The Wall Street Journal is looking for an Assistant Managing Editor, Talent, to lead all aspects of hiring and career development across the newsroom and play a key role in our success. The job involves external and internal recruitment, personnel management, career path development, diversity initiatives, newsroom internships and organizational development.
This is a great opportunity to work closely with our editors and leaders to ensure that the newsroom is staffed with excellent journalists and other professionals, and that it is diverse and fosters an inclusive and welcoming experience. You need to be passionate about what we do and why we do it, and have a deep interest in the future staffing of the Journal newsroom.
The Wall Street Journal is the most trusted news organization in America. All of our employees, including the Assistant Managing Editor, Talent, consume and value the journalism that we create and are firmly rooted in the highest ethical standards. You will model the newsroom’s traditional values of collegiality, professionalism and excellence, expecting it of yourself and others.
This position reports to the Managing Editor of The Wall Street Journal and is part of that office’s senior leadership team, along with the Assistant Managing Editor for Operations and the Assistant Managing Editor for Business Management. While you may be asked to start remotely, the job will eventually be based in our New York office.
To apply, please submit your resume and a cover letter explaining how you would approach the job.
You will:
- Set standard processes for recruitment, hiring, promotions and compensation planning for our newsroom staff. Educate and lead managers through those processes.
- Prioritize transparency, fairness and diversity in recruitment, hiring and promotions, ensuring that we have the staff to best serve our present and future audiences.
- Build robust data tracking to keep newsroom leadership apprised of hiring and retention trends, and progress on diversifying the newsroom.
- Coach newsroom managers on best practices for hiring, organizational structure, performance feedback and retention/promotion. Serve as a trusted partner and adviser.
- Coach newsroom staffers on career paths and development.
- Advise newsroom leadership and collaborate with People Team colleagues on career path development, pay equity, leveling, compensation, training, organizational development and performance management.
- Build and maintain a deep pipeline of talent, including strong relationships with journalism conferences/organizations and colleges/universities, as well as a robust internship program.
- Lead with empathy, for your direct reports on the newsroom talent team, the global newsroom and our audience.
- Identify emerging trends and future journalistic needs, and advise newsroom leadership on related job creation, training needs and hiring priorities.
- Create and drive programs identifying high-potential staffers and ensure career-development activities to maximize the internal promotion of best candidates.
- Work with our Culture, Training & Outreach team on diversity initiatives, outreach partnerships and global training programs.
- Some travel will eventually be required for recruitment, journalism conferences, industry events and meetings with staff members across our global bureaus.
- Lead recruitment and career fair efforts at journalism conferences, including NABJ, NAHJ, AAJA, NLGJA and ONA.
- Build and champion organizational support structures, programs and communications strategies to enhance the culture of excellence, opportunity and inclusiveness.
You have:
- A deep understanding of the brand values and mission of the Journal and how our journalists are hired and trained in line with those values.
- Excellent presentation skills and the ability to represent the best of the Journal’s core attributes at speaking engagements, recruiting events and internal training sessions.
- Critical thinking and diplomatic problem-solving skills.
- A strong grasp of the evolving digital demands of a global newsroom.
- Deep understanding of the audience and membership structure and how to use insight research and analytics to continually refine this understanding.
- Ability to delegate, brief and give constructive feedback.
- An inclination toward action: setting agendas, managing projects and change management.
- At least 10 years of newsroom experience.
To apply, go here.
