The News Director leads and manages the planning, production, and presentation of news on-air and online, including social media sites, and through the use of new and emerging technologies. The News Director trains, supervises, and evaluates the news department's professional staff, interns, and student workers to ensure adherence to industry best practices. The News Director works in cooperation with the General Manager to establish and monitor editorial policy and ethical, artistic, and technical standards for news programming. The News Director also participates in public events, participates in on-air and in person fundraising events, and generally works with WVIK staff to support the station's mission.

Job Duties:

• As News Director, this person directs and coordinates all activities of the WVIK Newsroom by providing editorial oversight, assigning or approving stories, writing news copy, coordinating special coverage, monitoring news developments on a continual basis, and adhering to the highest journalistic and ethical standards. They also manage news department staff, including full and part-time employees, independent contractors, reporters, hosts, and students.
• Leads regular news staff meetings to generate plans for short and long form coverage. They will plan daily and long-range news coverage on all platforms.
• Originates and approves news story ideas and projects, and communicates these ideas and projects across the organization. Creates and maintains plans for coverage crises and breaking news, working with other station departments as needed.
• Recruits and manages news interns in coordination with General Manager and Augustana College.
• Works with the General Manager to create news department budget; manages newsroom budget throughout the year. Runs the newsroom in a professional, collegial manner. Actively seeks opportunities to collaborate with all departments, including Development, Community Engagement, and Music Director, on multi-station and multi-platform stories and initiatives.
• Gathers, reports, generates, and contributes to news and public affairs content. Works with General Manager and other relevant staff to solicit community input on news coverage priorities. Represents the WVIK Newsroom as required at board meetings and station-sponsored events outside of station. This may include candidate forums and tables at fairs and festivals.
• Works with students, interns, and entry-level employees to develop technical skills and maintain journalistic integrity.
• Regularly participates in on-air fundraising and assists with grant writing/reporting as needed.
• This person will need to host either Morning Edition or All Things Considered on a regular or occasional basis. As such, they should be capable of preparing materials for multiple hourly breaks that include local news, station information and promos, weather, community calendar items, and corporate sponsors.