Full-Time
Head of Political Sales
Posted on 10/1/2025
TEGNA
1,001-5,000 employees
Distributes local news via TV and digital
Compensation Overview
$195k - $300k/yr
Washington, DC, USA + 2 more
More locations: New York, NY, USA | Vienna, VA, USA
In Person
 Sales & Account Management (1) |
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- Experienced advertising leader with deep and existing contacts with key political agencies based in DC, NY
- Experience in streaming, local, broadcast TV or other digital video.
- Leader with an entrepreneurial mindset.
- Dynamic presenter, who hits the ground running and closes business.
- Able to effectively solve problems and identify solutions and opportunities.
- Able to work alongside and influence key Premion team members and groups
- Take over overall go-to-market strategy and execution plan for the political sector in 2026 with the opportunity to capture dollars as early in the year as possible.
- Continue to define PREMION’s resource strategy for Political
- Manage and develop relationships with all key senior level and day-to-day decision makers at the national political agencies; including but to limited to National Media, Target Media, and GMMB, PAC’s, candidate groups, etc.
- Manage and lead pitches to drive agency-wide deals, pricing, and client development.
- Execute on RFP responses and new business proposals.
- Manage and work with our third-party sales team/consultancy to maximize results
- Execute with pre-sales, sales operations, marketing, account management teams and sales channel partner teams
- Also, partner with product and technology teams to ensure targeting, identify data enrichment opportunities and define reporting and insights requirements.
- Collaborate with the Premion team of requirements, opportunities, and challenges from political agencies that will enable Premion to maximize revenue and make necessary adjustments to products and processes.
- Network at key political events to develop relationships and keep Premion top-of-mind as the leading local, streaming, premium solution.
- Communicate at a high level with the Premion team and TEGNA senior sales leadership.
- Manage current Manager, Political Advertising
- Reach/exceed established revenue goals
- Pay Range $195,000—$300,000 USD
TEGNA operates 64 local TV stations across 51 U.S. markets and also runs digital and OTT platforms to deliver local news and services. Its content is available live and on-demand via TV, web, mobile apps, streaming, and platforms like Roku and Fire TV. It differentiates itself by owning the largest share of top-four network affiliates in the top-25 markets among independents and by operating multicast networks True Crime Network, Twist, and Quest, plus Premion OTT ads. Its goal is to help people thrive in local communities through trusted news and services while providing advertisers with cross-channel access to local audiences.
Company Size
1,001-5,000
Company Stage
IPO
Headquarters
McLean, Virginia
Founded
2017
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Paolini can tighten ad monetization across linear and digital inventory.
- Hold-separate operations preserve standalone execution while legal appeals continue.
- Cross-platform packaging can monetize TEGNA's local audience and expanded video engagement.
What critics are saying
- Nexstar litigation can unwind the completed deal or force costly remedies.
- TEGNA's revenue declined 18.9% year over year in Q4.
- Standalone execution remains fragile if merger uncertainty delays investment and strategy.
What makes TEGNA unique
- Patrick Paolini brings 30+ years of local broadcast and ad-sales experience.
- TEGNA operates 64 stations across 51 markets, reaching over 100 million people monthly.
- Its new mobile news app drove 10x video plays in beta.
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Benefits
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Life Insurance
Disability Insurance
401(k) Company Match
401(k) Retirement Plan
Mental Health Support
Paid Vacation
Paid Holidays
Company News
Fort Baker Capital Management has fully exited its position in TEGNA, selling 1,678,588 shares worth an estimated $34.3 million, according to an SEC filing dated 17 February 2026. The stake previously represented 1.7% of the fund's reportable assets under management. TEGNA, which operates 64 television stations across 51 US markets, generates revenue primarily through advertising sales and retransmission fees. As of 13 February 2026, shares were priced at $20.95, up 18.6% over the past year. The sale was Fort Baker Capital's largest divestment in the fourth quarter of 2025. TEGNA's net income suffered in 2025 following the loss of political advertising revenue that had boosted results in 2024.
TEGNA, a broadcasting and digital media company, reported fourth-quarter revenue of $706.1 million, beating analyst estimates of $699.1 million despite an 18.9% year-on-year decline. The company's non-GAAP profit of $0.50 per share exceeded consensus estimates by 10.6%. Adjusted EBITDA reached $161.1 million with a 22.8% margin, beating expectations by 3.9%. However, operating margin fell to 16.9% from 31.6% in the prior year period, whilst free cash flow margin declined to 12.3% from 26.8%. Over the past five years, TEGNA's revenue has declined 1.6% annually, with recent performance showing 3.5% annual declines over the last two years. Analysts forecast 10.9% revenue growth over the next 12 months, below the sector average.
Nexstar Media Group reported fourth quarter net revenue of $1.29 billion, down 13.4% year-over-year, primarily due to reduced political advertising. However, non-political advertising grew 4.5%, exceeding expectations, with distribution revenue increasing 0.8% to $720 million. The company remains on track to close its $1.45 billion acquisition of TEGNA by end of 2026, with all regulatory filings submitted. Nexstar issued full-year standalone adjusted EBITDA guidance of $1.95 billion to $2.05 billion. The CW finished 2025 as the tenth most-watched ad-supported network, improving cash flow by 32% and expecting profitability by Q4 2026. NewsNation became the fastest-growing cable news network in the 25–54 demographic, with viewer awareness reaching 40%. Looking ahead, Nexstar expects to capture a low double-digit share of projected $5.28 billion broadcast political advertising during the 2026 midterm elections.
TEGNA, a US local news company operating 64 television stations across 51 markets, has launched new mobile apps delivering thousands of daily original videos from local journalists and meteorologists. The apps feature a vertical scrolling feed personalised based on user preferences. The launch follows TEGNA's transformation of its stations into 24/7 story-first newsrooms designed to capture local stories in real time. Beta testing in Atlanta, Denver, Indianapolis and Seattle showed video plays increased more than tenfold, whilst user sessions rose 40%. The apps include customisable location settings, personalised news feeds, weather forecasts, topic exploration hubs and integrated advertising. TEGNA reaches over 100 million people monthly across web, mobile apps, connected TVs and linear television.
Employees and contractors of WZZM 13, TEGNA Inc., Michigan Irish Music Festival and each of their respective affiliated companies, and advertising and promotional agencies, and the immediate family members of, and any persons domiciled with, any such employees or contractors, are not eligible to enter or to win.