Story Desk Manager

TEGNA; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical plan

Dental & vision

401(k) match

Paid time off

Paid holidays

Teladoc

Spring Health

Job summary

KHOU, a TEGNA-owned CBS affiliate in Houston, seeks a Story Desk Manager to lead the unified Story Management Desk. You will oversee daily coverage decisions, assign reporters, and shape how stories are presented across platforms, including streaming, online, app, and social media.

You will guide the team through breaking news with urgency, maintain journalistic standards, and train editors and photojournalists to excel in a rapidly changing newsroom.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism or related field; 5+ years in local newsroom or digital production.
• Superior news judgment and ability to make fast editorial decisions under pressure.
• Proven track record managing a journalism team and handling breaking news.
• Experience transforming and managing news gathering systems; strong organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily coverage decisions and reporter assignments across platforms.
• Lead regular story check-ins and editorial planning throughout the day.
• Guide multi-platform content development for streaming, online, app and social media.
• Provide editorial support for MSJs, producers and photojournalists; review scripts and content.
• Lead newsroom coverage during breaking news with urgency, accuracy and balance.
• Uphold journalistic standards and ethics across all platforms.

Skills

Newsroom leadership

Editorial judgment

Breaking news

Team management

Story desk operations

Multiplatform storytelling

Training team members

Communication skills

Market familiarity

Education

Bachelor’s in journalism

Job description

About TEGNA

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.

KHOU, the TEGNA-owned CBS affiliate in Houston, Texas, is transforming the way we gather and present news, and we’re looking for a Story Desk Manager to embrace a leadership role in this transition to the newsroom of the future. The successful candidate will guide our team of content creators in story discovery and presentation across all platforms. The person in this position will help manage the story development process throughout the day, having experience with the best practices of running an assignment desk and training others to excel at developing local contacts and responding to breaking news. They’ll also be part of a leadership team that oversees the station’s coverage of breaking news, developing stories and enterprise reporting for streaming, online, app, social media and linear television platforms, while maintaining a focus on stories that matter to our community. The ideal candidate is an experienced journalist with a knack for building a team of people who work smarter, not harder, and are as adept at seeking information as they are in presenting those stories in modern and creative ways. The aptitude to identify and pursue stories that are urgent, impactful and newsworthy is important. The ability to respond urgently to breaking news, calmly manage chaos, pivot quickly, solve problems creatively, train a motivated team, and guide a multi-platform newsroom’s content are all desirable for this leader.

Role Summary

As the Story Desk Manager, you will lead the Story Management Desk (SMD), a unified desk that replaces the legacy assignment and digital desks. The SMD model ensures a single, streamlined workflow for planning, producing and curating stories across platforms.

• Oversee daily coverage decisions and reporter assignments to be competitive across platforms with the goal to own the big story daily


• Determine the best format for each story, how it should be presented on different platforms and a reasonable timeline for delivery of those elements


• Look ahead and plan coverage or upcoming news cycles


• Lead regular story check-ins throughout the day


• Maximize audience insights to aid in content choices and improve audience reach


• Ensure competitive, engaging and impactful content for all platforms, including digital platforms: website, mobile app and streaming


• Plan coverage of stories that matter most to the community, using editorial judgment and social listening


• With the Story Desk Editors, provide editorial support for MSJs, producers and photojournalists, including reviewing scripts, videos and content for accuracy, grammar, AP style, digital best practices, fairness and ethical considerations


• Lead and communicate newsroom coverage during breaking news, ensuring accuracy, urgency and balance


• Uphold TEGNA’s journalistic standards and values across all platforms

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, or at least 5 years of journalism experience in a local newsroom, digital production, or related role


• Superior news judgment and the ability to make fast, sound editorial decisions under pressure


• Proven record of success handling breaking news


• Experience managing a team of journalists


• Demonstrated knowledge regarding content desk operations


• Experience helping transform and manage news-gathering systems


• Impeccable organizational skills with a keen eye for detail


• Demonstrated success as both a team leader and a team player


• Effective communication skills


• Familiarity with the market, a plus

Why TEGNA

TEGNA is reimagining local journalism for the newsroom of the future. With 64 stations across 51 markets, we deliver trusted, fact-based news that informs, engages, and empowers communities. Our values Demand the Truth, Work Smarter, Debate Fearlessly, Listen Carefully, and Zero-Base Every Process guide everything we do. By joining [Call Letters], you will be part of a company that demands the truth, works smarter, and tells impactful stories that serve our communities every day.

Benefits

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 are proud 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 disabilities in accordance with applicable law. If you are in need of an accommodation in order to submit your application, please email [e-mail]