General

At the time of this writing, the YouTube Channel Manager maintains the video component of the Folk Project’s social media framework. He or she takes direction from the Social Media Tsar (who in turn takes direction from the Publicity Chair) and works collaboratively with the channel managers for Facebook and Twitter. The YouTube Channel Manager is thus a member of the Publicity Committee, but not a member of the Folk Project board.

Maintenance of the YouTube Channel is essentially a curatorial responsibility. This is primarily a matter of adding new links to existing YouTube videos for the channel’s venue-specific playlists and deleting old ones to make room for them. Each playlist should be between 20 and 60 minutes in total play time, and will ideally feature performers who have been booked by The Folk Project up to 12 months in the past, or who are scheduled to play for up to 12 months in the future.

The videos should have the highest production value possible, and ideally should be things the performers have posted themselves. Professionally shot, “official” videos are always preferable to unauthorized fan videos captured from the concert floor. When in doubt, the Channel Manager should consult directly with the performers involved. The YouTube Channel Manager is also charged with guiding the channel’s evolution, as the technology changes and The Folk Project continues to mature.

Work Activities

Specifically, the YouTube Channel Manager is responsible for:

• Monitoring the content at the channel and refreshing the play lists at the end of each month.

• Promoting the channel through occasional Facebook posts or articles in the Folk Project newsletter.

• Looking for opportunities to extend the channel’s reach, by creating a channel trailer, soliciting reciprocal links

• and being alert to new content possibilities.

• Reporting any interesting developments to the Social Media Tsar, for upward reporting to the Folk Project board.

Skills and Experience

Prerequisites for this position are:

• Access to a personal computer, with a dependable broadband connection

• Familiarity with the norms of social media

• Basic understanding of video formats and upload procedures

In addition, the successful YouTube Channel Manager will be:

• Well-organized, thorough and attentive to detail

• Interested in the content for its own sake, and in the medium by which it can be delivered to a broader audience

• Entrepreneurial, with an understanding that the channel will be whatever can be made of it

Finally, the following would be considered desirable, in decreasing order of importance:

• A genuine interest and demonstrated willingness to participate in the activities of The Folk Project

• Previous experience in a similar role for another non-profit organization

• Experience in video production