News Director

TEGNA Inc.•Des Moines, IA

About The Position

TEGNA Inc. helps people thrive in their local communities by providing the trusted local news and services that matter most. With 64 television stations in 51 U.S. markets, TEGNA reaches more than 100 million people monthly across the web, mobile apps, streaming, and linear television. Together, we are building a sustainable future for local news. WOI KCWI-TV, the TEGNA-owned ABC affiliate in Des Moines, Iowa, is recruiting a passionate, strategic news leader to oversee all aspects of our multi-platform content operation. This leader will champion WOI KCWI-TV’s high standards for engaging storytelling, investigative excellence and content that is relevant, compelling and impactful across every platform. The ideal candidate brings a strong streaming mindset, creating and optimizing content for broadcast, digital and streaming audiences, and leads with sharp editorial judgment and a commitment to winning breaking news, leading weather coverage and driving strong enterprise reporting that serves our community. The ideal candidate brings an interest and track record of developing talent, tracking metrics to make data-driven editorial decisions, leading staff growth and recruiting high-potential team members, all while fostering a collaborative and accountable newsroom culture. Des Moines is a dynamic and competitive market serving audiences across Central Iowa, with a strong appetite for impactful local journalism, severe weather coverage and community-driven storytelling. As Iowa’s capital city, Des Moines is at the center of major stories shaping the state, from politics and government to agriculture, business and a growing regional economy. The News Director will work creatively and collaboratively with WOI KCWI-TV’s newsroom and station leadership to ensure content is relevant to the needs of our audience by owning the day’s big story, delivering consistency in presentation and providing context and exclusive reporting that sets us apart. This leader will uphold TEGNA’s values in every decision: demand the truth, work smarter, do the right thing and win. These values guide how we serve our audiences, support our teams and deliver essential journalism every day. This is an opportunity to lead a newsroom in Iowa’s capital city and help shape coverage in a market where local journalism plays a vital role in connecting, informing and serving communities across Central Iowa.

Requirements

College degree in journalism, communications or related field
Minimum of 5–7 years of news experience preferred, including newsroom leadership and supervision
Demonstrated ability to oversee and produce engaging, urgent and high-value content-driven newscasts
Strong writing skills are required; experience with special programming is a plus
Solid social media skills and a strong understanding of audience engagement across platforms
Experience with shooting, editing and content management systems
Strong understanding of the tenets of professional journalism
Organizational skills and the ability to lead effectively in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment

Responsibilities

Lead all daypart teams to create unique, impactful newscasts that showcase WOI KCWI-TV’s high-quality content across broadcast, digital and streaming platforms
Coach and develop producers to execute newscasts in an engaging, authentic and audience-focused manner, including storytelling, showcasing and presentation
Coach reporters and anchors to perform in a compelling and conversational way that connects with viewers
Lead recruitment efforts across the newsroom, with a focus on building a team that reflects the community we serve
Serve as a key voice in the WOI KCWI-TV editorial process, helping shape daily and long-term coverage priorities
Use research, audience insights and analytics to guide editorial decisions and content strategy
Collaborate with news leaders to ensure alignment across platforms and maximize audience reach
Oversee planning and execution of special projects and community-focused initiatives
Lead coverage of major breaking news and severe weather events with urgency, accuracy and impact
Perform other tasks as required by the Vice President of Content for the region

Benefits

Two medical plan options for full and part-time employees through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas
Access to dental and eye care coverage
Fertility, surrogacy and adoption assistance
Disability and life insurance
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
Nine free virtual doctor’s appointments with a physician through Teladoc for all employees and their eligible family members
12 free annual therapy sessions with a licensed clinician through Spring Health for all employees and their eligible family members
Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) benefit
Nine paid holidays per year