Director – News

With an ever-expanding presence in Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, and the Northwest Territories, the Vista team is passionate and committed to the communities we serve. It’s the cornerstone of our success and the reason why we can continue to grow.

Director – News 
Vista has embarked on a plan to expand our news operations, firmly rooted in small-to-medium-sized markets in Ontario, Alberta, the Northwest Territories, and British Columbia. Our recent announcement to acquire 21 Bell Media radio stations in British Columbia signals our belief and commitment to that plan as we extend our presence into a total of 82 communities, covering the province from north to south, and west to east like no one else.

As the Director of News at Vista Radio, this key leadership position will be instrumental in shaping the company’s news strategy and content across all platforms, setting the standard for journalistic excellence and innovation.
You will lead a talented team of journalists to deliver compelling, relevant, and timely news content across all platforms. You are dedicated to understanding and addressing what matters most to our communities through dynamic local journalism, recognizing its profound impact on our daily lives.

Leveraging your proven leadership in news operations, deep understanding of digital news trends, and ability to drive engagement across both traditional radio and digital platforms, you will serve as the strategic leader of news operations at Vista.
Location: Hybrid or Remote

While it is our aspiration that all Vista staff live and work in the communities we serve, we recognize the unique requirements and demands of this role. Qualified candidates are urged to apply as every application will be carefully considered.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Evaluate, define and set the course for the company’s success in reaching its multi-platform News objectives
• Manage all News personnel and allocate resources effectively; this includes but is not limited to managing the department budget, hiring decisions, establishing performance goals and guidelines, and overseeing the evaluation and performance review process across the News organization
• Support, guide, engage and motivate News teams to generate and develop relevant and impactful content for local audiences
• Work with local management teams in the effective use of resources and synergies in managing News operations
• Ensure the work of Regional News Directors and Reporters aligns with the editorial vision, and is in compliance with Canadian journalistic ethics, standards and practices
• Promote a digital newsroom culture with News staff—one that embraces industry trends and technological advancements in news programming and delivery, as well as strategies to increase audience engagement and metrics

Requirements:

• A minimum of 15 years of progressive journalism experience, including at least 10 years of team management experience—planning, organizing, directing and scheduling
• Superior knowledge of journalistic processes, newsgathering methods and the production of content for radio and digital platforms
• Experience in developing and implementing news content content across conventional and digital platforms and a progressive view of the use of technology in news and content gathering
• A deep understanding of digital audience behavior, including experience using tracking, analytics, and content management systems
• Superior editorial judgment and thorough understanding of Canadian journalistic ethics, standards and practices
• An agile and creative mind with the ability to develop innovative solutions, workflows and processes
• Results-driven and adept at inspiring others to work towards goals while also encouraging a healthy work-life balance
• A natural inclination to interact with a wide variety of people using diplomacy, tact and discretion
• Flexibility and willingness to travel