The Requirements

We’re looking for an expert to drive content selection and presentation for print newspapers and other products. We need a person with tried-and-true experience, who’s excited about digital media and the future of journalism, and creative enough to see the possibilities and unique opportunities of a new media/newspaper synergy.

To be a strong fit for the role of Curator, News you will need:

• A minimum of five years of professional experience working as a Content or Source Editor or similar
• A bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Graphic Design, Graphic Communications, Art or a related field
• Substantial leadership and staff management experience
• Working knowledge of online social networks, blogs, wikis, and emerging communications technologies (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter)  Quick question for you - click here

  Within the last 5 years, what role did the following play in your job? Working knowledge of online social networks, blogs, wikis, and online communications technologies (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter) Major component of my job all or most of the timeMajor component of my job occasionallyModerate component of my job all or most of the timeModerate component of my job occasionallyMinor component of my job all or most of the timeMinor component of my job occasionallyFormerly a major component of my jobFormerly a minor component of my jobFamiliarity, but never a component of my jobNo real familiarity Comment: (Your answer will automatically be saved when you submit your application)

• Knowledge of press and other forms of print media
• The ability to develop and manage production timelines
• Demonstrated news judgment that adapts and coincides with direction set by senior management
• Knowledge of graphic design concepts and theories
• A portfolio of your work

Your core competencies and characteristics should include:

• Leadership skill
• The ability to work with a team of contributors, providing direction and constructive feedback
• The skill to mentor and lead by setting high standards of journalistic excellence, energy and purpose
• The skill to solve problems and make judgments autonomously
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• The ability to thrive in a fast-moving and sometimes hectic environment where priorities can rapidly change

We have several curator positions, all based in Birmingham, but individually focused on either Birmingham, Mobile, or Huntsville. It will be essential that you have expertise and insight about the city/community you'll support.

The Role

As Curator, News, you will report to the Content Manager for Publications and be responsible for content selection, development, and budgeting of news stories to be published in one or all of our newspapers. You will work in concert with the director and managing producers of each content hub, and focus on news stories including national news, state and local events, political stories, human interest and more. Content selections will be made based on your trained judgment, strong background and history of success working in the newspaper industry. You'll capture content by reviewing overnight notes, seeing what the other hubs are working on, participating in conference calls with the hub director, staying current with digital content -- pouring over AL.com, monitoring the wires and news publications, and being aware of the news stories getting a lot of play on social media. The search for content will continue throughout your day, including the days when we are dark.

Once copy is selected, you will ensure that it meets our high-quality standards. In many cases you’ll need to rewrite or rework a story. For example, you might weave additional material into a digital piece, making it more robust; break a narrative into interesting bullets; or, just do some basic editing. When you identify your lede story, you might do a bit of copy editing or rewriting, then meet with designers and others to share your creative vision and make it a more powerful package. 

Other duties include:

• Discussing the development of illustrations, charts, maps and other graphics to be used
• Collaborating with designers and paginators in page creation
• Serving as leadership on the content team; collaborating and sharing ideas and suggestions with editors and reporters in a positive and professional manner
• Assembling copy, graphics, photos, etc. for editorial packages
• Meeting production timelines
• Ensuring the process keeps moving

Note: this description is intended to give you a general overview of the position and is not an exhaustive listing of duties and responsibilities.

Keys to Success

To be a successful in the role of Curator, News, your traditional skill-set and experience will be crucial, but you’ll also need to be open to new media and multi-platform news.  You should be able to work well between platforms and finesse the selected content as appropriate to fit the news model.  If it’s a print story that has ripened, you’ll make it relevant; if it’s a digital piece or blog, you’ll rewrite and reformat it in a way that is compelling to the newspaper audience.  You’ll have a wide array of platforms by which to capture content and you should work with and embrace them all.

To be an exceptional curator, you’ll not only need your technical skills, you should also bring advanced interpersonal skills and leadership qualities.  You’ll work with a lot of different contributors, and though you won’t have direct authority over most, you’ll still need to gain their respect and get buy-in.  To be successful, it’s important that you come in, demonstrate your talent, establish credibility, and take ownership of the news content.  You’ll need to prove that you can consistently be counted upon to deliver well-designed, top-notch ledes and other news.