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“One of the best local news sites in the country.” - Politico
Newsroom Positions | Chief Operating Officer
Want to be part of the future of local journalism? Want to make an impact with your work every week and be part of a thriving - and growing - newsroom? The Daily Memphian offers you a unique opportunity to become part of one of the country’s leading local news sites in one of the country’s most dynamic and diverse cities.
The Daily Memphian is one of the largest non-profit local newsrooms in America, with 40 full-time journalists and 20 regular contributors. We are a locally led, locally owned, fully independent online news site founded in 2018 and focused on all aspects of the Memphis area, from local government and sports to food, arts & culture, business, education, neighborhoods and much more. Our full-time staff is more than 50% female and 25% people of color.
Read more about The Daily Memphian here:
- “One of the best local news sites in the country.” – Politico
- ”Driving a shift in the digital media business.” – The New York Times
- “In Memphis, a lab experiment for local news.” – The Atlantic
- “Ghost papers and news deserts: Will America ever get its local news back?” – The Washington Post
- “The Daily Memphian’s model demands attention.” – NiemanLab at Harvard
- “Digital startups with strong financial backing are hitting key targets” – The Poynter Institute
- “Reviving Local Media: The innovations helping publishers thrive in the age of digital” – Forbes
- “Startups are pushing back against the rise of ‘news deserts’ and the pitfalls facing local journalism” – CNN: Reliable Sources Podcast
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Newsroom Positions
- Enterprise editor: The Daily Memphian is looking for a veteran enterprise editor or an experienced enterprise reporter ready to move to the next level to join our team. This person will work especially closely with our metro reporters but will also work on enterprise and investigative projects organization-wide. Those candidates interested in applying should have sharp news judgment, great editing skills and be able to guide coverage from story ideation to story completion in a timely manner across a number of subject areas.
Once hired, the editor will need to live in Memphis and adhere to The Daily Memphian’s in-person and remote work policies.
To apply, email your portfolio and materials to Editorial Director Mary Cashiola at mcashiola@dailymemphian.com. - Deputy metro editor: The Daily Memphian is looking for an experienced reporter or up-and-coming editor to work with our metro team and editor to create hard-hitting daily stories as well as deeper dives into the issues of the day. Those candidates interested in applying should have several years of journalism experience, excellent news judgment and a good handle on story structure and AP style.
Once hired, the deputy metro editor will need to live in Memphis and adhere to The Daily Memphian’s in-person and remote work policies.
To apply, email your portfolio and materials to Editorial Director Mary Cashiola at mcashiola@dailymemphian.com. - Food and restaurant writer: The Daily Memphian is looking for a reporter with a passion for food, cooking and the local restaurant industry. The perfect candidate would be knowledgeable about cooking techniques, flavors and the latest food trends, would have excellent writing skills and know how to work a beat but also be comfortable doing longer features on the restaurant industry and the people who work within it.
The food and restaurant writer will need to live and work in the Memphis area; nights and weekend events will likely also make up a part of the beat. They will also need to adhere to all The Daily Memphian’s work policies, including in-person and remote work.
To apply, email your portfolio and materials to Editorial Director Mary Cashiola at mcashiola@dailymemphian.com.
Executive Editor
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead and oversee operations of our digital newsroom that employs some of Memphis’ most experienced professional journalists and columnists, as well as a talented cadre of recent college graduates. Balance hands-on, day-to-day (and hour-to-hour) involvement in the newsroom with broader efforts to coach and motivate, all while providing long-term, strategic leadership of the newsroom’s growth and direction.
- Deliver on the editorial mission of The Daily Memphian, which is focused on critical breaking news, regular and authoritative coverage of our beats, and incisive enterprise and investigative journalism, all of which together creates a publication that seeks to deliver in-depth, thoughtful, and engaging exploration of local policy developments, trends, issues, and activities that are important to the community. This also includes the effective use of technologies such as data visualizations, graphics, databases, podcasts, and effective but limited use of video.
- Lead the newsroom as it works in tandem with the audience development team to bring digital media expertise and an understanding of analytics to shape the way the newsroom operates and how news is delivered via web, mobile, email and social platforms. This includes empowering the newsroom to use analytics, reader behaviors and technology to enhance our stories through optimized use of our paywall, registration wall, emails and email newsletters, and our social media presence.
- Bring innovative, creative ideas to our work as part of continuing to expand and define our still evolving journalistic focus, editorial voice and overall brand.
- Continue to identify opportunities to reach and engage historically underserved audiences and neighborhoods by ensuring that all of our content reflects the diversity and breadth of our community.
- Play a key, leading role in daily news meetings. Provide feedback to and maintain regular communication with reporters covering all beats.
- Recruit and develop talent at all levels of the newsroom, as well as foster a positive environment that establishes The Daily Memphian as a workplace of choice for talented journalists, be they veterans or recent college graduates. Ensure that hiring efforts are intentional and effective in pursuing diverse candidates whose perspectives will enhance our newsroom. Help manage a robust internship program with local colleges and universities to identify and train new talent.
- Identify and tap into training and professional development opportunities locally and nationally that enable the staff to enhance existing skills and learn new tools and techniques, be they journalistic, technical or audience-oriented.
- Support the broader revenue goals of the publication without compromising the quality of our journalism.
- In coordination with the CEO, help identify and strengthen outside partnerships that deliver on The Daily Memphian’s content mission, all as a means of expanding our reach, capabilities, and impact.
- In coordination with the CEO and Chief Audience & Revenue Officer, help the newsroom contribute to programs that add value for readers and community stakeholders, such as live and virtual forums, seminars, reader events, and other initiatives.
- Partner with the CEO and Board as appropriate on budgeting, personnel decisions.
- Manage administrative matters relating to the operations of the newsroom.
- Oversee potential legal issues, as required.
- Oversee the Managing Editor, Section Editors (Business, Metro, Suburbs and Sports), the Enterprise & Investigations Editor, the Digital Director and the reporting, production, and photography staff, which forms a newsroom totaling 40 full-time positions plus approximately 20 freelancers.
- Collaborates with The Chief Audience & Revenue Officer, especially as it relates to audience development, subscriptions, email and email newsletters, social media, and the use of analytics throughout the newsroom, as well as appropriate communication about advertising and sponsorship efforts; The Chief Technology Officer, who leads development of our custom-coded CMS, our third-party software integrations, our mobile app, and other technologies.
To apply, email Eric Barnes, CEO and acting Executive Editor, at barnes@dailymemphian.com.
Ideal Experience Profile And Stylist Attributes:
- A demonstrated readiness to deliver on the scope, quality, and leadership mission of the executive editor role.
- A history of managing staff effectively, including cultivating high performers and developing new talent, as well as communicating big picture strategies and immediate decisions to staff and peers, especially in a hybrid (virtual and in- person) newsroom.
- A recognition of the ineffectiveness of siloed newsrooms and, instead, a proven ability to foster collaboration, idea-sharing, fail-fast thinking, and a quick, iterative approach to decision-making.
- Experience in innovative, routine use of digital tools and analytics to amplify the impact of our journalism.
- The ability to execute journalism that seeks community feedback and participation, and that offers solutions to the challenges, problems, and ideas our stories raise.
- Experience with energetically leading and fostering a positive, inclusive, empowered, diverse, and high-performing news culture.
- A commitment to supporting a platform for the expression of thoughtful, divergent opinions in a balanced, non-partisan context.
- Belief in the need for all of the newsroom to cover the full diversity of our community.
- A recognition of the business, civic and cultural issues facing a city such as Memphis.
- The confidence to defend sound editorial decisions to stakeholders, readers and staff.
- Excellent interpersonal, speaking, and communication skills.
- High degree of emotional intelligence and an empathetic leadership style to manage staff in a post-Covid, hybrid environment.
- Prior experience or familiarity with Memphis or the Southeast is not required, but out-of- area candidates must be adaptable, open-minded, and quick to learn a new market.
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Chief Operating Officer
The Daily Memphian – called “one of the best local news sites in the country” by Politico – is seeking a Chief Operating Officer to oversee revenue growth, marketing, advertising and audience development .
With a newsroom of 40 full-time staff, 15-20 editorial contributors and another 15 employees in marketing, sales, tech and finance, The Daily Memphian today has the largest newsroom in the city and one of the largest nonprofit local newsrooms in the nation. We have a broad editorial mission, from local government to business to sports to arts & culture and more, with all of that coverage focused on the Memphis area.
The Daily Memphian has an innovative and successful subscription-first business model that emphasizes high-quality traffic over high-volume traffic. We also have a growing base of locally sold advertising and philanthropic support from local foundations, companies and individuals.
The goal of this new role is to continue to grow subscription ARPU and revenue from advertising, sponsorships, services, events and fundraising. The site’s current revenue mix is 50% subscriptions, 25% fundraising, 20% advertising, and 5% ancillary.
Responsibilities
The position reports to the CEO with a dotted line to the Board. Working closely with the CEO, CTO, Executive Editor, Business Manager and other senior staff members, as well as key members of the Board of Directors, the Chief Operating Officer will execute in the following areas:
Sales, Marketing & Audience Development
- Subscriptions: The COO will lead efforts to continue to build subscriptions, including managing price, discounts, churn, optimal software utilization, subscription tiers, intelligent use of analytics and customer service.
- Audience Development: The COO will work closely with the editorial team to drive quality traffic to The Daily Memphian editorial content, with the primary goal of adding paid subscriptions.
- Ad Sales: The COO will oversee the advertising team, including the ad director and sales reps as they sell direct advertising on the site, in email and on social.
- Fundraising & Philanthropy: The COO will oversee the director of development as they support fundraising in conjunction with the CEO and board of directors.
- Other Revenue: The COO will oversee and create additional revenue streams, such as event sponsorships, event listings, special sections, obituaries, on-site games and more.
- Marketing & Promotion: The COO will lead all marketing including email marketing, social media, events, traditional media and other efforts to drive subscriptions, generate advertising and continue to increase the reach of The Daily Memphian.
Board of Directors
- The COO will work with members of the Board of Directors to leverage their connections and expertise to further the revenue goals of The Daily Memphian.
Partnerships
- The COO will cultivate formal and informal partnerships with civic organizations, other media, colleges and universities, and national organizations that can help to support the mission of The Daily Memphian.
Access
- The COO will work with staff, the board and community partners to continue to expand access to individuals and communities in need of free access to The Daily Memphian’s content, including current programs that provide free access to schools, libraries and nonprofit community organizations.
Editorial
- The COO must fully respect the newsroom’s journalistic independence and editorial integrity. This includes protecting the newsroom from influence from other areas of the company, including balancing the use of analytics to drive traffic, advertising and subscriptions while respecting the value of our high-impact journalism.
IT
- The COO will coordinate with the Chief Technology Officer and CEO in establishing priorities for IT including site development, app development, paywall subscription management, ad management and ad delivery, CRM software, office software and hardware, social media integration, and analytics.
Qualifications
- 5-10 years of experience in a revenue-generating role (advertising or sponsorship sales; fundraising; subscriptions). Experience working in the media industry is preferred.
- Proven track record of hiring, managing and leading staff with a range of skills and experience levels.
- A history of embracing and building a collaborative, creative, positive and challenging work culture.
- A management style that balances the importance of systems and procedures with the flexibility and adaptability necessary in a relatively new organization.
To be considered, please click here to complete the Culture Index survey and submit your resume. Only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.
The Daily Memphian is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination or harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, sexual orientation or gender identity.