Job Description
Career Opportunity NC
Health News (NCHN), a non-profit online-only
publication recognized for high-quality reporting, seeks a visionary and
strategic leader to serve as its next Executive Director. The ideal candidate
will guide the organization in delivering rigorous, impactful health journalism
and advancing its long-term strategic vision for informing and improving public
health statewide.
Mission: NC Health News is an independent, statewide news
organization dedicated to covering health care in North Carolina employing the
highest journalistic standards of fairness, accuracy, and extensive research.
NCHN was founded in response to the decrease in health reporters around the
state. NCHN believes that to make the best decisions about the state’s health
care system, the citizens of North Carolina need the best information possible.
NCHN seeks to become the premiere source for health reporting in North
Carolina.
Reporting
Structure :
The Executive Director reports to a Board of Directors and leads a team of 13.
Budget : 2026 fiscal year budget of
$823,000
Salary : The salary is commensurate
with experience and begins in the $90,000 range. Benefits include 100% medical,
dental and vision insurance ,
three weeks of vacation, 12 paid holidays and a 3% retirement match.
Working
Environment/Location: Mostly remote with moderate travel/Must live in NC
Key
Responsibilities of the Executive Director The Executive Director provides visionary
leadership and strategic oversight, driving the organization’s mission by
ensuring editorial excellence, financial sustainability, and operational
effectiveness, while building strong relationships with funders, partners, and
the community. This role has a direct impact on shaping public health
discourse, expanding the outlet’s
reach, and empowering communities through trusted,
high-quality reporting. The next Executive Director will pilot and coordinate
efforts to truly scale statewide and achieve financial and operational
sustainability by building NCHN’s distribution syndication, strengthening
reader engagement, increasing revenue, and formulating a longer-term business
strategy.
Leadership, Strategy
& Board Engagement ● The Executive Director works with four
direct reports, including the Editor-in-Chief, to guide the organization in
delivering rigorous, impactful health journalism and advancing its long-term
strategic vision for informing and improving public health statewide ● Put
strategic goals into action by aligning people, resources, and partnerships
around the mission ● Foster a culture of journalistic integrity, innovation, inclusion,
and accountability ● Champion the organization’s work in the public sphere, ensuring
clear, compelling representation across community, media, and stakeholder group ● Partner with the Editor-in-Ch ief and the Board of Directors to strengthen governance, support board
recruitment, and enhance overall board effectiveness ● Serve as an advocate for the newsroom’s mission
to funders, partners, and the broader community
Revenue Generation ● Develop , implement, and evaluate an annu al comprehensive revenue generation strategy, including
fundraising segments: sponsorships, partnerships, foundations, individuals and major gifts, grants, and
events ● Cultivate and steward relationships with donors, funders, and
community stakeholders ● Serve as the organization’s chief fundraiser, ensuring meaningful
growth through hands-on engagement with key supporters ● Supervise contract support for selling ads and sponsorships ● Design and manage revenue generation and development operational
calendar, ensuring timely and impactful organizational efforts
Financial Management ● Lead and manage financial planning, budgeting, and reporting to
support long-term sustainability, partnering with Board and Editor-in-chief ● Align financial decisions with strategic priorities, balancing
short-term needs with long-term stability ● Ensure
responsible, transparent financial oversight and strong fiscal controls,
including monitoring cash flow, expenses, and revenue targets ● Prepare
NC Health News for annual audits ● Work closely with external bookkeeper and accountant to ensure
accurate bookkeeping, audits, and compliance ● Oversee invoice and expense management, banking operations, and
QuickBooks data entry and reporting ● Report regularly to the board on financial health, risks, and
opportunities, working with a bookkeeper and accountant to craft digestible and
accurate financial reports
People &
Operations Management ● Develop staffing strategies to recruit, develop, and retain a
high-performing team ● Collaborate with the Edi tor-in-chief to ensure a well-developed,
engaged editorial team ● Manage staffing, human resources, and organizational policies,
systems, and benefits to ensure effective and equitable operations ● Manage organization’s p ayroll,
retirement, and benefits , ensuring effective and
appropriate alignment to operational needs ● Oversee all day-to-day operations to ensure effective, efficient,
and mission-aligned execution, compliant with regulatory and ethical standards ● Manage contracts, vendor relationships, and technology systems to
support operational needs
Editorial Support ● Collaborate
with the editorial leadership to set long-term organizational goals that
complement journalistic objectives ● Prioritize
budget allocations that reinforce investigative, public-health-focused, and
statewide reporting priorities ● Support newsroom independence while ensuring sustainable
operations and growth ● Help develop partnerships and distribution strategies that expand
audience reach and impact
The
Ideal Candidate Profile The
ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications: ● Proven executive or senior directorial leadership experience with
a healthcare, media, or journalism nonprofit ● Keen understanding of independent journalism and its role in a
healthy democracy ● Deep empathy and desire for all North Carolinians to have access
to the information, resources, and care that support their overall health ● Proven
experience in donor outreach, solicitation, and stewardship ● E xperience with local community grassroots initiatives ,
policy, and advocacy ● Outstanding
strategic planning experience, with ability to apply varied and thoughtful
approaches for sustainability ● Excellent people management skills, with experience and
appreciation for coaching and developing diverse work groups; experience
managing staff within creative spaces a plus ● Strong fiscal management skills, with functional knowledge of
QuickBooks and ability to disseminate and relate financial information to a
variety of stakeholders ● Demonstrated experience in developing and managing budgets ● Effective
grant-research and writing skills ● Excellent communication, collaboration, influence, and public
speaking abilities ● Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in media and
organizational culture ● Bachelors degree or equivalent work experience in journalism,
healthcare, and/or nonprofit management; advanced degree preferred
About NC HEALTH NEWS NC
Health News has provided information on health news, trends, and state policies
to the people of North Carolina to help them make health care decisions for
themselves, their families, and in the case of policymakers and providers,
their constituents. Our team publishes 5-7 original, in-depth articles each
week that we promote on social platforms and in a twice weekly, free
e-newsletter. With this expanded capacity, NC Health News will expand their
audience products.
NC Health News reports with an understanding that good health is more than your
diet and exercise routine or the medications you take. It's affordable
insurance. It's safe drinking water. It’s knowing what to look for in a home
for your aging parent. It's accessing quality care when you need it from a
trusted, local provider. It can be hard for North Carolinians to figure out
what complicated laws and corporate policies mean for their everyday life:
Their health, family, care choices, and their wallet. For 15 years, NC Health
News has been breaking down how health policies ultimately affect residents of
our state, and our work has grown in influence and reach. NCHN has been in the
vanguard of rebuilding North Carolina’s journalism ecosystem, creating strong
ties with audiences, peer publications and influencing policymakers. More than
130 outlets trust NCHN’s reporting and reprint or reference its articles each
year.
Want
to know more? Visit
How To Apply Join
NC Health News and play a critical role in shaping its future while driving
impactful change in the community.
To
apply, click
on the link for this position at
. You will see instructions for
uploading your compelling cover letter and resume. Cover letters should be
responsive to the mission of NC Health News as well as the stated
responsibilities and qualifications. Please
provide all requested information to be considered. In case of any technical
problems, contact talent@armstrongmcguire.com .
No phone calls, please, and no applications will be
accepted by email or directly from third-party posting sites. NC Health News is committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and
equitable workplace. As an equal opportunity employer, we welcome applicants
from all backgrounds and do not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity,
gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, age,
religion, national origin, or veteran status. O ur
reporting—and our mission—are strengthened when our team reflects the diverse
North Carolina communities we serve.
About Armstrong McGuire Armstrong
McGuire is a national executive search, fundraising, and strategic advising
firm that believes in unlocking the potential of nonprofit leaders and the
communities they serve. Founded in 2004, our diverse team of advisors work with
clients and leaders to align strategy, optimize operations, build capacity, and
lead nationwide searches that bring supremely talented individuals to
high-impact organizations. Learn more about our services in talent
acquisition, fundraising counsel, and strategic planning.
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