Startups Lab Senior Program Manager

If you are passionate about helping create and support an independent local news ecosystem across the U.S. and Canada, we want to hear from you.

LION Publishers is a journalism association supporting independent local online news publishers, and recently, in partnership with the Google News Initiative, launched the GNI Startups Lab, a program that will help aspiring news entrepreneurs in the U.S. and Canada turn their news idea into reality and set their business on the path to sustainability. 

The GNI Startups Lab is a year-long pilot and we are looking for the right person to help us design, manage and help grow the pilot into a long-term program.

Our four-person LION team is small, but mighty, and in less than a year, we’ve launched programs like the Expert Network, Skills Series and LION Lessons; collaborated with partners on Project Oasis; been nimble in responding to our members’ needs with this webinar on managing a news business amid COVID-19, and examples of how to respond to the Black Lives Matter demonstrations; and doubled our membership while also creating a new membership tier for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Now we need someone to help us create new LION members, particularly in communities considered news deserts and/or for communities that are typically underrepresented in their local media.

Submit your application using this form by August 13, 2020.

Here’s some of the work we’d love your help with:

• Assist with logistics and funder management for Boot Camp
• Help design GNI Startup Lab phase two structure and programming and ensure they line up with other existing LION work, including Project Oasis
• Manage existing phase-two related programs, including Skills Series and Expert Network
• Help design GNI Startup Lab phase two application, review process and announcement
• Help select GNI phase two participants
• Prepare regular reports and retrospective reports on Startup Boot Camp pilot, including recommendations for future Boot Camp 
• Work with membership/communications manager to develop plan to recruit new LION members

You should also be prepared to work for an organization that’s:

• Scrappy and operates leanly
• In the process of building a strategic plan and still has many unknowns (read: possibilities!) on the horizon
• A small distributed team that relies on digital communication and (hopefully in the near future) occasional in-person meetings to communicate and collaborate with each other

This is a grant-funded position and you’ll report to programming director Anika Anand.

Here’s more on how to apply:

If you choose to apply, and are chosen to be interviewed, be prepared to talk about your mid-term and long-term career goals and how LION can help support you in achieving them; how you hope to grow this role; and what you, specifically, can contribute to the GNI Startups Lab program.

Submit your application using this form by August 13, 2020.

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LION Publishers encourages applications from diverse backgrounds and underrepresented communities. We desire to build an organization and grow a membership that welcomes and encourages participation from all interested individuals.