News Director

Nexstar Media Group•Rockford, IL

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The News Director leads and supervises all aspects of news, digital, weather, and sports content across all platforms. This role involves leading, motivating, and developing the News Department, including content creation for broadcast, digital, social media, website, and streaming platforms. The News Director provides strategic direction for daily news coverage, breaking news, investigative reporting, special projects, and major event coverage across all distribution channels. A key focus is driving a digital-first content strategy with a strong emphasis on audience growth, engagement, and streaming, demonstrating a proven track record of successful digital execution and innovation. The position also includes planning and managing departmental staffing, training, coaching, and performance evaluations, making decisions regarding hiring, employee development, promotion, and termination. Daily review and critique of newscasts and digital content are essential to improve quality, storytelling, and overall presentation. The News Director assigns projects, ensures deadlines and strategic objectives are met, and develops and executes strategies to achieve audience growth and ratings goals. Evaluation of operational and technology needs to ensure high-quality content production, and collaboration with station leadership to establish and achieve company goals and initiatives are also key responsibilities. Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and work-related experience.
Fluency in English.
Excellent communication skills, both oral and written.
Minimum five years’ experience in news programming production, with at least two years’ experience in a leadership role.
Experience guiding, directing and motivating subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
Experience establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
Ability to identify the developmental needs of others and to coach, mentor or otherwise help others to improve their knowledge or skills.
Experience preparing and maintaining departmental budgets.
Proficiency with computers, telephones, copiers, scanners, fax machines and other office equipment.
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.

Nice To Haves

Demonstrates a proven track record of successful digital execution and innovation.

Responsibilities

Leads and supervises all aspects of news, digital, weather, and sports content across all platforms.
Leads, motivates, and develops the News Department, including content creation for broadcast, digital, social media, website, and streaming platforms.
Provides strategic direction for daily news coverage, breaking news, investigative reporting, special projects, and major event coverage across all distribution channels.
Drives a digital first content strategy with a strong focus on audience growth, engagement, and streaming.
Plans and manages departmental staffing, training, coaching, and performance evaluations.
Makes decisions regarding hiring, employee development, promotion, and termination.
Reviews and critiques newscasts and digital content daily to improve quality, storytelling, and overall presentation.
Assigns projects and ensures deadlines and strategic objectives are met.
Develops and executes strategies to achieve audience growth and ratings goals.
Evaluates operational and technology needs to ensure the production of high quality content.
Collaborates with station leadership to establish and achieve company goals and initiatives.