Director – Talent Lab

Job Description:

The Wall Street Journal is seeking an experienced and visionary leader to run a Talent Lab that will enhance the creative capabilities of our newsroom staff. This pivotal role will be responsible for the strategic direction, operational management and continuous improvement of the Talent Lab, ensuring our journalists are equipped with cutting-edge skills in content creation, audience engagement and external communications. The ideal candidate will be a dynamic leader with a deep understanding of modern journalism, digital media trends and effective talent development strategies.

You will: 

• Oversee the strategic development and day-to-day operations of the Talent Lab's core curriculum for journalists.

• Help journalists develop their voice and use it effectively across digital platforms, including in newsletters, social media and community-building with audiences. 

• Design and implement comprehensive social media training programs, covering platform-specific strategies, audience growth and community management.

• Develop and deliver practical workshops on self-shooting social video, including technical skills, storytelling for short-form content and platform optimization.

• In coordination with our Communications team formalize and conduct rigorous media training sessions, preparing reporters for interviews and public appearances.

• Help support subscriber Q&A sessions, equipping reporters with strategies for effective audience interaction and building community.

• Help develop and implement training and resources related to online protections and digital safety for journalists.

• Collaborate closely with internal communications and editorial teams to assess, pitch and execute external outreach efforts.

• Regularly assess program effectiveness, gather feedback from reporters, and adapt curriculum to reflect evolving industry standards and internal needs.

You have:

• 10+ years of experience in journalism, media training, talent development, or a related field, with at least 3-5 years in a leadership or program management role.

• Demonstrable expertise in modern journalism practices, including digital content creation, social media strategy and audience engagement.

• Proven track record of developing and delivering effective training programs.

• Strong understanding of media relations, public relations and external communications best practices.

• Excellent communication, interpersonal and presentation skills.

• Ability to work strategically, manage multiple priorities, and lead a dynamic program.

• Strong analytical skills with the ability to assess program effectiveness and make data-driven decisions.

• Experience with online safety and digital security protocols for media professionals.

The position will be based in New York.

To apply, please submit a resume and a cover letter that describes one skill you think journalists should develop/have in order to better connect with audiences.

The Journal’s reporters, editors, developers, and audio and visual journalists create important and impactful stories, firmly rooted in fact and adhering to the highest ethical standards. We report without fear or bias, and we maintain a proper sense of perspective, detachment and objectivity in our reporting.

*LI-JA1-WSJ

Reasonable accommodation: Dow Jones, Making Careers Newsworthy - All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability status. EEO/AA/M/F/Disabled/Vets. Dow Jones is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities, in our job application and/or interview process. If you need assistance or accommodation in completing your application, due to a disability, email us at [email protected]. Please put "Reasonable Accommodation" in the subject line and provide a brief description of the type of assistance you need. This inbox will not be monitored for application status updates.

Reasonable accommodation: Dow Jones, Making Careers Newsworthy - We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. EEO/Disabled/Vets. Dow Jones is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities, in our job application and/or interview process. If you need assistance or accommodation in completing your application, due to a disability, email us at [email protected]. Please put "Reasonable Accommodation" in the subject line and provide a brief description of the type of assistance you need. This inbox will not be monitored for application status updates.

Business Area:

Dow Jones - News - WSJ

Job Category:

Editorial/Journalism

Union Status:

Non-Union rolePay Range: $195,000 - $225,000We recognize that attracting the best talent is key to our strategy and success as a company. As a result, we aim for flexibility in structuring competitive compensation offers to ensure we are able to attract the best candidates. The quoted salary range represents our good faith estimate as to what our ideal candidates are likely to expect, and we tailor our offers within the range based on the selected candidate's experience, industry knowledge, location, technical and communication skills, and other factors that may prove relevant during the interview process.Pay-for-performance is a key element in our strategy to attract, engage, and motivate talented people to do their best work. Similarly to salary, for bonus eligible roles, targets are set based on a variety of factors including competitive market practice.For benefits eligible roles, in addition to cash compensation, the company provides a comprehensive and highly competitive benefits package, with a variety of physical health, retirement and savings, caregiving, emotional wellbeing, transportation, and other benefits, including "elective" benefits employees may select to best fit the needs and personal situations of our diverse workforce..