Associate Manager, Innovation & Strategic Initiatives

Boston Globe Media; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 75,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Boston Globe Media Partners is seeking an Associate Manager, Innovation & Strategic Initiatives to transform ideas into viable programs and business opportunities across The Boston Globe, Boston.com, Boston magazine, STAT, and InstaTrac.

You will lead employee innovation programs, coordinate strategic initiatives, and help staff apply AI tools, working with journalists and colleagues across departments. The role reports to the VP of Innovation & Strategic Initiatives in Boston.

Qualifications

• At least 5 years of experience leading projects or programs with multiple stakeholders.
• Track record of delivering work from plans to completion.
• Strong writing, research, and analytical skills.
• Ability to navigate a large organization and build relationships.
• Comfort with AI tools and collaboration platforms; no coding required.
• Interest in journalism and digital media.

Responsibilities

• Own project plans and cross-functional coordination for strategic initiatives.
• Set milestones, assign owners, surface risks, and report to leadership.
• Support new projects from exploration to pilot or launch.
• Assess outcomes and recommend changes based on metrics.
• Lead Innovation Week, Hack Day, and Idea Pitch programs.
• Coordinate speakers, judges, and internal partners.
• Document outcomes and next steps; translate needs to technical partners.
• Prototype lightweight AI workflows and test with colleagues.
• Summarize results and drive follow-up actions.

Skills

Project leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

AI tools familiarity

Stakeholder management

Written communication

Analytical thinking

Relationship building

Adaptability

Tools

Google Workspace

Monday.com

Slack

Job description

Boston Globe Media Partners is hiring an Associate Manager, Innovation & Strategic Initiatives to help turn ideas into well-run programs and practical business opportunities that create and capture value across our portfolio, which includes The Boston Globe, Boston.com, Boston magazine, STAT, and InstaTrac.

You will lead employee innovation programs, coordinate selected strategic initiatives and help staff put approved AI tools to practical use, working with journalists in our newsrooms, plus colleagues in Sales, Marketing, Product and other departments. You will also supervise the team’s co-op students and report to the VP of Innovation & Strategic Initiatives.

The person who succeeds here is a confident, detail-oriented doer: someone who takes ownership, follows up without being prompted and spots problems early enough to solve them. They can execute the hands-on work and step back to recommend a better approach. Media and journalism experience is not required, but it’s definitely a plus.

Responsibilities:

Project manage strategic initiatives

• Own project plans and day-to-day coordination for cross-functional initiatives such as Fastest-Growing Companies and Tech Power Players, working with Editorial, Sales, Marketing, Events and external partners.
• Set milestones, clarify owners and decisions, surface risks early, and keep stakeholders and leadership informed through concise updates.
• Support new projects from exploration through pilot or launch, including partner coordination, process design and practical execution.
• Assess results after launch and recommend changes based on participation, audience response, revenue potential, operating effort or other relevant measures.

Research opportunities and strengthen team operations

• Research media, audience, product and business trends; synthesize what you learn into clear options and recommendations for the team.
• Run the team’s weekly standup and project board using Monday.com, prepare strategy meeting agendas and coordinate the weekly leadership update.
• Supervise and develop a co-op student, setting priorities, reviewing their work and helping them contribute to team projects.
• Help administer team platforms and vendor relationships, coordinating access, renewals and handoffs with Finance or IT as appropriate.

Lead innovation programs

• Plan and deliver Innovation Week, Hack Day & Idea Pitch, and other employee innovation programs, from program design, company communications and submissions through judging, event execution and follow-up.
• Coordinate speakers, judges, presenters and internal partners; build timelines, run-of-show plans and communications that make participation easy.
• Document outcomes and next steps for promising ideas, and improve the format and follow-through of future programs.
• Manage the AI idea intake and project tracker, helping the VP of Innovation and Strategic Initiatives keep priorities, owners, decisions and next steps clear.
• Prototype lightweight workflows using approved AI and collaboration tools; test them with colleagues, troubleshoot common issues and refine them based on feedback. Translate more complex needs into clear requirements for technical partners.
• Summarize what worked, what needs to change and what should happen next; coordinate with technical colleagues when a project requires development or integration.

Qualifications:

• At least 5 years of experience leading projects or programs with multiple stakeholders; equivalent experience in media, product, strategy or operations is welcome.
• A record of delivering work yourself: building plans, tracking the details, following up on commitments and bringing projects to completion.
• Strong writing, research and analytical skills, plus the initiative to spot gaps or risks that others have missed and propose practical solutions.
• Confidence working across a large organization: you build relationships, ask for decisions, follow up respectfully when people are busy and raise concerns promptly.
• Comfortable using and learning new AI tools and other platforms for brainstorming, planning and other solutions (no coding required), and the ability to explain, test and improve them with users.
• Fluency with collaborative tools such as Google Workspace (Docs, Slides, Sheets, Forms), project management platforms (Monday.com, for example) and communication tools such as Slack. Examples of work you have built are more valuable than expertise with any one platform.
• Interest in journalism, digital media and the changing ways audiences engage with news. Experience in media or innovation is a plus.
• Experience on communications or project management a plus.
• A willingness to adapt and be audience focused, with a curious mindset and a commitment to creating an inclusive work environment

The Boston Globe Media office is located in downtown Boston, near Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market, and is easily accessible by MBTA and commuter rail lines. This position is based in Boston, and candidates should be based in the area or willing to move.

The annual salary for this role is $75,000 - $85,000.

This range reflects the band for this role. We are committed to fair and market-informed compensation. It is anticipated that most qualified candidates could be hired within the midpoint of the range. Compensation for the successful candidate will be informed by their particular combination of skills, experience, and qualifications.

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

EEO Statement:

At Boston Globe Media, our mission is to empower, connect, and convene our communities with independent, trusted journalism and storytelling. We know a critical part of achieving this is by having a workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. Boston Globe Media is an equal opportunity employer that welcomes candidates and colleagues of all backgrounds, experiences, perspectives, and skills.

Equal Opportunity Employer

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.