Company Profile

Company Description:

Digital Director
The Detroit News is seeking an innovative digital director to help shape our content, build our growing audience and engage our loyal community. The ideal candidate has outstanding knowledge of digital production and social media, including newsletters and push alerts, and strong news judgment.
This position manages a team of nine: digital managers, web producers and breaking news reporters who help ensure that the content produced by our nearly 100-person newsroom gets maximum exposure, is presented crisply and cleanly and that breaking news is timely and relevant.
The person in this job will work remotely at the outset, but must relocate to the region by early 2022.
With 4.4 million people, Detroit is the Midwest's second largest market and the 14th largest in the nation. It is home to three of the world's largest automakers, major pro and college sports teams and world-class cultural institutions. It's also the gateway to Michigan's natural wonders, including the magnificent Great Lakes.
Interested applicants should contact Gary Miles, Editor and Publisher, at gmiles@detroitnews.com, for an employment application. Please include “Digital Director” in the subject line.
 
Responsibilities

• Plan distribution of content in all available channels, including newsletters, email alerts, mobile push alerts and section fronts for maximum exposure and satisfaction
• Oversee the Breaking News Desk, which speeds content to the web, aggregates relevant content from other sites and identifies and creates trending stories of interest
• Study social media, other publications and institutions to find trending stories and topics to aggregate
• Oversee the work of the social media manager and work closely with them to promote our best content at the best times
• Work with content departments to help frame enterprise stories from initial idea stage to maximize digital exposure and satisfaction and build our subscriber base
• Ensure that newsroom colleagues are trained in best practices, including production, SEO and social media, keeping team abreast of changes and trends
• Audit content to ensure stories consistently meet digital production standards.
• Develop and execute a plan for deploying effective and informative editorial newsletters across the publication
• Write and/or edit news stories as needed.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience at digital site or newsroom, preferably with a news orientation
• College degree or equivalent experience
• Demonstrated passion for using social media to engage audiences and expand reach, especially on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
• Strong knowledge of Search Engine Optimization
• Deep understanding and focus on web analytics using tools like Parse.ly, Chartbeat and Google Analytics
• Self-starter who is eager to learn and develop new skills
• Strong news judgment
• Knowledge of digital storytelling tools, such as timelines, maps, crowdsourcing, etc.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks, including editing, reporting or rewriting as needed
• Ability to collaborate effectively with reporters, editors, photographers and videographers in other departments
• Ability to meet deadlines, work accurately and handle breaking news
• Utilizes a diplomatic temperament and fosters a cooperative work environment
• Excellent editing, copy editing, grammar and AP Style fluency, including headline writing
• Knowledge of HTML and CSS

MediaNews Group, Inc. provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.