VP News Director

Fox•Southfield, MI

76d•Onsite

About The Position

FOX 2 Detroit is seeking a visionary, competitive Vice President, News Director to lead our newsroom in the vibrant Detroit market. We need an innovative storyteller and dynamic people-leader who can reimagine local news, move beyond traditional broadcast formats, and aggressively leverage digital and streaming platforms to elevate our brand. In this position, you will discover, nurture, and develop compelling, consumer-focused content that enlightens and empowers our audience daily. Reporting directly to the SVP/General Manager, you will serve as an empathetic, high-impact leader dedicated to mentoring talent, driving continuous growth, ensuring journalistic integrity, and executing a forward-thinking digital strategy.

Requirements

Proven track record as a strong, compassionate leader with exceptional supervisory, team-building, and motivational capabilities.
Demonstrated ability to navigate sensitive workplace situations with high emotional intelligence, sound judgment, and professionalism.
Passion for talent development—discovering, recruiting, and actively cultivating high-performing journalism and production talent.
Excellent interpersonal, written, and presentation skills with an approachable, open-door management style.
Minimum of 5 years managing a newsroom team, with a track record of launching successful new programs.
Proven leadership experience within a Top 30 TV market.
Demonstrated success transforming traditional news operations into digital-focused, multi-platform operations.
Practical background managing multiple hours of daily live newscasts and broadcasts.
Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Communications, or a related field preferred.
Strong technical acumen across newsroom computer systems (including iNews preferred), broadcast technology, and engineering workflows.
Thorough knowledge of media law, privacy issues, and journalistic ethics.
Hands-on expertise in newsroom system optimization, budgeting, purchasing, and cost control.
Forward-thinking insight into the future of local news, streaming, and digital distribution.

Responsibilities

Oversee all daily newsroom operations in close collaboration with the SVP/General Manager; actively coach, mentor, and empower journalists, producers, and managers to maximize their professional growth.
Constructively resolve workplace challenges, address team concerns with tact and diplomacy, and champion a fair, balanced, and collaborative newsroom environment.
Partner with the Executive Producer of Streaming to execute a modern, digital-first content strategy across broadcast, web, social, and streaming platforms.
Direct the news department’s budget, expenses, technology integration, and long-term strategic planning.
Set and uphold strict standards for journalistic ethics, accuracy, fairness, and libel/privacy compliance.
Build strong relationships with internal department heads, corporate leadership, and key Detroit community leaders.
Negotiate personal service agreements (PSAs) and navigate labor contract administration.