Birmingham Biz Journal seeks an editor in chief

Birmingham Business Journal is looking for an Editor-in-Chief to lead a talented and scrappy newsroom in one of the most dynamic business communities in the South.

This is an exceptional opportunity for an aspiring top editor with fewer years of experience, perhaps, but a ton smarts, drive and and ambition.

As the highest-ranking newsroom leader, the EIC is responsible for driving newsroom culture, product strategy and quality journalism across all platforms. The EIC will lead the news team to build an engaged audience. The EIC must be equally at home in both print and digital, with pronounced leadership and innovation on digital platforms.

To be successful, the EIC must have well-honed hard news instincts, a burning curiosity about business and people, a deft editing hand, and be equal parts leader and entrepreneur. Your passion for great journalism, deep source building and original breaking news, and your ability to guide and mentor your news team to perform to your high standards, will lead you to join the ranks of the best newsroom leaders in our company.

It is important that our EIC connects to the community, knows the top and emerging business sectors and companies, and actively builds a network of sources and contacts among business influencers. By being out in the community and meeting with sources, you will have your hand on the pulse of the most active companies in our region and the people who lead them. And you will set the standard for how you want your newsroom to operate.

Duties
• Define a clear and compelling vision for the look, feel and voice of our news products, including a thriving digital news operation, a compelling weekly print edition, daily emails, special content packages, and news-driven events.
• Guide, develop and mentor reporting staff, and communicate your expectations and feedback regularly and with clarity.
• Ensure that strong, engaging visual elements including photo, video and graphic, are well incorporated into storytelling platforms.
• Own the growth of digital and print audiences. Understand the metrics, and how to interpret them.
• Meet or exceed goals relating to audience growth and engagement.
• Lead staff adaptation to new platforms, skill sets, story forms, and ways of doing things.
• Innovate, bring ideas and an entrepreneurial mind-set.
• Work with other department heads to create new products and other business opportunities.
• Embrace community and business outreach as an ambassador of the Business Journal.
• Speak to business groups and other relevant audiences on behalf of the Business Journal.
• In collaboration with the publisher, develop, assemble and moderate high-level panel discussions on topics of interest to the Business Journal audience.

Skills
• Inspiring, motivating, and a good communicator able to foster a strong newsroom mission and culture.
• Passionate about covering local business news.
• Innovative, collaborative, seriously curious.
• Knowledgeable about business topics and growth sectors.
• You love local business news and you’re curious about the people behind the business.
• Able to lead and drive growth in a newsroom with varying levels of experience.
• Must be able to thrive in a rapidly changing and uncharted media environment.
• Innovator who brings new ideas to help grow the Birmingham Business Journal.

Experience
• Newsroom management and team leadership
• Digital news management
• Line editing
• Multiplatform excellence
• Beat reporting

Education
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

To apply, send a resume and cover letter to Beth Hunt, director of editorial recruiting and development for American City Business Journals, bzhunt@bizjournals.com