WFAA, the TEGNA-owned ABC affiliate in Dallas Fort Worth, 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.

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

· 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

Requirements:

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

Associate, Financial Institutions Group

Brunswick Group is seeking an Associate to join our growing Financial Institutions Group in New York or Washington, DC. 

Brunswick’s Financial Institutions Group advises the world’s leading financial services organizations on how to solve complex, multi-stakeholder challenges while navigating regulation across geographies in a highly scrutinized and volatile environment.

Drawing on our global expertise in media, capital markets, policy, law, research, and crisis and issues management, we develop communications strategies that build and protect corporate reputation over the long term, and through critical moments including mergers and acquisitions, IPOs, capital raisings, leadership changes, governance matters, and responses to activist shareholders.

About the Role:

Client Contribution & Handling

• Serve as an expert advisor to clients on reputation, financial and crisis situations
• Provide relevant insight, guidance and advice to clients
• Play an integral role in the new business process; manage RFPs and participate in pitch preparation

• Deliver strategic advice to clients, drawing on financial institutions communications expertise and depth of professional advisory experience - and contributing to formulation of advice on strategy and communications approach
• Represent the firm in discussions of complex situations with senior executives at client organizations
• Seve as the main point of contact for clients in day-to-day communications.
• Demonstrate deep knowledge of the clients’ businesses and strategic communications issues
• Monitor level of account profitability and intervening as necessary

Communication Skills

• Write thoughtful, well-structured content; considering audience in style and tone of communications
• Express a well-developed point of view; analyzing and distilling complex information
• Exhibit good judgment and exercising discretion
• Question and challenge in a constructive way; presenting unpopular ideas confidently

Team Management

• Manage and mentor team members; work with Partners and Directors on the day-to-day management of staff and client deliverables
• Manage the development of key client documents by playing a vital role in drafting, editing and routing throughout the internal process and external delivery
• Oversee research assignments; distill large volumes of information into the most impactful and helpful insights
• Plan and execute client announcements and events, managing:
• Preparation of strategic communications documents including talking points, Q&As, day-of rollouts, media backgrounders, etc.
• Media handling and approach
• Announcement or event logistics

Networking

• Foster a network of journalist contacts and relationships
• Develop relationships with the analyst and investor community to understand issues and priorities
• Proactively build a network locally to identify talent referrals, new business prospects and media contacts

What We're Looking For

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• 7-10+ years of relevant work experience in an advisory role focused on corporate reputation, financial and crisis situations
• Deep understanding of business and finance
• Ability to operate effectively in an entrepreneurial, fast-paced environment
• Exceptional written and verbal communication ability
• Energetic team player with strong self-motivation
• Experience managing teams and passionate about mentoring junior staff
• Ability to think strategically and creatively, with strong problem-solving skills
• Strong attention to detail with the ability to multitask in high-pressure situations
• Exhibit discretion with confidential client matters
• Knowledge of the media landscape
• Knowledge of Factiva, Bloomberg and other research resources

Ideal Candidate:

• A rising advisor with experience counseling financial institution clients on business-critical issues (e.g. crisis, M&A, financial situations, geopolitical, etc.)
• Adept at navigating and succeeding within high-performance, entrepreneurial environments
• Excellent communicator with professional polish and strong emotional intelligence
• Entrepreneurial and collaborative spirit
• Desire to mentor and willingness to train junior staff
• Terrific sense of humor

Why Join Us

Whether you are joining a client facing team, a core services team, or starting out on your professional career journey, joining Brunswick unlocks a range of exceptional employee benefits to support your financial future, health and wellness, family and community and continuous professional development.

The successful applicant will be eligible for the following compensation and benefits package: 

Base Pay: The annual base compensation range for this role is $130,000-$170,000. The base pay offered will be determined by factors including experience, skills, training, office location, certifications, and education.

Bonus Eligibility: Annual discretionary bonus contingent upon individual and firm-wide performance.

Benefits: Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance. Disability insurance. Employee assistance program. Flexible spending account. Health savings account. Life insurance. Commuter Benefits. Generous Paid Time Off: 25 vacation days and 10 days sick leave, as well as 11 paid company holidays. Firm-sponsored 401(k) Plan with 3% automatic company contribution of base and bonus with an additional 1.5% profit share– immediate vesting. Career training and development opportunities. Employee discounts.

Office Policy: At Brunswick, our work is a craft that thrives in teaching environments – whether in our offices or on-site with clients – through real-time observation, collaboration, human connection, clear guidance and by challenging one another to keep getting better. Our policy is that our team members are in person – either in the office or on-site with clients – at least four days each week.

The firm will provide reasonable accommodation to qualified applicants or employees, as defined by applicable law. In addition to the application, the process may include virtual and in-person interviews, as well as an assessment, which may be timed. To request an accommodation during our application and hiring process, email americasaccommodations@brunswickgroup.com.