Position Summary

WRAL News is seeking an experienced, versatile, and innovative Executive Producer of Digital Content (Digital EP). This role is ideal for a competitive, digital-first journalist who knows how to reach our audience on all platforms and motivate a team to accomplish that goal with precision. This position requires an ability to multi-task while paying close attention to detail, prioritizing metrics, and identifying strategic initiatives to grow our reach across all digital platforms. The role must effectively explain digital metrics and goals to an entire newsroom for a winning strategy. This is a hybrid editorial, operational, and technical leadership role that ensures WRAL's journalism is delivered quickly, accurately, and strategically through the platforms our audience uses first, including:

• WRAL.com
• WRAL Mobile App
• YouTube
• Facebook
• Instagram
• TikTok
• X and emerging social platforms

The Digital EP is a strategy-focused supervisor, not a daily producer. The role is designed to get out of the weeds and focus on:

• Daily and long-term content strategy
• Team leadership and development
• Platform growth and performance
• Cross-platform consistency and execution

The Digital EP takes daily assignment direction from the Managing Editor, who sets newsroom-wide multiplatform priorities. The Digital EP then leads the execution and measurement of that strategy across the digital content team and platforms, along with the Multiplatform Content Strategist. Coaching, supervision and scheduling will be key responsibilities.

Schedule: Monday-Friday | 9am-6pm

This role may flex during major breaking news, high-impact events, or significant platform initiatives.

What you will do:

Lead Digital Strategy

• Lead WRAL's daily and long-term digital content strategy across web, app, social and video platforms.
• Turn newsroom priorities into clear digital plans, expectations, and deadlines.
• Build digital, streaming and social strategy into story planning from the beginning - not as an afterthought.
• Ensure breaking news, enterprise journalism and original reporting are optimized for the platforms where audiences consume them.
• Identify opportunities to expand WRAL's reach through new formats, platforms and storytelling approaches.
• Maintain consistent editorial standards and execution across platforms.

Grow and Develop Our Audience

• Use audience behavior and performance data to guide multiplatform strategy.
• Identify what is working, what isn't and where WRAL has opportunities to grow.
• Develop platform-specific strategies, including YouTube, Meta, social video, SEO, headlines and push notifications.
• Share meaningful performance metrics with newsroom leaders and staff and translate the numbers into actionable editorial decisions.
• Work with newsroom leadership to establish and track audience, engagement and revenue goals.
• Adjust strategy as audience behavior and platforms evolve.

Lead and Develop the Digital Team

• Supervise, schedule, coach and develop members of the digital content team.
• Set clear expectations for performance, professionalism, urgency and accountability.
• Conduct regular coaching and development meetings with team members.
• Create and maintain individual 30-, 60- and 90-day development plans for all team members.
• Conduct performance reviews and address performance issues when necessary.
• Build a culture that encourages experimentation, collaboration and continuous improvement.

Lead the Newsroom's Digital Execution

• Help the entire newsroom think digital-first and understand how strong journalism can reach audiences across multiple platforms, while embracing a vertical video mindset to all storytelling
• Partner with Multiplatform Content Strategist and Executive Producers to improve story framing, distribution and platform execution.
• Lead digital execution during major breaking news and high-impact events.
• Make decisive editorial calls while maintaining WRAL's standards for accuracy, urgency and quality.

Metrics, Performance & Accountability

• Shares daily digital metrics with the team to reinforce strategy
• Uses performance data to:
  
  • Identify successes
  • Flag missed opportunities
  • Adjust content strategy in real time
• Applies metrics directly to editorial suggestions
  Example: recommending YouTube video ideas based on prior-day performance
• Works with Managing Editor to track progress toward platform growth goals

Primary Liaison to WRAL Product Development & Technology Teams

• Serves as the primary bridge between the newsroom and technology development
• Translates editorial needs into technical requirements
• Translates technical updates into newsroom workflows
• Spends increased time troubleshooting:
  
  • CMS issues
  • Metrics challenges (e.g., Looker Studio)
  • Publishing and video workflow problems
• Ensures technology supports - not slows - digital execution
• Provides weekly update on what's happened & what's underway to News Director, Assistant News Director & Managing Editor

Required Qualifications & Experience:

• 5+ years of experience in digital journalism, broadcast journalism or a related newsroom environment.
• Proven experience leading people, setting expectations and managing performance.
• Strong editorial judgment and the ability to lead calmly and decisively during breaking news.
• Demonstrated success growing digital audiences, engagement, and revenue.
• Strong understanding of web, mobile, social media, YouTube and emerging digital platforms.
• Experience using audience analytics to make editorial and strategic decisions.
• Strong understanding of SEO, headlines, push notifications, social distribution and digital video.
• Ability to communicate digital strategy clearly to journalists with varying levels of digital experience.
• Strong collaboration skills and experience working across editorial, product and technology teams.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Bachelor's degree in journalism, communications or a related field preferred, or equivalent professional experience.

Required Skills & Experience

• Significant experience in digital journalism leadership
• Deep understanding of:
  
  • Social media platforms
  • YouTube strategy
  • Audience behavior
• Proven supervisory and coaching experience
• Comfort working with analytics and performance tools
• Ability to collaborate with technical teams and editorial leadership

The right leader for this role is:

• Strategic - sees beyond today's assignments and builds for long-term growth.
• Competitive - wants WRAL journalism to win on every platform.
• Data-driven - uses metrics to make better editorial decisions, not simply report numbers.
• Decisive - provides clarity and direction when news is moving quickly.
• Collaborative - builds strong relationships across the newsroom, product and technology teams.
• Accountable - sets clear expectations and follows through.
• Innovative - continuously looks for better ways to reach and serve our audience.
• A strong coach - develops people and helps journalists understand how their work succeeds across platforms.

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Frequent use of hands and fingers to operate office equipment, including computers, phones, and printers.
• Ability to occasionally lift files, office materials, or packages up to 15 pounds.
• Clear vision and hearing required for meetings, presentations, and reviewing financial documents.
• Ability to move about an office environment and attend meetings in various office locations.

Work Conditions: The work conditions and characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

• The role is typically performed in a professional office environment.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary based on experience.
• Benefits package including:
  • Comprehensive health insurance plan options
  • Vision and Dental Insurance
  • Company sponsored life insurance
  • Numerous voluntary benefit options - legal plans, pet insurance, discounted home and auto and more!
  • 401K with company match
  • Generous paid time off
  • 9 paid company holidays
• Opportunities for professional development and career growth.
• Dynamic and inclusive work environment with a supportive team culture.
• Exciting projects and growth opportunities within a leading organization.
• Opportunities to attend free local events, such as sporting events, concerts, shows, and more.