News Director- Tri-Cities

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Location: Kennewick, WA

Company: NonStop Local Tri-Cities

 

Position Title: News Director

Position Status: Full-time, Exempt

Position Pay: $81,000-$90,000 DOE + Signing Bonus

About this opportunity: A News Director is very much like a Head Football Coach. You must hire the right coordinators. You must design the offense and defense around our strategic objectives (mostly we want to win). And you must make the occasional call about when to go for it on fourth down. And perhaps above all, you need to understand how to get the best performance out of your team. This is a future-focused company. Change is the one constant in our crazy world. The News Director is the change agent and the leader who can adapt accordingly.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Owns and leads all aspects of news, weather and sports programming production while providing strategic and logistics support.
• Lead a culture that owns enterprise reporting and storytelling as well as breaking news across all platforms.
• Ensure high-quality, relevant, local content that sets the operation apart from competitors.
• Inspire and coach superior, unique and engaging storytelling, and implement leadership development opportunities for our future leaders.
• Removes barriers to success for every member of the team.
• Critique product daily to correct errors, improve coverage and provide mentoring feedback to news staff.
• Serve as primary leader during crisis response.
• Adhere to deadlines and make timely and effective decisions in situations requiring prompt attention.
• Work with Marketing Team to set and achieve viewer impression goals and other KPI's.
• Make decisions regarding hiring, evaluation, promotion, and termination of employees.
• Manage the news department budget — including annual planning, monthly monitoring and routine handling.
• Work with Station Manager and Chief Engineer to plan and manage the TV News operating and capital budgets.
• Seeks opportunities to promote public contact to help ascertain public needs, build community engagement and bolster station success.
• Work with other senior station leaders to establish and reach station goals.

• Lead a "digital first culture" to ensure content is made available to the appropriate audience on the appropriate platform. We lean in to our stream coverage and highly encourage the production of vertical content. 

 

• Other duties as assigned

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism, Communications Media or a related field.
• Minimum of at least 5 years of management experience at a live commercial media outlet.

Qualifications

• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written.
• Ability to identify the developmental needs of others and to coach, mentor or otherwise help others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Ability to meet deadlines, prioritize assignments and handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Ability to effectively listen to fully understand employee needs and communicate with a team to shape a solution.
• Solid journalistic and content judgment emphasizes accurate, fair and unique local content that is representative of the community we serve.
• Strong organizational skills, ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines, calm demeanor under stress.
• Must be knowledgeable in broadcast law.
• Must understand digital production and all current digital platforms.
• Active social media participant and strong social media skills.
• Experience preparing and maintaining departmental budgets and the willingness to fight for what your team needs.

TECHNICAL SKILLS 

 

• Office Tools: Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) or equivalent tools (e.g., Google Workspace), including email and calendar management. 

• Content Management Systems (CMS): Experience with web publishing platforms to manage and upload digital content. 

• Broadcast-Specific Software: Familiarity with newsroom systems such as ENPS or iNews and teleprompter operations. 

• Research Tools: Ability to use online research tools, databases, and search engines effectively. 

• Live Streaming: Familiarity with live-streaming platforms and video conferencing tools like Zoom or Teams. 

• Data Analytics (Optional): Basic understanding of tools like Google Analytics to analyze audience trends. 

 

KEY COMPETENCIES 

 

Language Skills 

• Proficient in speaking, reading, and writing to communicate complex information clearly. 

• Ability to adjust tone and vocabulary for diverse audiences and platforms. 

Customer Service Skills 

• Ability to engage authentically with viewers and build trust through effective communication. 

• Strong conflict resolution and adaptability to audience preferences. 

• Professionalism when representing the station at public events or online. 

Reasoning Abilities 

• Strong critical thinking skills to evaluate sources, analyze data, and make editorial decisions. 

• Ability to synthesize information from multiple sources for clear, logical reporting. 

• Sound ethical reasoning to ensure fairness and adherence to journalistic standards. 

Physical Demands 

• Frequent standing, walking, and sitting for extended periods of eight (8) to ten (10) hours per day. 

• Occasional lifting of equipment (e.g., cameras, tripods) up to 30 pounds. 

• Manual dexterity in operating equipment and computers. 

• Ability to work irregular hours, including nights, weekends, and holidays. 

Work Environment 

• Primarily indoors in a newsroom setting. 

• Frequent exposure to low or medium noise levels. 

• A fast-paced, deadline-driven newsroom environment. 

 

What we offer: 

We are a family-owned and operated multi-business organization with a heart for the community we serve and our employees! We set you up for success by providing the necessary tools and training needed to succeed in your position. This includes: 

• A friendly, supportive, and professional team atmosphere 

• Competitive wages and benefits including Medical, Dental, Vision, 401K matching, Employee Assistance Programs, and so much more! 

• We believe work/life balance is key to continued success. We offer Vacation days, Sick Time, Paid Holidays, Floating Holidays, and more! 

For detailed information regarding benefits, vacation, sick, and holiday time, please copy and paste the following link into your browser:

 

_https://heyzine.com/flip-book/nonstoplocal-wa       

 

What Next? If you want to be part of our winning team, email your cover letter, resume, and link to your reel to: Luke Thoburn- Director of Training and Recruiting, at: Luket@nonstoplocal.com.

 

Don't forget: Complete your application at www.khq.com/careers   complete all required fields, and upload any supporting documents such as a resume, cover letter, references, and examples of work! At the end of your profile creation, simply pick the position(s) you would like to apply for and press "submit." It's that easy! 

If you already have a company profile, log in and update your information where necessary, then apply to the open requisition. 

If you need assistance with creating or logging into your candidate profile, please email careers@cowlesco.com and an HR representative will respond as quickly as possible. 

At Cowles Company, we are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals. Our commitment to equal employment opportunity is unwavering, and we strive to create an environment where everyone feels empowered to contribute their unique perspectives and talents. We believe that together we can build a brighter future for our employees and our organization that enriches our organization, drives innovation, and fuels our success. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. We comply with all applicable laws governing nondiscrimination in employment and strive to maintain a respectful, professional workplace where individuals are evaluated based on merit, performance, and business needs. 

All candidates selected for hire will be required to submit to a background check. 

Drug Testing, including THC, applies to safety-sensitive positions. 

Position open until filled.