ICNY is looking for new Co-Producers to take the helm of our Interfaith Matters podcast – a remarkable opportunity for an aspiring podcaster to shape public conversations about religious diversity. See below for detailed information.
The Interfaith Center of New York (ICNY) is a secular nonprofit organization, founded in 1997, that works to overcome prejudice, violence, and misunderstanding by activating the power of New York City’s grassroots religious and civic leaders and their communities. Our community-based programs bring religious and civic leaders together to address shared social justice concerns, while our education programs introduce New Yorkers and others to the city’s religious diversity. For more information about our work, see https://interfaithcenter.org.
ICNY is now seeking 1 – 2 aspiring podcaster(s), audio journalist(s), or journalism student(s) to fill essential positions as the Co-Producers of our Interfaith Matters podcast series. The podcast series forms an important element of ICNY’s online content and social media strategy, which is not only a principal method of outreach and information dissemination, but an important tool for education and thought leadership. The series has generally focused on in-depth interviews with diverse religious leaders, but we are open to exploring a variety of formats in the future. The podcast has had over 18,000 downloads since its launch in 2016, and is available on numerous podcatcher services such as iHeartRadio, Spotify, Pandora, etc. Podcast announcements are often the most engaged-with posts on ICNY’s Facebook and other social media channels. For more information about the Interfaith Matters podcast, see https://interfaithcenter.org/podcast.
The new Co-Producer(s) of Interfaith Matters will play leadership roles in setting the style and content of the series. We are seeking a new host for the series, and a new sound engineer/editor, either one person in each role or one person performing both roles. The host serves as the on-air personality of Interfaith Matters, and will need to research the backgrounds of our guests, propose interview topics and questions, and conduct the interviews. The sound engineer/editor will work with the host to conceptualize and record necessary audio, and then edit the episodes to the desired length, while adding music and voiceover narration. The new Co-Producer(s) will also be welcome to explore alternative approaches to the podcast series, beyond the current interview format. In all these aspects of their work, the Co-Producer(s) will collaborate with the podcast Executive Producer Kevin Childress, and ICNY’s Director of Programs Dr. Henry Goldschmidt.
There is no set salary or consulting fee for this position, but the Co-Producer(s) of Interfaith Matters will receive a share of the podcast’s modest underwriting income, when available. More importantly, they will gain invaluable skills and experience in podcasting and long-form audio journalism. We are proud that all of our previous Co-Producers have used the Interfaith Matters series to substantially advance their education and career trajectories. In short, we can’t offer much money, but we can offer a extraordinary opportunity to run a successful podcast series, engage with diverse religious leaders, and build a career in audio journalism.
Primary responsibilities will include:
- Research the personal, professional, and religious background of guests in advance of interviews
- Communicate/coordinate with guests to prepare for interviews
- Conduct and record interviews with diverse religious leaders and faith-based social activists
- Edit raw audio recordings to desired length and narrative flow, while adding music and voiceover narration as necessary
- Work with Executive Producer to draft publicity material for podcast episodes, including email promotion and social media content
- Work with Executive Producer to develop broader strategies to expand and diversify podcast audience
- Work with Executive Producer to conduct outreach to potential underwriters, helping to grow the revenue base for the series
- Work with Executive Producer and Director of Programs to select guests for interviews, and to chart the creative direction of the series
Qualifications should ideally include:
- Bachelor’s degree in journalism, religious studies, or other relevant field. Relevant graduate coursework is preferred but not required
- Past experience in podcast production, including knowledge of digital audio hardware and software
- Past experience as an interviewer, in audio journalism, oral history, ethnography, or other relevant field
- Outstanding oral and written communication skills – able to engage with diverse religious leaders, and serve as public voice of ICNY
- Able to work independently and collaborate effectively, with good humor and professional demeanor in all situations
- Reliability, careful attention to detail, and an ability to work effectively under deadline pressure
- Deep respect for religious diversity is essential. Knowledge of social issues surrounding religious pluralism, and of faith-based perspectives on social justice struggles, is preferred but not required.
- Personal faith commitment is not required – we welcome applications from people of all religious and secular backgrounds.
To apply, please send a resume and substantive cover letter to Interfaith Matters Executive Producer Kevin Childress, at podcast@interfaithcenter.org.