State of Maryland

A Visual Communications Supervisor is the supervisory level professional work in the field of audio-visual communications and may be assigned to a variety of State institutions, departments or agencies.  Employees in this classification are primarily responsible for the design, production, distribution and evaluation of audio-visual presentations involving educational or promotional aspects of department programs.   Employees in this classification perform work that involves analysis of the information to be communicated and the characteristics of the target audience; creative determination of appropriate media format and message content, and the technical supervision of the production of a variety of audio-visual presentations.  Employees in this classification may produce materials that may include still photographs, motion-pictures, audio and video tapes, slides, television presentations, charts, graphs and accompanying commentary, scripts, titles and explanatory matter.  Employees in this classification may be responsible for procuring and editing existing audio-visual material, recommending appropriate electronic or mechanical equipment to be obtained and for supervising the maintenance and distribution of audio-visual aids and equipment.  Employees in this classification are normally responsible for the supervision of a small staff of technical and clerical assistants.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from a public information director, director of educational services or other program administrators.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work of the class specification.  

Meets and coordinates with program officials in order to ascertain the nature of the concepts to be communicated and to advise as to the feasibility of the application of audio-visual methods of presentation;

Determines appropriate media, equipment and format for effective transmission of desired messages to the target audience;

Supervises the mechanical, technical, and artistic aspects of the design and production of comprehensive audio-visual educational or promotional communication packages;

Prepares specifications for audio-visual equipment to be obtained for use in agency programs;

Procures and edits existing audio-visual aids obtained for use in agency programs;

Supervises the establishment and operations of storage, distribution and maintenance systems for audio-visual equipment and existing inventory of audio-visual training and promotion materials;

Prepares and/or edits commentary, scripts and explanatory matter to accompany audio-visual instructional or promotional material;

May be responsible for the design, operation and maintenance of permanent displays and the mechanical devices incorporated into such displays;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of the principles of communication, particularly as applied to audio-visual channels;

Knowledge of the principles of photography, film making and the graphic arts;

Knowledge of the uses, characteristics and capabilities of a variety of audio-visual equipment, including still and motion picture cameras, sound recording equipment and related devices;

Knowledge of the techniques, equipment and skills used in the production of photographs, film strips, slides, video tapes, charts, pictorial displays, graphs, sound recordings or other related audio-visual communications;

Ability to conceptualize essential information to be communicated and to develop and present such information effectively through the use of appropriate visual, graphic or audio method;

Ability to express ideas clearly and creatively;

Ability to plan, organize and implement the production of a variety of audio-visual educational or promotional aids;

Ability to evaluate the effectiveness of audio-visual aids;

Ability to design and develop audio-visual presentations in an artistic, tasteful and creative manner;

Ability to supervise the work of others;

Ability to operate a variety of common audio-visual equipment.

Experience: Eight years of experience in the design and production of audio-visual presentations.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Bachelor's degree in communications, radio/television, advertising, journalism or graphic arts from an accredited college or university and four years of experience in the design and production of audio-visual presentations for the required experience.

2. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Master’s degree in communications, radio/television, advertising, journalism or graphic arts from an accredited college or university and three years of experience in the design and production of audio-visual presentations for the required experience.

3. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Bachelor's degree, not listed above, from an accredited college or university for three years of the required experience.

4. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in broadcast journalism classification or broadcast journalism specialty codes in the broadcast equipment operating field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is not assigned to a bargaining unit, as indicated by the designation of S (Supervisor), M (Manager), T (Agency Head), U (Board or Commission Member), W (Student), X (Used by Agency or Excluded by Executive Order), or Z (Confidential).  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.