Cityside Journalism Initiative, an exciting nonprofit organization devoted to building community and strengthening democracy through local news, is looking for a thoughtful, experienced director of people.

Launched in 2020, Cityside is home to two widely read, award-winning local news sites in the San Francisco Bay Area: Berkeleyside, now in its 14th year, and The Oaklandside, which launched in 2020. We have plans to report in more communities in the near future. 

Our people are our most important asset. Since 2019, Cityside has grown from one newsroom with seven employees to a team of 24, comprising editors and reporters in two newsrooms and a cohort of staff focused on growth and sustainability. We expect to grow further in the coming years. Our organization is committed to building and sustaining newsrooms and leadership teams that reflect the diversity of the communities we aim to serve. We will be hiring to fill at least five positions this year on top of this one.

Rapid growth is thrilling, but it brings challenges and responsibilities relating to our team’s welfare and professional development and our organization’s systems and culture. It’s time to bring on board an inspiring leader to help recruit and support our people. We want Cityside to be a place that does great work but is also a great place to work.

Our director of people will have an opportunity to help people in the East Bay (and beyond) have access to the local news and civic information they need and deserve by ensuring we have a thoughtful, equitable, empowering environment for everyone at Cityside to do their best work. 

And our director of people will play a pivotal role in helping Cityside flourish as we grow, attracting and retaining wonderful people because it’s a wonderful place to work. You will lead full lifecycle talent management by implementing best-in-class onboarding, staff engagement, and learning and development solutions. You will be a strategic, forward-thinking problem-solver and relationship builder who is adept at innovating while managing risk and exercising good judgment. 

See full job description and apply.

(Feature image by Pete Rosos.)

Tracey Taylor co-founded Berkeleyside and, subsequently, Cityside Journalism Initiative, the nonprofit parent organization to both Berkeleyside and The Oaklandside. Prior to that, she was an editor and journalist whose work was published in The New York Times, the Financial Times and the San Francisco Chronicle, among others.