News Director: Multi-Platform Leader & Investigative Champion

TEGNA, Inc.; Des Moines (IA); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical plans

Dental & Vision

Fertility & Adoption assistance

Disability & Life Insurance

401(k) with company match

Teladoc and Spring Health

Paid Time Off

nine paid holidays

Job summary

WOI KCWI-TV, the TEGNA-owned ABC affiliate in Des Moines, Iowa, seeks a dynamic News Director. You will lead all daypart teams, guide editorial priorities, and elevate storytelling across broadcast, digital and streaming platforms.

A strong streaming mindset and data-driven approach will shape enterprise reporting and weather coverage for Central Iowa. The successful candidate will mentor staff, drive audience growth, and coordinate with station leadership to ensure timely, relevant journalism

Qualifications

• College degree in journalism, communications or related field.
• Minimum of 5–7 years of news experience preferred, including newsroom leadership and supervision.
• Demonstrated ability to oversee and produce engaging, urgent and high-value content-driven newscasts.
• Strong writing skills are required; experience with special programming is a plus.
• Solid social media skills and a strong understanding of audience engagement across platforms.
• Experience with shooting, editing and content management systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead all daypart teams to create unique, impactful newscasts across broadcast, digital and streaming platforms.
• Coach and develop producers to execute newscasts in an engaging, authentic and audience-focused manner.
• Coach reporters and anchors to perform in a compelling and conversational way that connects with viewers.
• Lead recruitment efforts across the newsroom, with a focus on building a team that reflects the community we serve.
• Serve as a key voice in the WOI KCWI-TV editorial process, helping shape daily and long-term coverage priorities.
• Use research, audience insights and analytics to guide editorial decisions and content strategy.
• Collaborate with news leaders to ensure alignment across platforms and maximize audience reach.
• Oversee planning and execution of special projects and community-focused initiatives.
• Lead coverage of major breaking news and severe weather events with urgency, accuracy and impact.
• Perform other tasks as required by the Vice President of Content for the region

Skills

News leadership

Editorial judgment

Storytelling

Audience engagement

Multi-platform content

Staff development

Education

College degree in journalism

Tools

CMS

Video editing software

Job description

TEGNA Inc. helps people thrive in their local communities by providing the trusted local news and services that matter most. With 64 television stations in 51 U.S. markets, TEGNA reaches more than100 million people monthly across the web, mobile apps, streaming, and linear television. Together, we are building a sustainable future for local news.

WOI KCWI-TV, the TEGNA-owned ABC affiliate in Des Moines, Iowa, is recruiting a passionate, strategic news leader to oversee all aspects of our multi-platform content operation. This leader will champion WOI KCWI-TV’s high standards for engaging storytelling, investigative excellence and content that is relevant, compelling and impactful across every platform. The ideal candidate brings a strong streaming mindset, creating and optimizing content for broadcast, digital and streaming audiences, and leads with sharp editorial judgment and a commitment to winning breaking news, leading weather coverage and driving strong enterprise reporting that serves our community.

The ideal candidate brings an interest and track record of developing talent, tracking metrics to make data-driven editorial decisions, leading staff growth and recruiting high-potential team members, all while fostering a collaborative and accountable newsroom culture.

Des Moines is a dynamic and competitive market serving audiences across Central Iowa, with a strong appetite for impactful local journalism, severe weather coverage and community-driven storytelling. As Iowa’s capital city, Des Moines is at the center of major stories shaping the state, from politics and government to agriculture, business and a growing regional economy. The News Director will work creatively and collaboratively with WOI KCWI-TV’s newsroom and station leadership to ensure content is relevant to the needs of our audience by owning the day’s big story, delivering consistency in presentation and providing context and exclusive reporting that sets us apart.

This leader will uphold TEGNA’s values in every decision: demand the truth, work smarter, do the right thing and win. These values guide how we serve our audiences, support our teams and deliver essential journalism every day.

This is an opportunity to lead a newsroom in Iowa’s capital city and help shape coverage in a market where local journalism plays a vital role in connecting, informing and serving communities across Central Iowa.

Responsibilities:

Lead all daypart teams to create unique, impactful newscasts that showcase WOI KCWI-TV’s high-quality content across broadcast, digital and streaming platforms

Coach and develop producers to execute newscasts in an engaging, authentic and audience-focused manner, including storytelling, showcasing and presentation

Coach reporters and anchors to perform in a compelling and conversational way that connects with viewers

Lead recruitment efforts across the newsroom, with a focus on building a team that reflects the community we serve

Serve as a key voice in the WOI KCWI-TV editorial process, helping shape daily and long-term coverage priorities

Use research, audience insights and analytics to guide editorial decisions and content strategy

Collaborate with news leaders to ensure alignment across platforms and maximize audience reach

Oversee planning and execution of special projects and community-focused initiatives

Lead coverage of major breaking news and severe weather events with urgency, accuracy and impact

Perform other tasks as required by the Vice President of Content for the region

Requirements:

College degree in journalism, communications or related field

Minimum of 5–7 years of news experience preferred, including newsroom leadership and supervision

Demonstrated ability to oversee and produce engaging, urgent and high-value content-driven newscasts

Strong writing skills are required; experience with special programming is a plus

Solid social media skills and a strong understanding of audience engagement across platforms

Experience with shooting, editing and content management systems

Strong understanding of the tenets of professional journalism

Organizational skills and the ability to lead effectively in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment

TEGNA offers comprehensive benefits designed to safeguard the physical, mental and financial health of our employees and their families. TEGNA offers two medical plan options for full and part-time employees through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, as well as access to dental and eye care coverage; fertility, surrogacy and adoption assistance; disability and life insurance.

Our 401(k) program offers full, part-time and temporary employees the opportunity to contribute 1% - 80% of their pay on a pre-tax basis to TEGNA’s 401(k). Contributions made up to the first 4% of pay are eligible for a 100% match from the company and are 100% vested from day one.

Regardless of participation in TEGNA medical plans, ALL employees and their eligible family members receive nine free virtual doctor’s appointments with a physician through Teladoc, and 12 free annual therapy sessions with a licensed clinician through Spring Health.

TEGNA offers a generous Paid Time Off (PTO) benefit as well as nine paid holidays per year.

* Some jobs are covered by a collective bargaining agreement and thus some or all of the benefits described herein may not apply. For example, some newsroom bargaining unit employees receive health and retirement benefits under plans administered by the union.

EEO statement:

TEGNA Inc. is a proud equal opportunity employer. We areproud to be an equal opportunity employer, hiring and developing individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences to add to our collaborative culture. We value and consider applications from all qualified candidates without regard to actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, disability, medical condition, enrollment in college or vocational school, political affiliation, military or veteran status, citizenship status, genetic information, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law. TEGNA will reasonably accommodate qualified individuals with disabilitiesin accordance with applicable law. If you are in need of an accommodation in order to submit your application, please email [e-mail]

Recruiting Fraud Alert:

To all candidates: your personal information and online safety are important to us. Only TEGNA Recruiters or Hiring Managers will reach out to you regarding consideration of your application or background. Communications with TEGNA employees will either come from a TEGNA email address with a domain of tegna.com or one of our affiliate station domains.

Recruiters or Hiring Managers will never request payments, ask for financial account information or sensitive information such as social security numbers.

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