About the position
As the Chief Product & Technology Officer (CPTO), you will be the strategic and operational leader responsible for driving the Minnesota Star Tribune's digital product transformation. This role combines oversight of both product innovation and technology development & infrastructure, ensuring our platforms, tools, and experiences are world-class and future-ready. A strong executive leader with excellent management skills, you will lead a team that spans product management, engineering, design, and AI. You'll work with the newsroom, consumer growth, and business teams to deliver intuitive, seamless, engaging, and scalable digital experiences for audiences of our award-winning journalism. Reporting directly to the CEO, you will be a key member of the Executive Leadership Team, helping to define and execute the company's long-term strategy. As a purpose-driven leader, you'll be joining a team that's working to transform one of Minnesota's most trusted institutions into a modern digital media company that's relevant, impactful, and strengthens our state.
Responsibilities
- Define and execute a unified product and technology vision aligned with the company's mission and growth goals.
- Champion a digital-first mindset across the organization, integrating technology into all aspects of the business.
- Manage relationships with external vendors and provide ongoing oversight to ensure they provide strategic value to the organization.
- Drive focus and clarity within the product team and stakeholders on initiatives large and small.
- Lead and grow high-performing, diverse teams across product, engineering, UX, design, and AI.
- Foster a culture of innovation, scrappiness, experimentation, continuous improvement and a bias towards action and results.
- Ensure products meet user needs, business objectives, and editorial standards, balancing both short and long-term needs.
- Drive the development of scalable, secure, flexible, and user-centric platforms.
- Modernize and maintain the company's technology infrastructure, ensuring reliability, security, and performance.
- Evaluate and implement emerging technologies, including but not limited to AI/ML, personalization, and metadata strategies.
- Partner with newsroom, business, and revenue leaders to align product and tech initiatives with company-wide goals.
- Serve as a thought leader and advocate for digital transformation internally and externally.
Requirements
- Proven executive leadership experience in product and/or technology roles, ideally within platform-driven or content organizations.
- Deep expertise in digital product strategy, software development, and technology operations.
- Demonstrated success in managing vendors, leading cross-functional teams, driving cultural change and delivering product rollouts or complex, enterprise digital initiatives.
- Strong understanding of AI/ML, data architecture, and emerging media technologies.
- Excellent communication, collaboration, and strategic thinking skills.
- Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree in a related field is a plus.
Nice-to-haves
- Media experience is a plus but is not required.
Benefits
- Modern Downtown Office: Enjoy a state-of-the-art workspace with a free fitness center, collaborative center, golf simulator, and a rooftop patio.
- Comprehensive Benefits: Includes commuting subsidy, medical, dental, and vision insurance.
- Wellness & Work-Life Balance: Participate in our wellness program with financial incentives, generous paid time off, flexible holidays, one volunteer day, and two wellness days.
- Financial & Family Support: Benefit from a 401(k) with company match, paid parental and caregiving leave, hybrid work arrangements, and tuition reimbursement.
- Additional Perks: Access to an employee assistance program, pet insurance, flexible spending accounts, and health savings accounts.
