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Location

Macon, GA | United States

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Job description

Overview

In September of 2023, the National Trust for Local News received a five year, $5M grant to build a new source of local news for Macon / Bibb County, GA.

In partnership with Mercer University’s Center for Collaborative Journalism and DuBose Porter’s Courier Herald Publishing Group, this new effort represents a ground-up build of a new local news organization that will soon serve residents of the Macon / Bibb County region with local news in various formats including print, digital and more.

We are seeking a passionate, entrepreneurial business professional to lead this effort.

About us

The National Trust for Local News, a nonprofit formed in 2021 to pioneer a new way for local communities to conserve, transform, and sustain their sources of news, pairs national infrastructure and technology with local knowledge to ensure long-term, sustainable, independent community news. The National Trust for Local News is dedicated to creating stronger communities by building sustainable community news organizations. Our aim in Georgia is to continue to expand and transform our portfolio to ensure its future viability and to keep local news in local hands.

About the job

We are seeking a passionate and driven Market Director (Business Lead) to lead the business development efforts for our exciting new startup in Macon, Georgia. As the entrepreneurial business lead for this venture, you will play a crucial role in crafting and executing our business strategy, recruiting and managing our business development team, and evangelizing our platforms to key stakeholders in the Macon community.

Our ideal candidate is a proven leader who is passionate about impactful journalism and possesses deep knowledge of audience. This leader also must be adept at communicating and collaborating and leading sophisticated work through community engagement, social media and other platforms. The successful candidate also will work to increase the visibility and relevance of our local brands.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement a comprehensive business development strategy aligned with our overall company goals and objectives.
• Set clear and measurable business development targets and timelines.
• Create compelling marketing and sales collateral to support our business development initiatives.
• Lead the recruitment, hiring, and onboarding of a high-performing business development team.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with key Macon stakeholders, business leaders, and potential customers.
• Proactively engage with the in-state staff and community partners to foster collaboration and support.
• Effectively communicate business objectives, progress, and challenges to key stakeholders.
• Partner with editorial leadership to develop an audience-centric content strategy to ensure our news is relevant to readers’ lives on a daily basis.
• Partner with leadership at Mercer University’s Center for Collaborative Journalism to maximize student engagement and student outcomes.
• Partner with audience development leadership at NTLN to develop strategies to increase paying membership/subscriptions.
• Partner with in-state leadership and NTLN senior leadership to consistently identify and measure business outcomes. Message impact effectively so compelling narratives may be shared with internal and external stakeholders.
• Promote diversity and inclusion in developing business outcomes and staffing decisions.
• Champion the monetization of digital transformation efforts, including websites, newsletters, social media presence and digital-only content offerings.
• Promote a collaborative environment in which employees feel valued for their contributions and have a voice in decision-making.
• Some in-state travel may be required to for communication with key stakeholders, industry events or development.

Qualifications:

• Proven entrepreneurial spirit and self-starter mentality.
• Strong business acumen, critical thinking skills, and problem-solving abilities.
• Deep understanding of digital marketing and sales strategies.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills to build rapport with diverse stakeholders.
• Collaborative approach to work with in-state staff, community partners, and business development team.
• Passion for data-driven decision-making and sales preparation.
• At least 10 years of experience in publishing, media or a related business, with at least three years in management.
• Experience in a fast-paced deadline environment.
• Commitment to the values of fairness, diversity, inclusion and professionalism.
• Background in audience development and engagement strategies.
• Strong writing and communication skills.

Compensation:

Target compensation range of $80,000 to $95,000 base salary with additional performance-based incentives.

Target Hire Timeline:

March 2024

To Apply:

Please submit your resume and a compelling cover letter highlighting your relevant experience and qualifications to [email protected].

The National Trust for Local News is a proud equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of an applicant or employee’s race, color, national origin, ethnicity, ancestry, citizenship status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy status, genetic characteristics or information, political affiliation, military or veteran status or other classifications protected by applicable federal, state and local laws.

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