The Tulsa Local News Initiative seeks an art director to lead our visual storytelling and production efforts, including producing the print edition of the Oklahoma Eagle and digital assets for daily and enterprise journalism produced by the Tulsa Local News Initiative. This role is crucial in shaping and maintaining our visual identity and ensuring our content is engaging, accessible, and impactful across all platforms. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of digital and print media production, a passion for visual journalism, and the ability to translate complex stories into compelling visual narratives.

As a startup building a newsroom from scratch, we have the opportunity to reimagine visual storytelling in local journalism. The art director will work closely with the executive editor, news editor, and community engagement team to develop a visual strategy that enhances our reporting, reflects the diversity of Tulsa, and fosters a deeper connection with our readers.

The Tulsa Local News Initiative is a yet-to-be named startup nonprofit organization that has raised nearly $14 million so far in service of a vision to give everyone in Tulsa the local news they need. The newsroom will produce high-quality accountability journalism while working directly with residents to produce and distribute community reporting, employing an innovative model for local journalism that is directly responsive to local information needs. In addition to a team of editors and beat reporters, the Tulsa newsroom will have best-in-class community engagement expertise, multimedia production, dedicated capacity for service journalism and research, and Tulsa Documenters. 

At TLNI, we value learning, curiosity and diverse perspectives. We are dedicated to equitable hiring and follow best practices to create an inclusive hiring process. 

• Experience in visual journalism, design, or related fields
• Strong portfolio demonstrating expertise in digital design, photography, and video production
• Experience leading creative teams and managing visual projects
• Proficiency in design software (Adobe Creative Suite, etc.) and digital publishing tools
• Strong understanding of data visualization and information design
• Experience with web design and user experience principles
• Familiarity with emerging technologies in visual storytelling (AR, VR, etc.)
• Excellent project management and communication skills
• Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced, startup environment
• Understanding of journalistic ethics and standards
• Knowledge of Tulsa's cultural landscape a plus
• Experience in a newsroom setting preferred

• Directly supervise the design team and multimedia producers
• Manage and cultivate a network of freelance visual contributors
• Provide mentorship and professional development opportunities for team members

• 5+ years of experience in visual journalism, design, or related fields
• Strong portfolio demonstrating expertise in digital design, photography, and video production
• Experience leading creative teams and managing visual projects
• Proficiency in design software (Adobe Creative Suite, etc.) and digital publishing tools
• Strong understanding of data visualization and information design
• Experience with web design and user experience principles
• Familiarity with emerging technologies in visual storytelling (AR, VR, etc.)
• Excellent project management and communication skills
• Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced, startup environment
• Understanding of journalistic ethics and standards
• Knowledge of Tulsa's cultural landscape a plus
• Experience in a newsroom setting preferred

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. The salary range for this role is $70,000-80,000 with a generous benefits package.