Story Desk Manager

TEGNA, Inc.; Scranton (Lackawanna County); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

TEGNA Inc.’s WNEP-TV in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre is seeking a Story Desk Manager to lead the Story Management Desk, coordinating on‑air and online coverage across platforms. You will guide content creators, manage breaking news, and drive digital strategy for our CTV app and social platforms.

The role requires exceptional people leadership, strong news judgment, and experience analyzing audience data to shape editorial decisions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, or 5+ years of journalism experience in a local newsroom or related role.
• Strong news judgment and the ability to make fast editorial decisions under pressure.
• Proven record of success handling breaking news and managing a team of journalists.
• Experience analyzing audience data and identifying behavioral trends. Google Analytics experience is a bonus.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily coverage decisions and reporter assignments to own the big story daily.
• Determine the best format for each story and delivery timeline across platforms.
• Coordinate with the news director to program the CTV app for success and growth.
• Plan coverage for upcoming news cycles and lead regular story check-ins.
• Analyze data to inform editorial decisions and create accountability for results.
• Ensure engaging content across website, mobile app, and streaming platforms.
• Collaborate with other departments to monetize digital platform success.

Skills

Superior news judgment

Team management

Data-driven decisions

Multi-platform storytelling

Strong communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications

Job description

TEGNA Inc. (NYSE: TGNA) 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.

WNEP-TV, TEGNA’s ABC affiliate in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Pa has an opening for a Story Desk Manager. 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. This position requires planning and coordination of on‑air and online news coverage in our 17‑county viewing area in northeastern and central Pennsylvania.

Position Overview

The Story Desk Manager works with other newsroom leaders to oversee daily news editorial decisions while also setting strategic goals for the newsroom.

You will guide our team of content creators in story discovery and presentation across all platforms with a strong digital‑first directive. As the Story Desk Manager, you will manage breaking news coverage on all platforms and direct digital strategy for WNEP’s far‑reaching CTV app, mobile app and social media sites. You will play a key role in charting the station’s digital content and growth strategy.

We’re looking for an exceptional people‑focused leader with experience training teams to grow audiences on multiple platforms while maintaining a focus on stories that matter to our community. Analyzing data and disseminating information to the entire newsroom is also an imperative part of the role.

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.

Responsibilities

• 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
• Actively partner with the news director to program our CTV app for optimal success
• Look ahead and plan coverage for upcoming news cycles
• Lead regular story check‑ins throughout the day
• Analyze and actively use data and metrics to inform editorial and strategic decisions and to create accountability for results
• Ensure competitive, engaging and impactful content for all platforms, including digital platforms: website, mobile app and streaming
• Collaborate with other departments to monetize the success of our digital platforms
• 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

Requirements

• 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 analyzing audience data and identifying behavioral trends. Google Analytics experience a major bonus
• 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
• Strong written and verbal communications, conflict resolution and interpersonal skills
• Familiarity with the market, a plus
• Ability to work a variety of shifts, including nights, early mornings, weekends, overtime, and breaking news situations as needed
• Knowledge of AP Style a plus

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.