Community Engagement Specialist

The Roy Howard Community Journalism Center (RHCJC) is looking for a full-time Community Engagement Specialist to join our team. In this role, the Community Engagement Specialist is responsible for managing outreach, visibility, and relationship-building efforts for the Center. A key part of this role is oversight of the Center’s What is True? program, which includes comprehensive mis- and disinformation investigations and the Ask Me What is True? media literacy certification training.  Based at the University of Southern Mississippi, the RHCJC is a grant-funded newsroom dedicated to delivering impactful, multi-platform journalism and fostering trust between news organizations and the communities they serve across Southeast Mississippi.

In addition, this position supervises undergraduate and graduate students, providing coaching and mentorship to ensure the production of accurate, ethical, and compelling storytelling across print, digital, audio, and broadcast platforms. The role requires a strategic and relationship-centered mindset to grow awareness, deepen trust, and strengthen the RHCJC’s reputation among media partners, community stakeholders, and the broader public.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities
-Lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of the ‘What is True?’ services, including fact-checking investigations, certification training, and related workshops for students, educators, and community groups.
-Create and execute outreach strategies to expand the Center’s visibility; build and maintain relationships with media outlets, civic leaders, schools, nonprofits, and community stakeholders.
-Serve as a representative of the Center at community events, conferences, and speaking engagements to promote its mission and programs.
-Supervise and coach undergraduate and graduate students, including graduate assistants and interns, by assigning projects, reviewing work, and fostering professional readiness in ethical, multi-platform storytelling.
-Collaborate with the Center Director to recruit, onboard, and train student workers and interns while cultivating a supportive learning environment.
-Plan, coordinate, and evaluate community events, trainings, and public-facing activities that align with the Center’s mission.
-Assist with grant writing, fundraising, and program evaluation activities to sustain and expand media literacy and journalism programs.
-Support the Center Director and staff with special projects, reporting, and other responsibilities as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in public relations, marketing, English, journalism, mass communication, or a related field and three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in community relations, journalism, nonprofit management, media coaching, or a related field.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities (KSA)
-Strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills to engage diverse audiences and build long-term partnerships
-Excellent organizational and project management skills, with the ability to coordinate multiple initiatives and meet deadlines.
-Proficiency in media literacy principles, journalistic ethics, and digital engagement platforms (or the ability to learn quickly).
-Experience supervising or mentoring students, interns, or early-career professionals in a supportive learning environment.
-Ability to plan and deliver community events, workshops, and trainings that promote media literacy and public trust.
-Strong analytical skills to evaluate program outcomes and communicate impact effectively.

Preferred Qualifications
-Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in mass communication or a related field
-Five (5) years of experience in media, teaching, or community engagement.
-Demonstrated success in grant writing and/or program evaluation.
-Experience building partnerships with schools, nonprofits, or community organizations.

Apply Here:
https://usm.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/1/home/requisition/4897?c=usm&sq=req4897

About the Roy Howard Community Journalism Center 
The Roy Howard Community Journalism Center at the University of Southern Mississippi is dedicated to enhancing the media landscape in Southeast Mississippi by prioritizing impactful people-centered, issue-oriented reporting, combating mis- and disinformation, fostering the growth and development of student journalists, and strengthening media partnerships. Our mission is to empower local voices, support accurate and critical journalism through media literacy, provide hands-on coaching to emerging media professionals, and collaborate with regional media organizations to build a more informed and engaged community. Established in 2025, the Roy Howard Community Journalism Center is based at USM’s School of Media and Communication and is supported by a grant from the Scripps Howard Foundation. For more information, visit rhcjcnews.com.

About The University of Southern Mississippi 
Since our founding in 1910, The University of Southern Mississippi has remained dedicated to preparing students for success. We deliver programs to more than 13,000 students in Hattiesburg and Long Beach, at teaching and research sites across the Mississippi Gulf Coast, as well as online. We are a community-engaged Carnegie R1 university, earning distinction as one of the nation’s leading research institutions.

Southern Miss is known for pioneering work in polymer science, ocean science, spectator sports safety and security, and bringing language to children with communication disorders. We are also a national leader in a broad range of disciplines, including cybersecurity, hydrography, nutrition, aquaculture, kinesiology, and economic development, among others.
We produce graduates ready to enter fields that are leading the way in emerging technologies through programs such as computer engineering, information technology, and ocean engineering. We’re developing the next generation of business leaders, while also responding to critical workforce shortages by producing skilled professionals in education and nursing. With a tradition of excellence in the arts, we are one of only 36 public institutions in the nation accredited in four major areas of the arts. Home to the Golden Eagles, our student-athletes compete in 17 NCAA Division I sports. With a culture marked by passion and persistence, Southern Miss is delivering graduates who are ready for life. For more information, visit www.usm.edu.

As an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity employer/Americans with Disabilities Act institution, The University of Southern Mississippi encourages minorities, women, veterans and persons with disabilities to apply.