Wayne State University is searching for an experienced
Manager,
News and Current Affairs at its Detroit campus location.
Wayne State is a premier, public, urban research university located
in the heart of Detroit, Michigan where students from all
backgrounds are offered a rich, high-quality education. Our
deep-rooted commitment to excellence, collaboration, integrity,
diversity and inclusion creates exceptional educational
opportunities which prepare students for success in a global
society.
Essential functions (job duties):
Job Purpose
The Manager of News and Current Affairs is responsible for the
editorial leadership, strategic direction and daily operations of
WDET's News and Current Affairs department.
Reporting to the Program Director, this position leads an
integrated newsroom that produces journalism and conversations
across broadcast, digital, podcasts, video, photography and social
platforms. The Manager oversees WDET's flagship daily current
affairs program, coaches reporters, editors and interns, develops
editorial strategy, and builds the systems and culture necessary to
deliver impactful public service journalism.
The successful candidate understands that local journalism today is
measured not simply by the stories we produce, but by the value
those stories create for our communities. They recognize that
audiences consume journalism across many platforms and are
committed to meeting people where they are while upholding the
highest standards of editorial excellence.
This leader is a coach, collaborator and change agent who combines
exceptional news judgment with strong organizational leadership,
data-informed decision making and a commitment to continuous
improvement.
Essential Functions
(Essential functions are the primary duties/major job
responsibilities that an employee must be able to perform, with or
without reasonable accommodation. The essential functions are
listed in order of importance.)
- Lead daily editorial planning and newsroom operations. Set
coverage priorities that reflect WDET ‘s public service
mission.
Provide editorial oversight and leadership for WDET’s daily
current affairs program.
Department administration, reporting, strategy setting.
Reviewing and editing content for accuracy, fairness, clarity
and impact.
Work closely with digital and production teams to ensure news
and current affairs content is developed intentionally for each
platform.
Liaise with NPR, MPRN, and other news and programming partners
as required.
Conceive and develop special coverage for elections, major
events, etc.
Work closely with membership and events teams to develop
fundraising strategies that help cultivate and engage members.
Perform other related duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
Education Bachelor's degree
- Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Communications, Media
Studies, Broadcasting, Digital Media, Political Science, Public
Policy, English, or a related field; or an equivalent combination
of education and relevant professional experience.
Experience Expert (established subject matter expert, 7+
years experience)
- Experience working in a National Public Radio (NPR) member
station or public media organization is strongly preferred.
- Direct experience managing news and current affairs
programming, podcast production, digital journalism, audience
engagement, video storytelling, elections coverage, special
programming, breaking news, and enterprise investigative or
accountability reporting.
- Experience using analytics platforms to evaluate editorial
performance and inform coverage priorities.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
- Deep understanding of journalism ethics and editorial
independence, including familiarity with NPR's editorial standards
and ethics framework.
- Advanced editing and coaching skills across audio, digital and
multimedia journalism.
- Understanding of audience development, analytics and
performance measurement.
- Knowledge of Search Engine Optimization (SEO), digital
publishing workflows and audience engagement strategies.
- Ability to build collaborative relationships across editorial,
digital, production, marketing and membership teams.
- Excellent organizational and project management skills.
- Commitment to continuous improvement and innovation.
- Ability to create clear newsroom systems, expectations and
accountability.
- Demonstrated experience with community-focused and responsive
journalism.
School/College/Division:
H72 - WDET
Primary department:
H8703 - WDET (H8703)
Employment type:
- Regular Employee
- Job type: Full Time
- Job category: Staff/Administrative
Funding/salary information:
- Compensation type: Annual Salary
- Hourly rate:
- Salary minimum:
- Salary hire maximum:
Working conditions:
- Normal office environment. - Some evening and weekends are
required.
Job openings:
- Number of openings: 1
- Reposted position: No
- Reposted reason: None (New Requisition)
- Prior posting/requisition number:
Background check requirements:
University policy requires certain persons who are offered
employment to undergo a background check, including a criminal
history check, before starting work. If you are offered employment,
the university will inform you if a background check is
required.
