Director of News and Public Affairs

Arizona State University•Phoenix, AZ

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Arizona PBS is seeking an experienced, strategic, and innovative Director of News and Public Affairs to lead its newsroom and public affairs content efforts across broadcast, digital, and emerging platforms. This role is responsible for shaping editorial strategy, overseeing daily newsroom operations, and ensuring high-quality journalism that reflects Arizona PBS’ public media mission of informing, educating, and engaging communities across the state. The Director of News and Public Affairs will work closely with the Senior Director of Content to define and execute a strong editorial vision while leading a team of reporters, producers, editors, hosts, and student interns. This individual must be an exceptional journalist, collaborative leader, and forward-thinking media professional who can guide teams through an evolving media landscape while maintaining the highest standards of editorial integrity. Current initiatives under this role include “Arizona Horizon,” a daily public affairs program, the weekly Hispanic community-focused program “Horizonte,” as well as Arizona-focused political and election programming. Key priorities include growing digital news audiences, working with the Senior Director of Content to develop platform-specific content strategies, as well as collaboration and innovation across broadcast and digital platforms.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree and nine (9) years of experience appropriate to the area of assignment/field including five (5) years managerial experience; OR, Any equivalent combination of experience and/or training from which comparable knowledge, skills and abilities have been achieved.
Experience leading a newsroom or managing a team of reporters.
Strong leadership and supervisory experience, including hiring, coaching, and developing team members.
Excellent project management skills with the ability to manage multiple deadlines and priorities.
Demonstrated expertise in electronic news gathering, writing, editing, and producing content for both broadcast and digital platforms.
Strong commitment to journalistic ethics, editorial independence, and accuracy.
Deep understanding of digital content distribution, automation systems, and content management platforms.
Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills with audiences and community stakeholders.
Experience mentoring emerging journalists and working with interns or early-career professionals.
Familiarity with public media journalism standards and practices.
Strong knowledge of Arizona and Southwest regional issues, communities, and public policy topics.

Nice To Haves

Develops and executes complex media engagement programs and outreach activities to actively engage with media outlets, secure impactful coverage, and promote the university's stories, achievements, and expertise.

Responsibilities

Partner with the Senior Director of Content to define, implement, and maintain a strong editorial vision aligned with Arizona PBS’ mission and strategic priorities.
Plan, direct, and evaluate department activities and operations to ensure achievement of organizational goals and objectives.
Oversee content creation and curation to ensure stories are impactful, audience-focused, and aligned with public media values.
Lead development of new public affairs programs, specials, and initiatives across broadcast and digital platforms.
Identify opportunities to expand Arizona PBS’ reach through emerging technologies, digital storytelling, and multimedia content strategies.
Develop long-term editorial strategies that strengthen community engagement, audience growth, and public service journalism.
Oversee the day-to-day operations of the newsroom.
Direct daily news coverage and lead planning for major news events, elections, breaking news coverage, and special programming.
Determine staffing, equipment, materials, and facility needs required for successful production execution.
Create and manage production schedules to ensure timely delivery of content.
Resolve operational challenges and implement improvements to increase departmental efficiency and effectiveness.
Inspire, mentor, and supervise reporters, producers, editors, hosts, and student interns.
Set clear performance expectations and foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, creativity, and journalistic excellence.
Provide coaching and professional development opportunities for emerging journalists and staff.
Build a newsroom culture that values innovation, inclusion, and continuous learning.
Conduct research and interviews for major programs and special projects.
Write and review scripts for public affairs programming and special productions.
Ensure all content meets Arizona PBS standards for journalistic ethics, accuracy, fairness, and quality.
Coordinate talent and guest appearances and secure necessary contracts, releases, and copyright clearances.
Consult with station leadership and legal counsel regarding legal, editorial, and compliance matters.
Monitor departmental budgets, expenditures, and resource allocation.
Prepare reports and maintain records related to production activities and departmental performance.
Develop operational plans and strategies to support departmental and organizational initiatives.
Collaborate with fundraising, audience development, programming, marketing, and community engagement teams to support station-wide strategic priorities.