Publisher & Chief Executive Officer

Description

This is a unique chance to lead a respected, mission-driven nonprofit news organization based in Palo Alto and consisting of seven community websites, three weekly newspapers and an online regional magazine. Our incoming CEO will inherit a strong, widely acknowledged editorial and public service reputation, a dedicated team, a respected community-based board of directors, a loyal reader base and deep community relationships.

The ideal candidate is someone who is passionate about the importance of local journalism to strengthen civic life through quality news coverage, storytelling and community engagement. They understand why it matters that communities have trusted, independent voices covering schools, city and county government, neighborhoods, and all the things that help people live and enjoy the region. They are as comfortable in a community listening session as they are in a board meeting or a grant conversation, and they bring the managerial and leadership experience to run a growing nonprofit organization. They thrive on change and innovation in the rapidly evolving local media ecosystem.

Key Responsibilities

Editorial Vision & Journalistic Integrity

Our CEO serves as the steward of our editorial mission, working in close partnership with the newsroom leadership to ensure that our journalism remains rigorous and fair.

• Uphold and champion the highest standards of journalistic ethics, independence, and quality across all coverage and platforms
• Partner with editorial leadership to develop and evolve coverage priorities that reflect the genuine needs and interests of the communities we serve
• Serve as a visible, credible advocate for the role of local journalism in civic life — in public forums and events, with funders, and across the broader media landscape
• Foster a culture that values accuracy, curiosity, equity, and accountability
• Support editorial experimentation and innovation, including new formats, platforms, and community events and partnerships that extend our reach and deepen engagement
• Lead a process for determining policies regarding the use of Artificial Intelligence

Community Engagement & Relationship Building

More than anything, we are looking for a leader who sees community engagement and events not as a marketing function, but as core to our journalism and mission.

• Build and sustain authentic relationships with residents, civic leaders, community organizations, schools, businesses, and underrepresented communities across our coverage area
• Lead community listening efforts — town halls, neighborhood convenings, reader panels — that ensure our journalism reflects the perspectives of those we serve
• Represent the organization as a trusted civic partner at public events and forums
• Develop strategies to reach and serve audiences that have historically been underrepresented in local news coverage
• Champion accessibility: ensure our journalism and engagement practices meet readers where they are, across platforms, languages, and formats

Organizational Leadership & Operations

The CEO provides steady, values-driven leadership across all organizational functions, creating conditions for the team to do its best work.

• Lead, mentor, and support a talented team of journalists, editors, and operations staff, fostering a culture of trust, transparency, and accountability
• Establish and uphold operational policies and procedures that help us fulfill our organizational mission and values
• Work closely with the Board of Directors, keeping directors well-informed and engaged, and building strong governance practices
• Oversee day-to-day operations including finance, HR, legal compliance, and technology infrastructure
• Drive strategic planning in partnership with staff and board, setting clear organizational goals and tracking progress against them

Revenue Development & Financial Stewardship

Financial sustainability is essential to our independence. The CEO leads a diversified revenue strategy that keeps our journalism free and our organization strong.

• Develop and manage a diversified revenue strategy encompassing advertising, foundation grants, individual donations, major gifts, sponsorships and memberships
• Reimagine our advertising sales and staffing strategy
• Cultivate relationships with foundation program officers, major donors, and civic funders who share our commitment to local journalism as a public good
• Oversee the annual budget process and maintain strong financial controls, reporting regularly to the Board on financial health
• Lead or co-lead grant writing and reporting, with support from development staff
• Identify and build new revenue streams that enhance sustainability without compromising editorial independence

Required Qualifications

• Passion for local journalism and a deeply held belief in its role in building informed, engaged, healthy communities
• Seven or more years of leadership experience in journalism, media, nonprofit management, public service or a closely related field
• Proven ability to build authentic community relationships and translate community engagement into meaningful organizational practice
• Strong operational and financial management experience, including budgeting, HR oversight, and board governance
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; comfort as a public spokesperson and relationship builder
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion as organizational values
• Current or significant prior residency in San Francisco Bay Area, preferably on the Peninsula

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience as a journalist, editor, or newsroom leader, or in a leadership role with a respected nonprofit in our region with a long history of community engagement
• Track record of fundraising success, including grant writing, major donor cultivation, and revenue diversification
• Familiarity with the nonprofit news ecosystem and the broader local news funding landscape
• Experience leading organizational change or growth in a mission-driven setting
• Event planning experience
• Familiarity with managing or working in a partially unionized organization
• Existing relationships in our coverage community or region
• Experience with digital audience development, reader revenue models, or membership programs

Personal Attributes

Beyond credentials, we are looking for someone who:

• Leads with curiosity and humility, listening as much as they speak
• Brings optimism, resilience and a sense of urgency to the challenges facing local journalism
• Earns trust — with staff, with readers, with funders, and with the community — through consistency, transparency, and integrity
• Thinks strategically but acts pragmatically, comfortable moving between big-picture vision and day-to-day problem solving
• Cares deeply about creating conditions where everyone on the team can do their best work

About Us

Embarcadero Media has spent the last 47 years doing what local journalism does best: telling the stories that hold institutions accountable, surface what is overlooked, and help neighbors understand the place they call home.

Our three newspapers and their associated websites (Palo Alto Weekly/Palo Alto Online, Pleasanton Weekly and The Almanac (covering the communities of Menlo Park, Portola Valley, Woodside and Atherton)), four additional community websites (Redwood City Pulse, Mountain View Voice, Livermore Vine and Danville-San Ramon.com) and a regional online magazine (The Six Fifty) are the leading sources for local news and information in their communities.

Our newspapers and websites have won numerous awards at the regional, state and national level and the Palo Alto Weekly was the first newspaper in the United States to publish on the web, in early 1994.

In 2024, our organization converted to nonprofit and currently has a budget of $5 million, of which more than 40% now comes from memberships, donations and foundations. Our websites operate with paywalls, but we are currently launching a fundraising campaign to remove them at the end of the year so our news will be free to all. We are also nearing completion of a collective bargaining agreement with our editorial and production employees.

Our primary office is in Palo Alto and our staff of approximately 45 has a hybrid in-office/remote work schedule with most local employees typically in the office at least two days a week.

Compensation & Benefits

We offer a competitive compensation package commensurate with experience, including:

• Annual salary range: $150,000-$180,000
• Comprehensive health and dental insurance
• Generous paid time off and paid holidays
• Professional development support and conference attendance
• Position is based at our Palo Alto office; flexibility exists for some remote work-from-home

How to Apply

To apply, please submit the following materials to our search committee at [email protected]

• A cover letter (no more than two pages) describing your connection to local journalism, your vision for community-centered news, and what draws you to this role
• A current resume
• Two or three representative work samples — writing, strategy documents, or other materials that reflect your leadership and values
• Contact information for three professional references (references will not be contacted without your prior knowledge)

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. We encourage early submission. We are committed to a transparent and timely process and will acknowledge receipt of all applications.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Embarcadero Media Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a team that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. We strongly encourage applications from women, people of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities, veterans, and others from underrepresented backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.