Sr. Manager, Community Connections - KKCO

Media Networks, Inc.; Grand Junction (CO); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

KKCO in Grand Junction, Colorado seeks a Sr. Manager, Community Connections to serve as the station's primary connector to the local community, 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.

Qualifications

• 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.

Responsibilities

• 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.

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent years of related experience

Job description

At Scripps, we believe strong local journalism starts with strong community connections. As the Sr. Manager, Community Connections at KKCO , you'll serve as the station's primary connector to the Grand Junction community, 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 KKCO remains an essential, responsive, and trusted part of community life.

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.

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.

Application Review:

Applications received by November 3, 2026 will receive priority consideration. Applications received after this date may continue to be reviewed as needed.

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 KKCO, 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:

Grand Junction puts you at the heart of Colorado's Western Slope, where dramatic landscapes, outdoor adventure, and a strong sense of community come together. With access to hiking, biking, rafting, skiing, and the region's