Head Of News - JHB at Media24 (Pty) Ltd

Job Description

The successful candidate will set News24’s national news agenda while managing a team of news editors and news reporters. He/she will be responsible for executing news coverage across the country. The job entails creating and maintaining a professional newsroom environment, and instilling a culture where work ethic, self-starting initiative, and high journalistic standard is paramount. The Head of News is the lynchpin in the newsroom and determines the national conversation.

Minimum Requirements

• Relevant tertiary qualification;
• 7-10 years of editorial experience with at least two years of editorial management;
• Experience in running a newsroom in a national news environment;
• Experience in an online news environment;
• Thorough working knowledge of newsroom management and the media environment;
• A well-established contact base.

Skills & Competencies

• A clear understanding of news, society and politics
• Excellent people management skills
• A thorough understanding and appreciation of digital media
• Excellent verbal and written skills
• Exceptional time management skills and the ability to multitask effectively and finish projects on time
• Planning and organizing skills
• Ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines
• Resilience and courage

Duties & Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a national team of reporters and news editors;
• Responsible for News24’s daily news offering, ensuring that it meets quality requirements and deadlines;
• Ensuring that News24 is first in breaking trusted news through quality reporting;
• The ability to identify and evaluate news articles under tight deadlines;
• Produce a comprehensive news diary daily;
• Co-ordinate news gathering daily to achieve deadlines;
• Identify and develop news stories, news themes and strong follow-up angles;
• Remain on top of the national news agenda and keep abreast of breaking news on other platforms;
• Liaise with and co-ordinate news coverage from other sections, the bureaus and regional offices;
• Liaise with the audience engagement editor and production team to optimise the distribution of news content;
• Closely liaise with the multimedia editor to identify and assign visual stories;
• Brief and debrief reporters on stories, and
• Monitor the progress of articles and reports throughout the news cycle.