Editor and Senior Vice President Job at Star Tribune in Minneapolis

Description

The Minnesota Star Tribune is an innovative modern media organization building on an extraordinary 157-year legacy. With seven Pulitzer Prizes and numerous other accolades, we stand as a beacon of journalistic excellence in Minnesota. We are the heart and voice of the North.

Our mission is to build a better Minnesota by connecting us with the people, ideas, and stories that strengthen our communities. We're seeking dynamic leaders who are passionate about journalism and democracy to help shape this future. If you are excited about reinventing one of our state's most trusted institutions and leading us into a new era of growth and excellence, we want to hear from you.

The Opportunity:

The Minnesota Star Tribune is looking for a dynamic and visionary editor to lead our newsroom. We're fresh from rebooting the Midwest's largest news organization, with a new leadership team, a new vision, a new technology platform, a new name, and an owner and team who are invested in the transformation and growth of a 157-year old institution for Minnesota.

The Job:

The Minnesota Star Tribune is searching for our new Editor and Senior Vice President, to lead our newsroom during a pivotal moment in its history. This role is more than a position-it's an opportunity to reshape the future of local journalism and set a national standard for excellence.

As the newsroom's leader, you will champion innovation, uphold the highest standards of journalistic ethics, and guide a talented team through an exciting transformation. You'll combine a respect for tradition with a hunger for experimentation, ensuring our coverage is both relevant and groundbreaking.

You will report directly to the Publisher and collaborate across disciplines to create an integrated newsroom that thrives in a digital-first world. A high energy operator, you'll bring a will to win at a time when journalism has never been more important for our country.

Responsibilities:

1. Visionary Leadership:
   • Develop and execute a forward-thinking editorial strategy, integrating digital-first storytelling with traditional journalistic values.
   • Act as a newsroom advocate and a public-facing leader, commanding respect from seasoned journalists and engaging with community stakeholders.
   • Demonstrate an ability to identify gaps in our capabilities and talent and develop relationships and pipelines for attracting and bringing new talent.
2. Transformational Change:
   • Lead the newsroom through a time of significant change, championing innovation in reporting, storytelling formats, and audience engagement.
   • Foster a newsroom culture that values experimentation, agility, and adaptability.
   • Bring a willingness to try new things quickly and rapidly iterate.
3. Editorial Excellence:
   • Oversee all editorial operations, including coverage and platform strategies, standards and guidelines and budgeting and staffing priorities.
   • Uphold the highest standards of accuracy, fairness, ethics transparency in all content.
4. Audience-Centric Approach:
   • Use data and analytics to inform content strategies, drive audience growth, and improve conversion metrics.
   • Champion new storytelling formats and delivery mechanisms to meet evolving audience preferences.
   • Partner deeply with the Product and Consumer Growth organizations to align priorities strategically without compromising our core ethics as a news organization.
5. Collaboration and Integration:
   • Work closely with product, technology, marketing, and growth teams to innovate across platforms.
   • Partner on strategies that drive subscription growth and deepen audience relationships.
6. Mentorship and Team Development:
   • Inspire, mentor, and empower a diverse team of newsroom leaders, editors, and reporters.
   • Cultivate a culture of inclusivity, creativity, and accountability.

Qualifications:

Below are some of the qualifications that will lead to strong candidates. We know not every candidate checks every box and are eager to engage candidates who bring a fresh lens to this leadership opportunity.

1. Experience:
   • Significant experience as a leader in a modern, digital news environment.
   • Proven track record of managing multidisciplinary teams and leading through transformation.
2. Editorial Vision:
   • Deep understanding of journalistic ethics and a commitment to accuracy, fairness, and transparency.
   • Ability to craft a clear and compelling vision for the future of local journalism and execute it effectively.
3. Data-Driven Mindset:
   • Comfort with using metrics to guide editorial decisions and optimize performance.
   • Experience integrating analytics tools and insights into newsroom workflows.
4. Innovation and Agility:
   • A flexible, experimental approach to new ways of producing and delivering journalism.
   • Openness to challenging traditional models and trying bold new approaches.
5. Leadership and Collaboration:
   • Strong communication skills, with the ability to inspire and unify a strong newsroom team.
   • Adept at cross-functional collaboration and working at the intersection of editorial, technology, and audience strategy.
6. Preferred Background:
   • Experience in digital journalism is highly valued; print journalism experience is helpful but not required.
   • Familiarity with investigative reporting, audience programming, and multimedia storytelling.

More about The Minnesota Star Tribune

At The Minnesota Star Tribune, we recognize that our employees are our greatest asset, and we are committed to their happiness, growth, and well-being. Here's a snapshot of the exceptional benefits we offer:

• Modern Downtown Office: Enjoy a state-of-the-art workspace with a free fitness center, collaborative center, golf simulator, and a rooftop patio.
• Comprehensive Benefits: Includes commuting subsidy, medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Wellness & Work-Life Balance: Participate in our wellness program with financial incentives, generous paid time off, flexible holidays, one volunteer day, and two wellness days.
• Financial & Family Support: Benefit from a 401(k) with company match, paid parental and caregiving leave, hybrid work arrangements, and tuition reimbursement.
• Additional Perks: Access to an employee assistance program, pet insurance, flexible spending accounts, and health savings accounts.

Honored in 2023 with Diversity MBA's inaugural Top 25 Outstanding Leadership and Diversity Impact Awards, we are proud of our commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Even if you don't meet every single requirement for this role, we encourage you to apply. At The Minnesota Star Tribune, we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace and welcome applicants from all backgrounds.