San Diego State University Research Foundation is hiring: KPBS Managing Editor i

The salary range for this position is $10,416.67 - $12,500 per month ($125,000 - $150,000 per year) depending upon qualifications and is non-negotiable.

This position is open until filled.

Cover letter is required.
Flexibility to work / attend events that occur on nights and weekends is a must.

KPBS serves the greater San Diego community with informative, cultural, entertaining and educational television, radio, and digital programming. KPBS TV/FM is the public television and radio station for San Diego. Licensed to San Diego State University, KPBS supports and furthers the universitys educational and community service mission by informing, enlightening and empowering its audience. It does so not only by presenting national and locally produced programming of value to its San Diego audience, but also by producing programming about San Diego and its people for distribution nationwide.

Under the supervision of the News Director, the Managing Editor drives implementation of the KPBS editorial vision and strategy, and reinforces our mission as a public media news organization. The person will champion staff development, lead change management and encourage risk taking while helping grow our audiences on every platform.

The ideal candidate is a dynamic, empathetic and inspiring leader who brings fresh ideas and cultivates a commitment to excellence. This individual will be a great listener with substantial management experience to be able to usher in a new era for the KPBS newsroom, which is full of passionate journalists, both seasoned and emerging, with diverse skill sets. This person understands the competitive challenges and opportunities in the journalism industry and embraces the trajectories of digital news products and services, as well as audience trends on traditional broadcast platforms.

This person is eager to help foster an inclusive, equitable and welcoming environment within the organization and understands these elements contribute to greater audience service.

The Managing Editor leads a team of editors who supervise reporters with beats including but not limited to metro, military and veterans affairs, science and technology, democracy, homelessness, cost of living, racial justice and social equity, arts & culture, health, environment and education. The successful managing editor will help guide and focus the stories, approaches and topics that distinguish KPBS from our media competitors and other options our audiences may choose.

The News divisions mission is to provide fair, accurate and contextualized reports about important issues affecting the people of San Diego and Imperial counties. The Managing Editor will help accomplish this mission by reinforcing the timely production of reporter beat memos, refining coverage plans and mission statements, encouraging enterprise reporting and maximizing the potential of all platforms. They will also routinely ask how a particular story or project fits into the KPBS editorial strategy: why us, why now and why not.

The Managing Editor understands industry challenges, realities and opportunities, and responds in an appropriate manner and has the emotional intelligence to develop mutual respect with others who may have greater knowledge, skills and abilities in other platforms.

Perks you'll enjoy as a member of #teamKPBS

• Working on a college campus & in public media: Access to campus facilities and staff perks, farmer's market Tuesday's, tons of eateries, community events, entertainment, etc.
• Hybrid schedule/ remote work flexibility options (varies by job)
• 24 vacation days, 1 personal day & 13 holidays off (4+ days off over winter break)
• Enjoy a 'beautiful day in the neighborhood' with local employee discounts
• Opportunity drawings to attend SDSU basketball games, local concerts and events
• Discounts on local attractions (theme parks, entertainment, restaurants, memberships)
• Free wellness classes & programs
• Monthly pop-up events
• Full benefits packages that are unmatched (medical, dental, vision, life)
• Sick leave accruals and paid leave options
• On-site childcare at a discounted rate (based on availability)
• Opportunities for continued learning and professional development
• Flexible spending account(s)
• Employee assistance program
• Matching and voluntary retirement savings plan

The following information is intended to be representative of the work performed by incumbents in this position and is not all-inclusive. The omission of a specific duty or responsibility will not preclude it from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical extension of position responsibilities. Job descriptions may be changed at any time based on the needs of the department.

The Managing Editor is responsible for but not limited to:

Editorial Leadership & Planning (60%)

• Responsible for filling in for the news director and manage needs and concerns as they arise
• Run the daily news meeting and ensure editors update assignments on the white board
• Develop newsroom coverage plans for short term and long term projects and specials
• Hold editors and reporters accountable for daily audience needs
• Hold editors and reporters accountable for beat memos and brainstorming enterprise stories
• Lead crisis coverage and breaking news and the planning and preparation for continuous coverage
• Identify opportunities for staff development and training and coordinate with the People & Culture team for implementation
• Build relationships and maximize collaborations as a manager in leadership
• Work with student assistants to accurately track reporters work
• Serve as news department liaison with Communications and On Air Fundraising to ensure the news team supports station initiatives
• Pitch KPBS work to network partners including but not limited to the NPR California Hub, NPR, PBS Newshour Marketplace, The World, etc.
• Manage relationships with partners (ie inewsource, the California Hub, NPR, PBS) and engage with projects that would also be appropriate for KPBSs audiences.
• Actively participate in required meetings, attend company wide event and represent KPBS at public gatherings
• Occasionally fill in for other newsroom managers

Strategic and Tactical Implementation (30%)

• Lead development of more original enterprise and KPBS-only stories and projects
• Lead trainings that will reinforce the highest journalism standards and practices
• Manage the feature schedule
• Ensure sufficient spot and feature news stories are being produced.
• Set reporting team long term schedule and plan for special projects, holidays and upcoming events
• Collaborate with News Director to continuously streamline processes and procedures
• Develop system for reviewing story ideas received from the public
• Implement sound fiscal management practices and strategies
• Determine timing for when stories are produced and which formats and platforms to utilize

Other Duties and Responsibilities as Assigned (10%)

• Participate in fundraising and audience engagement events
• Responsible for appropriate record keeping, correspondence, phone calls, supplies and equipment
• Other duties as assigned

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong knowledge of journalistic and ethical standards and practices and the editorial/technical/logistical processes required to assess and elevate multimedia content.
• Demonstrated ability to foster diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace and understands that DEI is an element of offering an accurate report to audiences
• Demonstrated excellence in news judgment and ability to swiftly and accurately lead reporting on all platforms while emphasizing fairness, accuracy, context, transparency, facts and truth.
• Ability to lead, motivate and supervise a team. Requires superior people and mentoring skills, and knowledge of good management practices.
• Strong organizational, project and time management skills.
• Understanding and appreciation of the journalism on all KPBS platforms
• Demonstrated experience producing or supervising content on at least two platforms with the ability to inspire editorial excellence in the others
• Demonstrated ability to lead successful people-centered journalism with accountability of outcomes
• Ability to interact effectively with co-workers and the community
• Ability to understand and follow posted work rules and procedures
• Ability to display motivation and strong interpersonal skills
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing
• Ability to display organization, meet deadlines, display detail orientation, possess good judgment and common sense
• Ability to demonstrate a high level of cross-cultural sensitivity
• Embodies a learners mindset

Minimum Education/Experience

• Bachelor's degree in relevant field or additional experience may be substituted for the required education on a year for year basis
• Six-years of full-time related experience in a newsroom management or supervisory capacity; includes recruiting, hiring, managing, coaching and evaluating professional journalists

Preferred Qualifications and Special Skills

• At least 10 years of full-time professional journalism experience
• Previous experience managing other managers
• Daily broadcast news, broadcast news magazine, public affairs program or podcast experience.
• Formidable project management skills, including successful prioritization of short-and long-term planning.
• Success at conceiving, testing and evaluating innovative journalism to reach new audiences.
• Broad knowledge of current San Diego regional issues.
• Ability to place issues in a national, state or international context.
• Audio and/or video recording and editing experience.
• Experience working in public media.
• Fluency in Spanish.
• Cultural competencies, including an awareness that your own worldview is one of many and is not the standard.

Additional Applicant Information:

• Candidates must reside in California, or be willing to relocate, and live within a commutable distance to the SDSU campus at the time of hire.
• Job offer is contingent upon satisfactory clearance based on Background Check results (including a criminal record check).
• San Diego State University Research Foundation is an EEO/AA/Disability/Vets/Title IX Employer