Chief Operating Officer

The Organization
As a nonprofit business entity, DST has transitioned from a start-up to an industry model. In the past year, it has grown from $3 million in revenue to just under a $10 million annual budget. Eternally entrepreneurial at heart, DST will remain a locally focused organization even as it develops regional systems and national resources.

Anticipating imminent growth, the COO will assess the current organizational structure, define and clarify roles, and ensure the current team of 50 is in place to achieve the President and CEO’s vision.

The Chief Operating Officer reports to the President & CEO and will be a key DST Senior Executive Leadership Team member. As the architect charged with building the infrastructure to implement sustainable growth, the COO defines, establishes, and monitors the CEO’s vision as a strategic thought partner. The COO will ensure transparency throughout the organization and will continuously be focused on people, systems, services, and fiscal management, aligning with the overall mission and aspirations for growth. To optimize effectiveness, DST’s COO must leverage data and digital resources to collective advantage while ensuring DST’s CEO’s vision and revenue strategy are in sync. 

While Deep South journalism’s focus and immediate audience are local, the appetite for equitable and accurate local news has traction nationally. To help realize its ambition for expansion into new markets, DST requires a proven COO with the demonstrated ability to coordinate people, processes, and mission to optimize organizational effectiveness. 

The Mandate 
The Chief Operating Officer of Deep South Today will be a management expert. The inaugural COO will:

Translate Strategy into Actionable Steps
• Provide forward-thinking leadership, continuously looking for improvement and greater impact with a growth mindset. 
• Effectively communicate while consistently learning and responding to organizational needs across all newsroom functions, promoting accountability and transparency. 
• Establish Key Performance Indicators to manage all aspects of business operations. Use metrics and data to monitor performance against goals, budgets, and the strategic plan. 
• Serve as both confidant and strategic advisor to the President and CEO, while demonstrating a willingness to challenge collaboratively and diplomatically.

Sustainably Scale the Organization
• Provide innovative methods to expand the audience and increase investigative reporting coverage using technologically savvy and sound business practices. 
• Create and manage an operational framework that supports the organization’s current and future opportunities while enhancing efficiency, effectiveness, and impact. Assess whether the right people are in the right seats. 
• Strengthen the organization’s core by establishing synergistic systems, policies, processes, and practices.
• Bring a logical and analytical approach to business strategy using research-based informed metrics for sustainable expansion into new markets.

Drive Operational Integrity
• Implement additional structure and processes in this fast-growing entrepreneurial environment, with clear organizational objectives, team accountability, and strategic resource management. 
• Identify editorial needs for each newsroom and implement processes to attract expanded audiences. 
• The COO will be an engaging, trusted leader who builds, manages, and motivates a world-class team by valuing input from empowered staff and creating space for innovation and ideas. 
• The COO will be an effective intermediary who drives confidence among staff and partners to reach Deep South Today’s ambitious goals in a disciplined, collaborative manner.

Strengthen the Fiscal Business Hub
• Armed with deep financial acumen and appreciation for the value of journalism, the COO will ensure Deep South Today has the funding, ideal team, and audience to justify expansion into new markets. 
• Collaboratively drives financial discipline into all functions. 
• The COO will elevate organizational capabilities in areas such as financial skills, data analysis, business intelligence, and forecasting.

The COO of Deep South Today can expect to have several overlapping priorities, among them.
• Confirm DST’s overarching vision with the President and CEO, then develop and execute the strategy to make that vision real. 
• Build a supportive relationship with the operating entities, respecting local autonomy while delivering collective value. 
• Marshal the innovative thinking and financial resources required for a financially sustainable enterprise characterized by diverse revenue streams. 
• Develop or tap best practices in technology and data management. 
• Establish relationships with sponsors and advertisers to facilitate growth and expansion. 
• Embody DST’s commitment to the region by being a connected, embedded presence. 
• Ensure a pervasive commitment to excellence throughout the organization.

The Relationships
Reports to: Deep South Today’s Chief Executive Officer
Direct reports: 
• Executive Director, Mississippi Today 
• Executive Director, Verite News 
• Managing Director of Revenue 
• Finance, Information Technology, and Human Resources functions (including outsourced resources or consultants as appropriate)

The Candidate
Deep South Today is an equal-opportunity employer committed to democracy, social justice, and racial equity. The organization proactively pursues leaders who embody its ideals and aspirations. 

As the day-to-day implementer of the bold vision of the organization’s CEO, Deep South Today requires a proven leader who is adaptable and motivated by what is best for the organization. The COO has working knowledge of publishing and journalism; a leader who understands and respects the distinctions between general management, leadership, and editorial oversight.

Personal Characteristics: A COO who is 
• An active listener. 
• Responsive, taking care of colleagues to create an innovative culture. 
• Creative and innovative. 
• A proven manager who is highly adaptable. 
• Demonstrated ability to build trusted relationships. 
• Instinctually organized. 
• Flexible. 
• Exceptional level of EQ and the ability to navigate organizational dynamics deftly. 
• A creative thinker. 
• Ability to leverage all digital platforms. 
• Deep appreciation for the South. • Demonstrated growth mindset.

Culture: A COO who is 
• Inclusive (DST’s newsrooms reflect our our audiences). 
• Transparent & accessible; civically engaged and grounded in community. 
• A champion for justice, equity, access, and truth who gets the nuance of a nonprofit news service focused on government accountability (vs. politics). 
• Independent-minded but fundamentally collaborative; a natural relationship-builder. 
• Clear-minded about the interdependence of mission and margin. 
• A pragmatic optimist who thrives in fast-paced environments; someone who gets things done. 
• Able to conceive and build the right systems. 
• An ally of issues, institutions, and people of the South; someone who is neither naïve nor cynical; an advocate, not a zealot; a leader who operates from a sense of abundance rather than scarcity. 
• An MVP Team player.

The Location 
Ideally, the COO will reside within DST’s service footprint (Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, or Tennessee); the location is open to discussion.

You can find the Leadership Profile here: https://bit.ly/DeepSouthToday_COO