Story Desk Manager

TEGNA Inc. • Knoxville, TN

4d • Onsite

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. WBIR-TV Knoxville, TN the TEGNA-owned affiliate in Knoxville, is looking for a Story Desk Manager to lead the newsroom’s Story Management Desk and oversee daily news coverage across streaming, digital, social and linear platforms. The successful candidate will guide our team of content creators in story development and presentation across all platforms. This person will manage coverage throughout the day, bring experience with the best practices of both assignment desk and digital operations, and coach others to excel at developing local contacts, responding to breaking news and delivering timely updates to our audiences. As part of the newsroom leadership team, the Story Desk Manager will oversee breaking news, developing stories and enterprise reporting, ensuring coverage is continuously updated and presented effectively across streaming, website, mobile app, social media and linear television. The ideal candidate is an experienced journalist with strong news judgment who knows how to lead coverage in a fast-moving newsroom. They can identify stories that are urgent, impactful and newsworthy, respond calmly to breaking news, pivot quickly as priorities change, solve problems creatively and keep a multiplatform newsroom focused and moving forward.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism or communications, or at least 3-5 years of journalism experience in a local newsroom, digital production or related role.
• Superior news judgment and the ability to make fast, sound editorial decisions under pressure.
• Proven success handling breaking news and developing coverage across platforms.
• Experience managing or leading journalists in a fast-paced newsroom.
• Demonstrated knowledge of digital and newsroom operations.
• Strong understanding of digital publishing, streaming and linear news production and how audiences consume news across platforms.
• Experience using audience data and insights to inform coverage decisions.
• Experience helping transform and manage newsgathering systems and workflows.
• Strong organizational skills with a keen eye for detail.
• Demonstrated success as both a team leader and team player.
• Effective communication and problem-solving skills.

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with the local market is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily coverage decisions and reporter assignments, with the goal of owning the biggest and most important stories of the day across platforms.
• Determine the best format and platform for each story and establish clear expectations and timelines for coverage, publishing and updates.
• Ensure breaking and developing stories are published quickly and updated continuously across digital platforms as new information becomes available.
• Identify opportunities for live and continuous streaming coverage, particularly during breaking news, developing stories and major events.
• Ensure stories are presented effectively for each platform, including strong headlines, video, images, live content and other elements that improve the audience experience.
• Look ahead and plan coverage for upcoming events and news cycles.
• Lead regular story check-ins throughout the day and adjust coverage as stories develop.
• Use audience insights, analytics and social listening to inform coverage decisions, identify opportunities and improve audience reach.
• Ensure competitive, engaging and impactful content across streaming, website, mobile app, social media and linear television.
• Provide editorial guidance to ensure content is accurate, fair and meets journalistic standards across platforms.
• Uphold TEGNA’s journalistic standards across all platforms.

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 with company match
• Nine free virtual doctor’s appointments with a physician through Teladoc
• 12 free annual therapy sessions with a licensed clinician through Spring Health
• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) benefit
• Nine paid holidays per year

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level