Full Job Description
KING 5, TEGNA's NBC affiliate in Seattle, is looking for a Story Desk Manager to lead a unified group that replaces the legacy assignment desk and digital teams. We are looking for a manager who is impactful, tenacious, and organized. This is one of the most influential leadership positions in our newsroom.
The successful candidate will guide our team of content creators in story discovery and presentation across all platforms. The person in this position will help manage the story development process throughout the day, lead our digital strategy, and train others to excel at developing local contacts and respond to breaking news.
This leader serves as the newsroom's expert on digital audience analytics by understanding performance across every platform and turning metrics into meaningful insights that guide decision-making, content strategy, and continuous improvement.
The ideal candidate is an experienced journalist with a knack for building a team of people who work smarter, not harder, and are as adept at seeking information as they are in presenting those stories in modern and creative ways. The ability to respond urgently to breaking news, calmly manage chaos, pivot quickly, solve problems creatively, train a motivated team, and guide a multi-platform newsroom's content are all desirable for this leader.
Key Responsibilities
• Lead the newsroom's digital operation, including KING5.com, the KING 5 mobile app, all socials, and our 24/7 streaming apps.
• Oversee daily coverage decisions and reporter assignments to be competitive across platforms with the goal to own the big story daily
• Look ahead and plan coverage or upcoming news cycles
• Maximize audience insights to aid in content choices and improve audience reach
• Plan coverage of stories that matter most to the community, using editorial judgment and social listening
• Lead and communicate newsroom coverage during breaking news, ensuring accuracy, urgency, and balance
• Uphold TEGNA's journalistic standards and values across all platforms
What You'll Bring
• Bachelor's degree in journalism, communications, or at least 5 years of journalism experience in a local newsroom, digital production, or related role
• Superior news judgment and the ability to make fast, sound editorial decisions under pressure
• Proven record of success handling breaking news
• Ability to analyze digital metrics and synthesize the information for the entire newsroom
• Experience managing a team of journalists
• Demonstrated knowledge regarding content desk operations
• Impeccable organizational skills with a keen eye for detail
• Demonstrated success as both a team leader and a team player
• Effective communication skills
• Familiarity with the market, a plus
Pay Range
$100,000-$120,000 USD
Benefits:
TEGNA offers comprehensive benefits designed to safeguard the physical, mental and financial health of our employees and their families. TEGNA offers two medical plan options for full and part-time employees through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, as well as access to dental and eye care coverage; fertility, surrogacy and adoption assistance; disability and life insurance.
Our 401(k) program offers full, part-time and temporary employees the opportunity to contribute 1% - 80% of their pay on a pre-tax basis to TEGNA's 401(k). Contributions made up to the first 4% of pay are eligible for a 100% match from the company and are 100% vested from day one.
Regardless of participation in TEGNA medical plans, ALL employees and their eligible family members receive nine free virtual doctor's appointments with a physician through Teladoc, and 12 free annual therapy sessions with a licensed clinician through Spring Health.
TEGNA offers a generous Paid Time Off (PTO) benefit as well as nine paid holidays per year.
* Some jobs are covered by a collective bargaining agreement and thus some or all of the benefits described herein may not apply. For example, some newsroom bargaining unit employees receive health and retirement benefits under plans administered by the union.