Sr. Manager, Community Connections - Central Coast & Southern Central Valley

The E.W. Scripps Company; San Luis Obispo (CA); On-site; USD 105,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Retirement plan with company match

Disability and life insurance

Employee assistance program

Job summary

The E.W. Scripps Company is seeking a Sr. Manager, Community Connections for the Central Coast (KSBY) and Southern Central Valley (KERO).

Located on-site at KSBY in San Luis Obispo, CA, you will bridge communities with our newsroom and leadership to strengthen local engagement and inform journalism. You will lead forums and partnerships, analyze insights, and coordinate cross-functional efforts to drive meaningful community impact across multiple teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• 7+ years in community engagement or related field.
• Valid driver’s license with good driving record.

Responsibilities

• Build trusted relationships with civic, nonprofit, business, government, and educational stakeholders.
• Gather and share community insights with leadership and newsroom teams.
• Identify story opportunities and connect journalists with sources.
• Represent the station and develop long-term partnerships with value and trust.
• Respond to community members with timely, professional communication.

Skills

Relationship-building

Networking

Public speaking

Written communication

Project management

Strategic thinking

Empathy and diplomacy

Independent work

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Microsoft Office

CRM platforms

Collaboration tools

Job description

At Scripps, we believe strong local journalism starts with strong community connections. As the Sr. Manager, Community Connections for the Central Coast (KSBY) and Southern Central Valley (KERO), you’ll serve as the station’s primary connector to the Central Coast community and Southern Central Valley Coast, building trusted relationships that deepen local engagement, inform our journalism, and create meaningful partnerships. You’ll bring community voices and insights into the newsroom while helping ensure questions, concerns, and story ideas are heard and acted on thoughtfully. Working across News, Sales, Marketing, and station leadership, you’ll turn community intelligence into opportunities for greater impact. Your work will help ensure these communities remains an essential, responsive, and trusted part of community life. This position will be located on-site at KSBY in San Luis Obispo, CA.

WHAT YOU'LL DO:

• Build and maintain trusted relationships with civic, nonprofit, business, educational, government, and other community stakeholders to understand emerging issues, priorities, and opportunities.
• Gather, analyze, and share community insights with station leadership, newsroom teams, and partners to help inform decision-making, journalism, and local engagement.
• Partner with News to identify story opportunities, connect journalists with trusted sources, and strengthen audience engagement across community channels.
• Represent the station throughout the community and develop partnerships that create long-term value, trust, and local impact.
• Respond to community members, partners, and stakeholders with timely, professional communication, ensuring audience questions, concerns, and story tips are acknowledged, routed, and resolved appropriately.
• Lead the planning and execution of forums, town halls, public-service initiatives, educational programs, and other community engagement activities.
• Collaborate with News, Sales, Marketing, Operations, and station leadership to develop meaningful opportunities that strengthen audience relationships and community impact.
• Oversee event logistics and stakeholder coordination while measuring effectiveness to ensure engagement activities are inclusive, relevant, and impactful.
• Develop and execute a market-wide community engagement strategy aligned with station and regional priorities, advising leadership on community needs, emerging issues, and opportunities to strengthen trust and local impact.
• Lead and coordinate cross-functional community engagement efforts, sharing best practices, tracking outcomes, and helping build engagement capabilities across teams.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

• Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline or equivalent years of relevant experience preferred.
• Generally, 7+ years of progressively responsible experience in community engagement, journalism, nonprofit leadership, communications, public affairs, partnership development, government relations, or a related field.
• Valid driver's license, good driving record, and ability to provide proof of insurance with the company required insurance limits.

WHAT YOU'LL BRING:

• Exceptional relationship-building and networking skills, with the ability to establish credibility across a wide range of communities and organizations.
• Strong community listening skills and the ability to recognize emerging issues, needs, and opportunities.
• Strategic thinking and sound judgment, with the ability to translate community insights into meaningful action.
• Strong facilitation, public speaking, writing, and presentation skills.
• Ability to influence and collaborate effectively across News, Sales, Marketing, Operations, station leadership, and external community organizations.
• Strong project management and organizational skills with the ability to balance multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Empathy, cultural awareness, diplomacy, discretion, and integrity when working with diverse communities and sensitive topics.
• Ability to work independently, take initiative, and adapt effectively to changing community and business needs.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, CRM or community relationship platforms, and collaboration tools.
• A strong customer-service mindset, conflict-resolution skills, and sound judgment when responding to audience questions, concerns, and sensitive community issues.

OUR TEAM:

We’re a team of journalists, storytellers, relationship builders, and community advocates who care deeply about the people and places we serve. At KSBY, we bring different backgrounds, perspectives, interests, and experiences to our work, united by a shared commitment to meaningful local journalism and stronger communities. You’ll work alongside collaborative colleagues who value curiosity, authenticity, responsiveness, and finding new ways to connect with audiences both inside and outside the newsroom.

WHERE YOU'LL LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY:

San Luis Obispo offers an incredible Central Coast lifestyle, surrounded by rolling hills and within easy reach of California’s coastline. The area blends an active outdoor lifestyle with a welcoming community, local restaurants, wineries, farmers markets, arts, and plenty of opportunities to hike, bike, explore, and enjoy the outdoors.

As Sr. Manager, Community Connections, you’ll have the opportunity to build relationships with the people and organizations that shape San Luis Obispo and communities across the Central Coast. Whether you’re attending a community event, meeting with local leaders, or discovering the stories people are talking about, you’ll be immersed in the communities KSBY serves.

COMPENSATION RANGE:

Annual Salary: $105,000.00 - $115,000.00

Pursuant to state and local salary transparency laws, the salary range posted is specific to candidates who will perform this work in California.

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS:

• A career path to grow your professional experiences
• Full medical, dental and vision benefits, as well as certain other health and wellness benefits
• Retirement savings plan with company match
• Other key company benefits include disability accident insurance, hospital indemnity, critical illness, life insurance, AD&D, ID protection, pet discount program, and employee assistance program. More details about timing and conditions of benefits eligibility and other plan terms and conditions will be provided upon hire.

SCRIPPS’ COMMITMENT TO A CULTURE THAT CREATES CONNECTION:

AtScripps, we are committed to a culture that reflects the audiences and communities we serve.We are intentional about creating anenvironmentwhereemployees, our audiences and other stakeholders feel valued and inspiredto reach their full potential and create connections. To successfully deliver on this commitment, we must understand and reflect the values and perspectives those around us embody. That process begins by looking inward to build and celebrate a respectful workplace where everyone feels a sense of belonging and connection. By continuing to cultivate an environment where all employees have a fair chance to succeed, are included, valued, and seen, we will strengthen the connections that drive positive business impact and align with our core purpose.

ABOUT SCRIPPS:

The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP) is a diversified media company focused on creating connection. As one of the nation’s largest local TV broadcasters, Scripps serves communities with quality, objective local journalism and operates a portfolio of more than 60 stations in 40+ markets. Scripps reaches households across the U.S. with national news outlet Scripps News and popular entertainment brands ION, ION Plus, ION Mystery, Bounce, Grit and Laff. Scripps is the nation’s largest holder of broadcast spectrum. Scripps Sports serves professional and college sports leagues, conferences and teams with local market depth and national broadcast reach of up to 100% of TV households. Founded in 1878, Scripps is the steward of the Scripps National Spelling Bee and its longtime motto is: “Give light and the people will find their own way.”

As an equal employment opportunity employer, The E.W. Scripps Company and its affiliates do not discriminate in its employment decisions on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender, color, religion, age, genetic information, medical condition, disability, marital status, citizenship or national origin, and military membership or veteran status, or on any other basis which would be in violation of any applicable federal, state or local law. Furthermore, the company will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities unless doing so would result in an undue hardship for the company.