records “VIP” style interviews for potential or current major funders and with for-profit businesses.

National also records for our grant-funded programs, currently the Military Voices Initiative (MVI), recording stories of veterans, and One Small Step (OSS). One Small Step is StoryCorps’ newest initiative, facilitating personal conversations between strangers who hold opposite political views. The ideal candidate is willing and interested in working on this new and evolving project.

Facilitators listen carefully and guide participants during interviews, log content, and assume the role of interviewer when a participant comes alone. Facilitators are responsible for data entry, archival activities, reporting, and other tasks necessary to the preservation of interviews and upkeep of the recording space and equipment. When not recording interviews, Facilitators perform a variety of tasks to support StoryCorps National and the organization as a whole, such as preliminary sound editing for produced segments, and coordinating local “outreach” recording days.

The National Facilitator position operates out of our central office in Brooklyn, NY and requires roughly 60% travel, with trips potentially ranging from three days to one week at a time.  The National Facilitator must be willing to have a flexible travel schedule and be able to adjust plans based on recording requests – including last-minute requests.

StoryCorps records, shares, and preserves stories from a diverse range of American voices — from our Griot Initiative to preserve stories of African Americans, to our Historias Initiative to collect the experiences of Latinos.  We also seek to recruit and develop a staff whose diversity matches the diversity of the communities we serve, and we strongly encourage applications from people of color and the LGBTQ community.

Upon hire, the Facilitator will be required to attend a mandatory training at our Brooklyn, NY headquarters.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Travel to partner sites (organizations, groups, and institutions) nationwide for the purpose of recording StoryCorps interviews with participants identified by the National partner
  • Welcome participants and guide them through the interview experience, asking questions when appropriate
  • Professionally represent StoryCorps to the public and actively promote the StoryCorps mission
  • Facilitate conversations between strangers with opposing political and social views as they participate in interviews for the One Small Step initiative
  • Act as interviewer with solo participants
  • Manage technical aspects of recording the interviews, including operating and maintaining radio-quality digital recorders, mixers, microphones, and other equipment
  • Perform reporting, data entry, and archival processing tasks to ensure preservation of interviews and an accurate record of the day’s activity
  • Identify and edit tape from interviews to be considered for broadcast; learn to use and demonstrate proficiency with ProTools editing software
  • Coordinate and plan 4 NYC-based local “outreach” recording days per year
  • Perform other duties to support the Interview Collection department and StoryCorps, as assigned

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND QUALIFICATIONS

Required:

  • High school diploma or equivalency plus 3 years of relevant full-time professional experience, or 2 or 4-year college degree plus 1 year of relevant full-time professional experience
  • Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills
  • Ability to work evenings and weekends, and travel extensively and sometimes on short notice (60% travel, with trips ranging from 3 days to 1 week)
  • Solid organization skills, multi-tasking ability, and attention to detail
  • Ability to be flexible and adaptable in order to contribute to problem-solving activities within a growing, changing organization
  • Comfort with learning new equipment and programs (e.g., audio recording equipment, editing software, digital cameras)
  • Valid driver’s license and demonstrated driving proficiency
  • Excellent customer service skills
  • Strong conflict negotiation and collaboration skills
  • Cultural competence and the ability to thrive in a diverse and inclusive organizational environment

Preferred:

  • Ability to communicate clearly in Spanish and English, both orally and in writing
  • Familiarity with audio recording equipment and/or ProTools editing software
  • Proficiency on a Mac platform
  • Experience in oral history or documentary work
  • Experience in a nonprofit work environment

Physical Requirements: 

Approximately two-three times a month, Facilitators transport a bag (25 lbs) and a Field Recording Kit (50 lbs, on wheels) to recording sites. Facilitators regularly travel via airplane and train and will need to transport and lift the equipment into overhead bins, along with managing their own luggage.

HOW TO APPLY 

To apply, please send your cover letter and resume to [email protected] and include your last name and the position title in the subject line: for example, “Jones – National Facilitator.” Include your cover letter and resume as attachments titled “YourNameLetter” and “YourNameResume.”  In your cover letter, please tell us how you found out about this opportunity and whether you have applied for a position at StoryCorps in the past.  If you wish to apply to multiple Facilitator positions, you must submit separate email applications for each specific position.

StoryCorps seeks to hire staff who reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. All positions at StoryCorps are filled without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, HIV/AIDS status, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law. All are encouraged to apply.