Director of Product Product Editor
Director of Product Product Editor
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$ 130000 - 150000
1 Vacancy
Job Description
CalMatters/The Markup is looking for a director of product who shares our passion for using technology to investigate technology catalyze what journalism organizations can accomplish and create realworld impact for people and communities.
In this role you will lead a team of web developers engineers and technical specialists to envision and execute a range of newsroom products from practical Wordpress plugins and gamechanging privacy detection tools to our flagship email newsletters and unique editorial collaborations.
The director of product will also have a second title based on how newsroom titles are normally structured: Product editor. This represents our belief that our product team is a critical part of our editorial work. The ideal candidate is ready to think outside of the box with us and lead how the product team can be part of envisioning our newsrooms future.
This role reports to the deputy managing editor of impact an editorial department created in July 2024 aimed at ensuring our journalism has the most realworld impact as possible. Impact houses our audience and engagement membership data and interactives product and partnerships teams. Since theImpact department was created weve launched print voter guide zines TikTok quiz filters a regional newsletter community voter education events and more. Read more about how we think about impact.
The person we hire will have a voice in shaping the role. Many different skill sets and experiences could be a great fit for this position.
This fulltime position with benefits is based in California and requires occasional travel to our Sacramento office. We will consider U.S.based candidates not living in California.
As product director you will:
- Manage a team. Whether or not youve previously been in a management position we expect you to have enthusiasm for people management and crossfunctional collaboration. You will be supervising people with varying skill sets and working with teams across reporting lines.
- Grow a culture of experimentation collaboration and innovation that supports user research design and testing of new products and audience experiences.
- Lead the organization in identifying AIdriven opportunities developing and implementing promising AI strategies and helping guide the newsrooms AI policies.
- Explore new opportunities to create ambitious public service tools that innovate around the reporting and/or delivery of our cuttingedge reporting (for example Digital Democracy and Blacklight.
- Cultivate and edit articles written by product team members such as technical and behindthescenes pieces that highlight their work (for example: here and here.
- Proactively manage team priorities balancing organizational needs what work drives the most impact and innovation.
- Lead the development of what impact means in our newsroom alongside fellow editors within the Impact department and in the newsroom overall.
- Being collaborative curious and creative in your approach to your work.
- Lead and improve the newsrooms product workflow processes and systems.
What were looking for
Weve done our best to list the relevant qualifications applicants might bring to this job below but the list isnt exhaustive. We highly encourage you to share with us other experiences and qualifications you have that may be valuable to this role.
We strongly encourage applicants with diverse experiences and backgrounds to apply. Research shows that underrepresented applicants often downplay their skills. Even if you believe that your experience doesnt match the qualifications listed (and we certainly dont expect candidates to be equally skilled in the areas weve listed) we still want to hear from you. Please apply!
Skills were looking for
- Prioritization. You know how to assess tradeoffs promote good decisionmaking and bring clarity to complex spaces. You have strong project management skills.
- Critical thinking. You make judgments based on big picture goals not specific directives and know when to pivot or change course based on new information.
- Collaboration. You have a clear dedication to working with others and inherent generosity around sharing skills information and credit with colleagues.
- Technical understanding. You have technical knowledge and can navigate and communicate system architecture and understand the technical dependencies of your projects. You will not know how to execute on every technical project at the organization but you will know how to communicate ask questions and make logical decisions on those projects.
- Experimental mindset. You have tangible experience working iteratively measuring results and learning from them.
- Excellent communication. You pride yourself on your communication skills and are comfortable communicating with all members of the organization regardless of their level or technical expertise.
- Ability to meet deadlines. You understand that at a journalism organization deadlines are critical and sometimes beyond our control.
Pluses but not requirements
- Track record of using and supporting opensource tools
- Familiarity with
- Californias state government or municipal governments
- Californias diverse communities
- Digital privacy and security (see Blacklight)
- Strong familiarity with the thoughtful deployment of HTML and CSS. For example youre comfortable discussing best practices around semantic HTML or CSS naming conventions.
- Fluency in more than one language
Compensation and Benefits
The salary range for this position is $130000 to $150000 per year. We offer a complete benefits package with medical dental and vision insurance we cover 95 of the cost for employees and dependents from a range of HMO and PPO providers. Well match contributions of up to 2 of your salary to our 401(k) program and provide life insurance at no cost.
The salary range above is our best estimate in good faith of what we expect to pay for this position. Our final salary figure will take into account the candidates experience and skills as well as our commitment to pay our staff equitably.
How to Apply
We are an expanding and collaborative newsroom successfully forging a new model for sustainable intelligent nonprofit journalism. Were committed to reflecting the people we serve and especially encourage members of underrepresented communities to apply.
If youre interested provide a resume and work samples. In lieu of a cover letter wed like you to respond to our application questions below. Please do not contact the hiring manager directly and do not send a rsum to staff at their individual email addresses.
If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process dont hesitate to contact emailprotected.
Submit via the portal below.
About CalMatters
CalMatters now in its ninth year is an awardwinning nonprofit nonpartisan news venture dedicated to explaining the policy and politics of Americas biggest state and the worlds fifth largest economy. We produce vivid original multimedia journalism datadriven news analyses and watchdog accountability reporting on calmatters and freely distribute our work to more than 250 media partners. Our success metric isnt clicks its impact. Weve received the EPPY for Best News Site in the Nation the American Journalism Online Award for Best Nonprofit News Source in the U.S. and consecutive firstplace awards for general excellence among all digital news sources from the California News Publishers Association.
We also have the most diverse major newsroom in the state. Here youll be working alongside dozens of experienced journalists in a supportive collaborative atmosphere.
Required Experience:
Senior Manager
Employment Type
Full-Time
