Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC)
Overview
About ACEJMC
ACEJMC, the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, is the agency responsible for evaluating and accrediting professional journalism and mass communication programs in colleges and universities. Currently, 120 schools are accredited, with others seeking first-time accreditation. Reaccreditation for these schools takes place every six years. While ACEJMC, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, depends heavily on the efforts of nearly 100 volunteers, the three-person paid staff are responsible for arranging and overseeing site visits and accreditation processes, offering counsel and guidance to schools seeking accreditation or reaccreditation, reviewing the self-study reports submitted by schools prior to their accreditation, managing website content, and maintaining timely, ongoing and accurate communications with all programs and volunteers.
About the Position
ACEJMC seeks a skilled and knowledgeable Associate Executive Director to join our small, dynamic team of full-time employees. The ideal candidate will have experience with and interest in higher education accreditation and journalism/mass communications education; excellent writing, editing and analytical skills; tact and diplomacy; and the ability to juggle multiple projects at once. The position is full-time and may involve periods of particularly heavy work in the fall and winter months, when schools prepare for and receive visits from a site team that evaluates their program(s), and when ACEJMC conducts its two major in-person meetings. The position is remote and duties can be performed from any location in the United States, though in-person attendance will be required at two ACEJMC meetings per year (see below). The ability to maintain regular daily working hours and internet connectivity will be essential. The position reports to ACEJMC’s Executive Director and is accountable to the ACEJMC Executive Committee and the Accrediting Council.
Responsibilities
- Serve as a resource, answer questions, provide information and guidance for schools already accredited and for those considering or seeking accreditation. This may involve frequent phone and Zoom conversations and meetings.
- Collaborate with the other salaried employees, the Executive Director and the Executive Assistant, to produce a variety of materials–accreditation and site visit information for schools, Web content, correspondence with heads of academic units, etc.
- Carry out primary content creation and oversight of Ascent, ACEJMC’s semiannual newsletter, published in January and July each year. (Past issues of Ascent can be viewed at https://www.acejmc.org/newsletters)
- Record and edit Accreditation Committee and Accreditation Council meeting minutes.
- Each fall and early winter, review and make detailed commentary on anywhere from approximately 10 to 40 lengthy self-study reports (the precise number in a given year depends on the number of schools applying or reapplying that year). This task is undertaken jointly with the Executive Director and is completed on deadline.
- Assist in or direct the preparation and/or updating of other important documents each year–reports on status of grant activity, training materials, accreditation handbook, etc.
- Maintain and update website content.
- Maintain all archives and records of site reports/noncompliance findings.
- Conduct accuracy checks on published and archived materials.
- Work closely with ACEJMC’s Executive Committee, consisting of the leaders of the Accrediting Committee and Council, and attend regular Committee meetings.
- Participate in and help to organize and run two annual meetings–the Accrediting Committee meeting, usually held in early Spring in Chicago, and the Accrediting Council meeting, usually held in early May in Washington, D.C.
- Assist the Executive Director in the recognition and report preparation process for CHEA, the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, with which ACEJMC is affiliated.
Required Qualifications
The successful candidate must possess:
- Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, mass communications or a related field.
- At least five years proven experience as a journalism or mass communications professional (in a newsroom, advertising or PR agency, etc.), or five years experience as a journalism or mass communications educator at the collegiate level.
- Strong editing, writing and analytical skills.
- Proficiency in InDesign, Webflo and Excel.
- Understanding of and support for the importance of accreditation and the accreditation process.
- Ability to manage multiple projects and pivot on projects and assignments quickly.
- Ability to remain calm in stressful situations and resolve conflicts and issues efficiently and diplomatically.
- Responsiveness and an ability to solve problems and communicate responses quickly.
- Ability to form collegial, collaborative relationships remotely.
Desired Qualifications
- Previous experience with some form of program accreditation or certification.
- Familiarity with academic institutions.
- Previous work experience as a writer or editor.
Work Environment
This is a full-time remote position. The job can be performed from a home office or, if the successful candidate resides in an area with a nearby ACEJMC-accredited institution, office space at the institution may be available. The Associate Executive Director will need to be available by email or phone for eight designated working hours per day. This individual will also need to attend two in-person ACEJMC meetings per year–the Accrediting Committee and the Accrediting Council.
The ACEJMC staff consists of two other paid employees, the Executive Director and the Executive Assistant, both of whom are based in Boise, Idaho and who work very closely with the Associate Executive Director. The incumbent also joins regular Executive Committee meetings and works in sync with the group on various initiatives. The work of the ACEJMC staff, including the Associate Executive Director, is fast-paced. Phone and email inquiries often require a rapid response.
Although the current Associate Executive Director will continue on at ACEJMC until April 30, it is hoped that this position will be filled by very early 2026 so that the new Associate Executive Director can work directly alongside, and job-shadow, the current Associate Executive Director as of February 1, 2026. The new hire will be considered as, and paid as, a full-time employee during this “job shadowing” period.
This position pays an annual salary of $58,000 with three weeks paid vacation each year, plus all state holidays (in the state where the job incumbent resides) and federal holidays. No additional benefits are provided.
Application Process
Interested candidates should submit their resume along with a cover letter detailing their relevant experience and qualifications to ACEJMC Executive Director Susan Walton at susan.walton@acejmc.org. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
Equal Opportunity Employer
ACEJMC invites applications from a broad range of candidates. ACEJMC is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, or any other legally protected status. Selection for jobs at ACEJMC is based on individual merit.