Director, Media Research

Accountabilities

• Lead and develop the research team: Recruit, train, mentor, and manage research professionals, establishing clear goals, workflows, performance expectations, and quality standards.

• Own media database quality: Ensure the accuracy, completeness, relevance, and freshness of journalist and publication records, including contact information, professional roles, editorial beats, and pitching preferences.

• Establish research standards: Develop and maintain consistent research methodologies, verification procedures, quality controls, and update cycles to ensure reliable data.

• Monitor changes across the media landscape: Respond proactively to newsroom developments, including journalist career moves, layoffs, publication closures, mergers, launches, and organizational changes.

• Develop media categorization frameworks: Build and maintain structured classification systems for editorial beats, topics, industries, publication types, geographic coverage, and audience segments.

• Expand coverage of emerging media: Identify new editorial areas and formats, including newsletters, podcasts, independent creators, and other evolving channels, and determine how they should be represented in the database.

• Enrich journalist profiles: Incorporate actionable outreach intelligence, including preferred contact methods, deadlines, content interests, and pitching guidelines, to help clients communicate more effectively.

• Measure and improve data quality: Define, monitor, and report on key performance indicators such as email bounce rates, record accuracy, update frequency, and coverage gaps.

• Advance AI-enabled research: Partner with product development teams to introduce AI-powered tools and automated workflows that increase research efficiency while maintaining human oversight, verification, and accountability.

• Address client needs and data gaps: Collaborate with customer success and sales enablement teams to resolve data issues, investigate coverage gaps, and prioritize improvements based on client feedback.

• Support client education: Work with marketing teams to develop pitching guides, webinars, and practical resources that help clients understand media outreach best practices.

• Manage journalist data requests: Oversee requests to update, correct, or remove personal information and ensure research practices comply with applicable privacy and anti-spam regulations, including GDPR and CASL.

• Collaborate across the organization: Partner with product and executive leadership to align research priorities with business objectives, improve operational effectiveness, and support the continued evolution of media intelligence solutions.

Requirements:

• Journalism experience: At least seven years of professional experience in journalism, such as reporting, editing, producing, or assignment editing.

• Leadership experience: At least three years of experience leading or managing a team, including developing talent, setting priorities, and establishing effective operational processes.

• In-depth newsroom knowledge: Strong understanding of newsroom structures, editorial workflows, journalist beats, deadlines, publication practices, and how journalists evaluate incoming pitches.

• Media outreach expertise: A clear understanding of what makes pitches relevant and compelling, what journalists value in professional outreach, and which practices can undermine effective media relationships.

• Research and verification skills: Exceptional ability to research, validate, organize, and maintain information with a strong commitment to accuracy, consistency, and detail.

• Database and systems thinking: Comfort working with databases and structured information, with the ability to design repeatable processes and improve data quality at scale.

• AI and automation proficiency: Hands-on familiarity with AI tools, including large language models and workflow automation platforms, alongside an interest in using technology to streamline research activities.

• Data-driven decision-making: Ability to define meaningful metrics, interpret performance data, identify quality issues, and use evidence to guide operational improvements.

• Communication skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with internal stakeholders and communicate clearly with clients.

• Organization and initiative: A proactive, curious, and highly organized approach, with the ability to build processes from the ground up, manage competing priorities, and work independently.

• Cross-functional collaboration: Ability to work effectively with product development, customer success, sales enablement, marketing, and senior leadership to deliver shared objectives.

• Additional industry experience: Experience in media research, media intelligence, public relations technology, or the newswire industry is an asset.

• Professional network: An established network within the journalism community is considered an advantage.

Benefits:

• Competitive compensation: Annual salary range of CAD $120,000–$150,000, depending on experience, skills, and internal equity.

• Remote work: Fully remote working environment.

• Health coverage: Health, dental, and vision benefits.

• Retirement savings: RRSP matching.

• Financial protection: Life insurance.

• Employee support: Access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

• Paid time off: Paid vacation, personal days, and sick days.

• Holiday break: A week off between Christmas and New Year's.

• Meeting-free Fridays: No internal meetings scheduled on Fridays.

• Career development: Opportunities for professional growth and career progression.

• Collaborative environment: A supportive culture with tools and resources that encourage teamwork, communication, and shared success.