Vice President of News

Job Summary:

The Vice President of News is the leadership position that is responsible for overseeing and optimizing the day-to-day business operations of the WHRO newsroom, including the Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism at WHRO (VCIJ). This position will work closely with the editorial and management teams to ensure smooth functioning of the newsroom, enabling it to deliver high-quality news content to the WHRO audience. The VP of News is expected to work primarily from the office, providing hands-on leadership and regular engagement with the newsroom and staff.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Manages and develops newsroom personnel. Makes hiring decisions; leads strategy; establishes performance goals and guidelines; oversees the evaluation and performance appraisal process across the department; enthusiastically promotes management initiatives.

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Safeguards and advances the journalism department’s reputation for the highest standards of journalistic integrity, accuracy, independence, credibility, and ethical excellence, ensuring these standards are consistently upheld across all news operations and platforms.
• Provides leadership and drives strategy for News staff by driving a culture of creativity, respect for one another, and overall excellence in a multi-platform environment.
• Oversee budgeting, resource allocation, and procurement processes to ensure the newsroom operates within its financial constraints while meeting its operational needs.
• Works with news team to ensure local and investigative reporting are well conceived and provide multi-platform, high-quality, accurate coverage to improve competitive position in the market.
• Identify and implement new technologies and tools that can enhance newsroom efficiency and facilitate collaboration among team members.
• Actively participate as a member of the Strategic Management Team.
• Implements strategic mission and tactical operation of the newsroom while ensuring the highest levels of journalistic, ethical, production, and promotion standards are maintained.
• Develop and monitor key performance indicators to assess newsroom efficiency and make data-driven improvements.
• Facilitate effective communication and collaboration between the newsroom and other departments.
• Develops and maintains a collaborative working relationship with Marketing, Underwriting, Content, and Engineering to analyze performance and identify trends on broadcast and digital platforms.
• Develop contingency plans and protocols for handling unexpected events that may impact newsroom operations.
• Promote culture of continuous improvement, fostering innovation and adaptation to changing industry trends.
• Promotes a digital newsroom culture with staff and works to develop a strategy for continued growth and engagement on digital properties.
• Works with station management in the effective use of resources in managing operations and to develop standards and processes for optimal performance.
• Develops and creates a journalistic professional connection with community.
• Collaborates across all organizational departments to advance station-wide priorities, strengthen cross-functional alignment, support fundraising and donor engagement opportunities, and ensure the News division contributes effectively to the station’s public service mission, strategic goals, audience growth, and community impact.
• Other duties as assigned. 

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Strong leadership and team management skills.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Knowledge of newsroom technologies and software.
• Well versed in media ethics and legal regulations.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work in fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Ability to think ''out of the box'' and outside of traditional journalistic and news norms regarding use of technology.
• Be able to work with broadcast data and digital metrics to help shape an overall news strategy.
• Able to work in a team environment across the news department and station's initiatives. 

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, business administration, or a related field (Master’s degree preferred)

Experience:

• Proven experience in newsroom leadership or a similar role within a regional or national media organization, non-profit preferred.
• Experience preparing departmental budgets, developing strategic plans and presenting in front of large audiences.
• Experience and success in coaching, leading and motivating a team of employees.

Additional Eligibility Qualifications:

• Multi-platform Experience.
• Strong Organizational skills.
• Excellent people management, leadership and coaching skills.
• Ability to multi-task in a dynamic, content driven, technology intensive environment.
• Energetic and diligent in launching major campaigns.

Physical Activities

• Remaining in a stationary position, often standing or sitting for prolonged periods.
• Moving about to accomplish tasks or moving from one worksite to another.
• Communicating with others to exchange information.
• Repeating motions that may include the wrists, hands and/or fingers.
• Assessing the accuracy, neatness and thoroughness of the work assigned.

Environmental Conditions
  No adverse environmental conditions expected.

Physical Demands

   Sedentary work that primarily involves sitting/standing.

Disclaimer

The above information on this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification.  It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

The employer reserves the right to change or modify the job description as business needs dictate.