“Marketplace” seeks Washington bureau chief

Marketplace is looking for a Senior Editor/Bureau Chief to run our team of talented reporters in Washington, DC, oversee our Washington Bureau, and represent the nation’s most popular business news programming in the country’s capital.

The bureau chief will oversee Marketplace’s coverage of the new administration, and its promises to transform the American economy. As Senior Editor/Bureau Chief, you’ll drive our daily and long-range coverage of the administration, continuing our mission to raise the economic intelligence of the country through unorthodox and explanatory storytelling, our signature sound, and our pursuit of distinct angles that make the economy make sense to our audience.

Marketplace is an industry leader in telling meaningful and creative stories on the radio with close to 13 million listeners, and several million more on digital and on-demand. Good ideas are the currency here. We’re a place of creativity and unorthodox thinking, and we don’t take ourselves too seriously, even though we understand the critical importance of people understanding how the economy shapes the world around us.

Producing imaginative and original content on challenging deadlines is the foundation of this job. How will you know if it’s right for you? Do you:

• Have a knack for breaking down complex ideas and transactions in sophisticated and radio-friendly ways?
• Have significant experience in commissioning and delivering ambitious series and coverage strands with high-production values?
• A proven track record of pitching, commissioning and editing news spots and features for radio and digital platforms?
• Care about working in a collaborative, fast-paced, diverse and positive work environment?
• Possess the ability to inspire your reporters and colleagues?

If the answer to those questions is yes, then we’d like to hear from you. This position is based in Washington, DC.

Position Responsibilities:

Bureau Chief:

• Provide editorial leadership for bureau and mentoring of bureau staff.
• Represent Marketplace in Washington to government agencies, academic institutions and Washington-based news organizations.
• Oversee bureau facilities, including the maintenance and updating of technical equipment and necessary supplies.
• Oversee the Washington Bureau intern program.
• Initiate partnerships with other organizations to sustain loyal – and to find new audiences on air and online.

Senior Editor:

• Lead strategy to achieve insightful, distinctive, original coverage of the new administration.
• Work with Executive Producer, Managing Editor and show producers in determining priorities; developing coverage streams, series or other special coverage, and scheduling.
• Plan and assign daily and short-term coverage (spots, Q’s, short-turnaround features) to provide Marketplace shows with timely reports and voices on the news.
• Hire, supervise, train, and manage direct staff through providing work direction, constructive performance coaching, mentorship, performance meetings, and ongoing feedback. Supervise other desks and reporters, as assigned.
• Foster a creative and productive work environment.  Create development opportunities and individualized development plans for staff and training to enhance skills and foster growth.
• Assign and edit spots and features that meet Marketplace standards for originality, insight and sound.
• Within a team environment, respond to the needs of all Marketplace programs. Work with the digital team to deliver compelling content for Marketplace’s digital platforms. Collaborate on all creative aspects of the organization.
• Monitor relevant desk and acquisition budgets.
• Write the daily financial summary (“The Numbers”) in rotation with other editorial staff.
• Lead editorial meetings, and daily and long-range planning, as assigned.
• Develop and maintain relationships with other editorial outlets to expand audience for and deepen impact of our coverage.
• Represent Marketplace to outside constituents.
• Lead team in developing diverse sources for coverage and expanding PIN membership to new demographic and economic groups.
• Maintain and communicate an up-to-date schedule of assigned features and other elements.
• Respond when breaking news develops, and plan well ahead to stay out in front of events and issues.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience: 

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.
• Minimum seven years’ journalism experience.   
• Demonstrated experience in news and feature production, particularly news magazines and special programming.
• Experience in news gathering, editing and writing.
• Supervisory/management experience is required.  Management experience must demonstrate an ability to create and enforce high standards and an ability to teach, inspire and lead.

Required Skills, Knowledge and Abilities: 

• Ability to recruit, train, coach, motivate and develop talent.
• Proven leadership skills.
• Ability to conceive and guide reporting on complex and many-layered issues.
• Deep understanding of her/his role in the production process and ability to lead others in that context.
• Excellent organizational skills that enable her/him to work independently but collaboratively as required, within a complex environment.
• Well-established contacts and knowledge of journalism community.
• Ability to maintain high journalistic standards under deadline pressure, including standards of objectivity, balance, and fairness.
• Sound critical judgment skills and the ability to make decisions regarding credibility, personality and value of material to the program.
• Excellent teamwork skills, including the ability to oversee, as well as work with a team.

To apply, go here.