Department Head, Audio & Video

The Washington Post•Washington, DC

1d•$161,100 - $299,300•Onsite

About The Position

The Washington Post is seeking an exceptional journalist to lead our newsroom into a new era of audio and video storytelling. We’re looking for someone with outstanding leadership experience and cross-functional skills in both audio and video, at a foundational moment for The Post. The successful candidate will have a deep understanding of where and how audiences are consuming news today, but even more important, a visionary sense for where formats and platforms are heading in the next few years. They should be a strong operator, with a bias for action and problem-solving, capable of leading the transformation of our video and audio work into a critical driver of newsroom performance. And they should have experience working with executives on the business side, understanding commercialization strategies and opportunities. This is a role that will work across not just the newsroom but the company, collaborating with everyone from our social media team to the chief revenue officer. The person who fills this role will lead with creativity and precision—identifying talent, greenlighting projects, driving innovation and ensuring our work stays competitive in a fast-changing media environment. This is a unique opportunity to shape the next generation of shows and franchises at the forefront of The Post’s digital storytelling. This position is based in our Washington, D.C., newsroom and reports to the Managing Editor for Content Strategy.

Requirements

10+ years of experience leading digital news strategy and audio/video production.
Fluency in platform dynamics—from YouTube and TikTok to Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Demonstrated ability to work quickly and under tight deadlines.
A track record of experimentation, particularly around new story forms and platforms.
Deep understanding of platforms and audiences to drive engagement and success.
Strong understanding of the digital media landscape and video and audio ecosystems.
Strong understanding of KPIs for online video businesses.
Proven skills in planning, forecasting, data analysis, managing budgets and a track record of exceeding goals.
Good understanding of UX, features, and viewer behavior, with a product and viewer mindset.
Demonstrated skills as a transformative leader with superb people management.
Excellent communication skills and the ability to work effectively across multiple teams within an organization.
Ability to move fast, build and make smart decisions.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute a platform-savvy, talent-driven content strategy that prioritizes audience engagement and growth.
Serve as a creative decision-maker, running a greenlight process to make high-impact choices on which shows and talent to invest in.
Set and track success metrics for new formats, franchises and personalities.
Lead the development and execution of video and audio evolution on Post O&O platforms, partnering with Product.
Obsess about the off-platform experience and ecosystem and how The Post shows up successfully in these spaces.
Offer expertise on emerging video and audio trends, assess opportunities, and analyze the competitive landscape to ensure The Washington Post is leading in these spaces.
Act as the in-house audio and video expert for leadership, communicating strategy, milestones, results, challenges, opportunities and roadmap, working in collaboration with colleagues on the business side.
Support team retention, recruitment and development, fostering a collaborative culture that values effectiveness.