Director - Politics, MS NOW

Versant•Washington, DC

4h•$175,000 - $200,000

About The Position

MS NOW is seeking an experienced and innovative journalist to direct coverage of campaigns, elections and a rapidly changing political landscape. You’ll join a modern and nimble Newsgathering team in Washington with a start-up mentality and a mandate to meet audiences where they are across all platforms of MS NOW. The Political Director will guide coverage across political cycles with original reporting and analysis. As the leader of the Political Unit, you’ll shape the most important story lines around elections, campaigns, polling, and shifts in the political landscape to bring a sophisticated, contextual lens to the beat. You’ll supervise a high-powered team delivering for all platforms of MS NOW – live programming, MS.Now, newsletters, digital video, audio, social media and more. You’ll often contribute yourself as well. This role requires sharp editorial instincts to understand the stakes of political and policy shifts in Washington and throughout the states, and how major developments can reshape relationships across the nation’s power centers. A successful candidate must have exceptional managerial skills and a demonstrated ability to look around corners to identify where story lines – and the news environment – are headed.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent years of relevant working experience
At least 15 years of professional journalism experience
Substantial experience directing coverage and supervising journalists
Experience assigning, editing, or producing content across multiple platforms (e.g., TV, digital, social, audio, newsletters)
Proven track record of enterprise journalism, breaking news, or political analysis that drives audience engagement Impeccable news judgment and writing skills
Excellent editing skills — an ability to edit everything from a deep-dive enterprise piece to a fast-turn breaking news blog post under tight deadlines
Experience overseeing both powerhouse reporters and growing junior talent
Excellent communication skills — tact, sensitivity, diplomacy, persuasion
Demonstrated self-starter, with the confidence to make decisions quickly in a fast-paced news environment.
Flexibility to work outside standard hours when news breaks

Responsibilities

Lead news coverage of politics — including campaigns, elections and polls — across all platforms of MS NOW
Mentor and manage a team of journalists to break news and advance story lines
Assign and shape stories with sharp angles and grounded in context
Collaborate across coverage teams and platforms to ensure cohesive storytelling that delivers original news and insight for our audiences
Represent the team in editorial meetings for daily coverage and planning for special events.
Develop new ideas to innovate across platforms to reach new audiences
Support other editorial projects and Newsgathering growth initiatives in a start-up environment