[Hiring] Head of News @Bored Panda

Role Description

We are looking for an experienced and ambitious Head of News to lead Bored Panda’s News department and take it to its next stage of growth. You will take ownership of an established, international News department and a talented team of editors and content creators. Your role will be to build on what already works, identify new opportunities, experiment with content and processes, and ultimately grow the department’s reach and performance. This is a role for someone who combines strong editorial judgment with business thinking and exceptional people leadership.

• Lead and develop an international News team, creating a high-performing, collaborative, and motivated newsroom culture;
• Manage, coach, and mentor editors and content creators, helping them grow while maintaining high standards and accountability;
• Take ownership of the department’s strategy, goals, KPIs, and overall performance;
• Identify new opportunities for traffic and audience growth and turn them into actionable experiments;
• Develop and optimize the News content strategy based on data, audience behavior, market trends, and platform changes;
• Explore and A/B test new content categories, formats, topics, and approaches to discover new growth opportunities;
• Ensure the department remains competitive with the world’s leading publishers and consistently identifies opportunities to cover important and engaging stories quickly;
• Work closely with Social Media, Distribution, SEO, and other teams to maximize the reach and performance of our content;
• Continuously improve the daily workflow by identifying bottlenecks and using AI, automation, and new tools to increase efficiency, quality, and speed;
• Take ownership of difficult decisions, solve problems proactively, and ensure the department continues moving forward.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading a newsroom, editorial department, content business unit, or a similar fast-paced team;
• Exceptional people-management and leadership skills, with the ability to motivate, coach, develop, and retain talented people;
• A track record of improving team or business performance and delivering measurable results;
• Strong understanding of digital publishing, audience growth, and content performance;
• Excellent editorial judgment and an understanding of what makes a story relevant, timely, and engaging;
• Strong knowledge of current affairs, entertainment news, and emerging trends, with the ability to quickly recognize stories, angles, and topics with strong audience potential;
• Experience finding, developing, or breaking exclusive stories is a strong advantage;
• Strong analytical skills and a data-driven approach to decision-making;
• Experience developing content strategies, running experiments, or A/B testing;
• Strong interest in AI, automation, and emerging technologies, with the ability to identify practical ways to improve editorial workflows and efficiency;
• Excellent communication and decision-making skills, including the ability to give constructive feedback, handle difficult conversations, resolve conflicts, and hold people accountable;
• Excellent English communication skills, both written and verbal.

Benefits

• A role with significant ownership and the opportunity to shape the future of the Bored Panda News department;
• The opportunity to lead an established international team and build on a strong foundation rather than starting from scratch;
• Freedom to experiment, test new ideas, and have a direct impact on the growth of the business;
• A creative, ambitious, and collaborative work environment.
• Compensation: 4,729 - 6,611 eur/gross + performance bonus applicable.