News Director

Lead the news coverage for 150,000+ residents in Illinois’ third-largest city. Naperville Community Television (NCTV17) is seeking an experienced journalist to set the editorial agenda, guide daily news coverage, and lead a small independent nonprofit newsroom servingNaperville . This is a senior leadership role for a reporter or producer who believes local journalism builds trust, strengthens communities, and keeps residents informed on the issues that shape their daily lives. You’ll overseecoverage of local government, education, and community life – while mentoring a team of journalists and ensuring every story is accurate, unbiased, and timely. This role is ideal for a seasoned print, digital, radio, or video news reporter or producer ready to lead a newsroom and shape how a community stays informed. Key Responsibilities Editorial Leadership & Story Planning Lead daily and long-term planning of news coverage Set story priorities and assign coverage that informs and connects the community Identify gaps and opportunities to strengthen local reporting Manage and support a small news team with clear direction and expectations Oversee workflow, scheduling, and timely delivery of content Foster a collaborative, accountable, and growth-oriented newsroom culture Breaking News & Daily Execution Guide the team through breaking news situations, from initial reporting to publishing updates Ensure accurate, timely coverage across platforms under daily deadlines Reporting & Storytelling Contribute original reporting, including writing and producing news stories Support daily content needs, including web articles and occasional on-air contributions Bring strong news judgment and storytelling skills to all content Editorial Standards & Oversight Review and refine scripts and stories for accuracy, fairness, clarity, and toneli> Uphold journalistic standards and editorial independence across all coverageli> Digital Publishing & Performance Oversee publishing on NCTV17.org with a focus on clarity, timeliness, and consistency Use analytics to evaluate story performance and inform coverage decisions Push out stories across all social media platforms Production Quality (Multi-Platform) Provide guidance to ensure strong visual and audio quality Collaborate with team members on best practices for storytelling across formats Community Engagement Build and maintain relationships with local schools, organizations, and government sources Stay connected to the community to inform relevant, responsive coverage Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Communications, or Broadcast Media M inimum of 7years (post-college) of professional experience in news as either a reporter or producer for a network affiliate, newspaper, radio, or digital platform Proficient in writing and storytelling Demonstrated leadership in a newsroom setting Strong organizational and communication skills Experience in video editing and camera operation is preferred, but not required Compensation Salary $66,000 – $70,000 (based on experience) Single-person health, dental, and vision insurance Life insurance 12 days PTO plus 5 sick days, 2 personal days, and 10 company holidays Simple IRA with a company match up to 3% Local candidates are preferred. No relocation funds are available. NCTV17 provides an equal employment opportunity and a harassment-free work environment. All employment and compensation with NCTV17 is “at will,” which means employment can be terminated with or without cause, and with or without notice, at any time, at the option of either NCTV17 or yourself, except as otherwise provided by law. Additional Info Job Function : General Company/ Organization Name : NCTV17 #J-18808-Ljbffr Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce