State Network, Managing Director

Job Description: State Network, Managing Director

Salary Range:  $185 - $200k

Who We Are

At Courier Newsroom, we empower individuals and communities through local reporting that helps people understand and affect the issues impacting their lives. We believe that by investing in the work of local journalists across the country we can positively impact civic participation and build a healthier democracy from the ground up. Through original reporting and human-focused storytelling, we highlight the issues and forces that shape our lives while calling attention to the impacts of policy-making and political action at the local level. We are a rapidly growing team with new ideas on how to change the landscape of this world.

Position Overview:

The State Network Managing Director is a dynamic leadership role responsible for shaping the vision, strategy, and execution of our state-based local news network publishing and operations. Reporting directly to the CEO, this position oversees a diverse senior leadership team to develop and deliver factual, impactful cultural and political news and content products that resonate with local communities in our existing network of 10 state newsrooms, as well as oversee the acquisition and/or development of new local outlets and talent-driven products in new geographic markets.  

The Managing Director will lead efforts to grow the state network and individual state newsrooms’ brands, manage the network budget, and serve as a representative of the organization in external communications, fundraising, and marketing efforts. This role is ideal for a strategic thinker and proven operator with a strong background in producing digital news or content, a passion for developing talent, an enthusiastic appetite for experimentation and innovation in the new industry, and a track record of managing complex, high-impact teams and operations. This is an executive leadership position that requires strategic thinking, collaboration with multidisciplinary stakeholders, and a deep understanding of audience-centric content creation.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Leadership:
  • Shape and implement the overarching strategy for building and growing the state network and state newsrooms’ local news brands and audiences. 
  • Serve as the key leader for state network and state newsroom-level initiatives, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
  • Identify new and emerging tactical, partnership, or other opportunities to scale the reach, subscriber growth, impact, and revenue generation of the local network talent and content. 
• Team Leadership:
  • Directly manage and mentor five direct senior leadership reports.
  • Foster a collaborative and high-performing team culture.
  • Identify and develop talent within the organization to strengthen state network capabilities.
• Brand Development:
  • Define and execute strategies to position the local network as a trusted, credible, go-to source for local news and information.
  • Partner with internal and external teams to create and promote a compelling local network and state brand identity across web, social, and newsletter products 
• Content Product Innovation Oversight:
  • Leverage expertise in news and content production to guide national editors and directors to produce high-quality, engaging content development.
  • Establish and refine processes to ensure content aligns with state network brand values and company goals. 
  • Identify opportunities and oversee piloting scale of network wide product, partnership, or other initiatives that spur measurable growth, impact and revenue.
• Budget Management:
  • Develop and oversee the state network’s budget, ensuring efficient allocation of resources to meet operational goals.
  • Monitor financial performance and provide regular updates to the CEO and CFO.
• External Communications & Marketing:
  • Represent the organization in external-facing communications, including marketing efforts to position the local network as an innovative leader and pioneer in the local news industry. 
  • Build relationships with stakeholders, partners, and community leaders to amplify the state local news brand.
• Revenue:
  • Collaborate with revenue teams to identify and pursue high-impact lead-generation opportunities for the state network across company revenue streams, including underwriting, memberships, advertising, sponsored content and events. 

Candidate Profile:

• 10 years of experience in news or content production, including leadership roles.
• Experience managing senior-level staff and multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong financial acumen and budget management skills.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills.
• Proven ability to build and grow brands in competitive markets.
• Familiarity with digital and social media platforms.
• Motivated to work within a startup culture that priorities experimentation and innovation in the increasingly decentralized news, local news, and media industries

Courier Newsroom offers the following benefits:

• Unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO), 11 paid holidays a year
• Full suite of health benefits
• Flexible working arrangements

Courier Newsroom is an equal opportunity employer. Women, people of color, those with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ community are strongly urged to apply. Applicants shall not be discriminated against because of race, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, color, marital status, or medical conditions.

Salary : $185,000 - $200,000