Director - National Security, MS NOW Newsgathering

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MS NOW is seeking an experienced and innovative journalist to direct coverage of national security. You’ll join a modern and nimble Newsgathering team in Washington with a start-up mentality and a mandate to meet audiences where they are across all platforms. The National Security team will focus on original reporting that holds power to account and helps our viewers, readers and listeners understand how decisions in Washington ripple across the nation and around the world.

As the team leader, you’ll guide coverage of the most important story lines around national security, defense and diplomacy – including at White House, Pentagon, State Department and intelligence agencies – to bring a sophisticated, contextual lens to the beat. You’ll supervise a high-powered team and direct our reporting for all platforms of MS NOW – live programming, MSNBC.com, newsletters, digital video, audio, social media and more. You’ll often contribute yourself as well.

This role requires sharp editorial instincts to understand the stakes of every policy shift in Washington and how each news development can reshape relationships across the nation’s power centers. The successful candidate must have exceptional managerial skills and a demonstrated ability to look around corners to identify where story lines – and the news environment – are headed.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead news coverage of the national security, defense and diplomacy across all platforms of MS NOW
• Mentor and manage a team of journalists to break news and advance story lines
• Assign and shape stories with sharp angles and grounded in context
• Collaborate across coverage teams and platforms to ensure cohesive storytelling that delivers original news and insight for our audiences
• Represent the team in editorial meetings for daily coverage and planning for special events
• Develop new ideas to innovate across platforms to reach new audiences
• Support other editorial projects and Newsgathering growth initiatives in a start-up environment

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent years of relevant working experience
• At least 10 years of professional journalism experience
• Substantial experience directing coverage and supervising journalists is strongly preferred
• Experience assigning, editing, or producing content across multiple platforms (e.g., TV, digital, social, audio, newsletters)
• Proven track record of enterprise journalism, breaking news, or political analysis that drives audience engagement
• Excellent editing skills — an ability to edit everything from a 4,000-word investigation to a 250 word fast-turn breaking news blog post under tight deadlines Impeccable news judgment and writing skills
• Experience overseeing both powerhouse reporters and growing junior talent
• Excellent communication skills — tact, sensitivity, diplomacy, persuasion
• Demonstrated self-starter, with the confidence to make decisions quickly in a fast-paced news environment
• Flexibility to work outside standard hours when news breaks
• This position is eligible for company sponsored benefits, including medical, dental, and vision insurance, 401(k), paid leave, tuition reimbursement, and a variety of other discounts and perks.

Salary Range: $175,000-$200,000

As part of our selection process, external candidates may be required to attend an in-person interview with a VERSANT Media employee at one of our locations prior to a hiring decision. VERSANT Media's policy is to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, gender identity or expression, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, veteran status, membership in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable law.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran and require support throughout the application and/or recruitment process as a result of your disability, you have the right to request a reasonable accommodation. You can submit your request to [email protected].

VERSANT Media is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. We include a good faith pay range for each position to comply with applicable state and local pay transparency laws and to promote equity across our organization. Actual compensation will be based on factors such as the candidate's skills, qualifications, experience, and location and may include additional forms of compensation and benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, etc.

VERSANT Media is not accepting unsolicited assistance from search firms for this employment opportunity. All resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at VERSANT via-email, the Internet, or in any form and/or method without a valid written Statement of Work in place for this position from VERSANT's Talent Acquisition team will be deemed the sole property of VERSANT. No fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by VERSANT as a result of the referral or through other means.