President and Publisher, Cox First Media

Company Summary Cox Enterprises is a privately held company with multiple businesses and revenues of >$23B. Cox First Media (CFM) is the leading authority on truth and news in Dayton, OH region through its brands The Dayton Daily News (DDN), Springfield News Sun (SNS), and Journal News (JN). The DDN was the first company purchased by Governor Cox in 1898 and started what is today Cox Enterprises. With over 500k monthly unique visitors to our websites, over 400k newsletter subscribers, and over 50k subscribers, CFM has vast reach and influence in one of the most dynamic, diverse and influential cities in Ohio. The CFM region is pivotal in the 2024 election as the coverage area includes Middletown, the hometown of Vice Presidential nominee, JD Vance, and SNS is the newspaper of record for Springfield which is the center of the Haitian immigration story. At the CFM, we pride ourselves on our Journalistic integrity, the quality of our reporting, and the servicing of our advertising and news customers. Job Overview The President and Publisher of Cox First Media is a dynamic leadership position reporting to the AVP of Growth Operations. This role oversees a team of over 70 dedicated professionals committed to producing high-quality journalism. The position is responsible for guiding CFM's strategic direction and serving as its public representative to the community. The ideal candidate brings a forward-thinking perspective on leading a journalism-first enterprise in today's digital landscape. They will leverage their understanding of emerging trends in media consumption and advertising to shape a vision that best serves both readers and advertisers, supported by data-driven insights. This leader will be tasked with positioning CFM and its flagship Dayton Daily News as a digital-savvy organization while preserving the journalistic excellence that has been the hallmark of CFM brands for over 125 years. They will build upon our strong foundation to ensure we continue delivering trusted, impactful journalism to our community in ways that resonate with modern audiences. The President and Publisher will play a crucial role in navigating the evolving media ecosystem, identifying opportunities for innovation while honoring our rich journalistic heritage. They will inspire and empower our talented team to embrace new storytelling techniques and platforms, ensuring our content remains relevant and engaging in a rapidly changing information landscape. Job Responsibilities Set and lead the strategic vision for CFM in all aspects of the organization including Journalism, finances, sales, talent, technology and product. Establish annual budget and long-range plan in conjunction with the AVP, Growth Operations and your CFM leadership team that are consistent with CFMs strategies and growth objectives. Focus and accelerate CFMs digital transformation by making bold changes and thoughtful trade-offs. Drive a culture of digital excellence in CFMs products and journalism. Lead and develop a senior leadership team that is focused and committed to the future of CFM. Set annual performance objectives, provide coaching and development opportunities, and overall management of your team. Effectively represent CFM in the community. Qualifications: BA/BS degree required 14 or more years of relevant work experience required in related field OR MS degree 12 years of experience OR Ph.D. degree 9 years of experience OR 18 years of experience with no degree Minimum of 5 years of digital Journalism experience. Minimum of 10 years of working with journalism and/or digital organizations, including 10 or more years of experience leading a department or team. Exceptional people skills with the ability to build relationships with Cox family members, Cox executives, the local community and nonprofit leaders at all levels; and the ability to maintain strict confidentiality. Broad knowledge of the Journalism sector including an understanding of sub-segments within the sector and knowledge of emerging trends. Ability to effectively represent CFM under a variety of circumstances, including interactions with the Cox family; nonprofit, business, and government leaders; and networking opportunities at conferences. Demonstrated ability to organize and motivate others to make bold changes. Willingness to empower and leverage the team with the ability to roll up their sleeves when necessary. Digital journalism user and evangelist. Extensive experience and knowledge building a successful digital journalism business, either digital-native or legacy transformation. Ability to focus and prioritize efforts across a broad range of topics and activities. Experience establishing and cultivating strong relationships with staff and stakeholders, and ability to use good judgment, take initiative, and make recommendations. Excellent oral and written communication skills, along with organizational skills and attention to detail. J-18808-Ljbffr