Director - Planning, MSNBC Newsgathering

Company Description

NBCUniversal is one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies. We create world-class content, which we distribute across our portfolio of film, television, and streaming, and bring to life through our theme parks and consumer experiences. We own and operate leading entertainment and news brands, including NBC, NBC News, MSNBC, CNBC, NBC Sports, Telemundo, NBC Local Stations, Bravo, USA Network, and Peacock, our premium ad-supported streaming service. We produce and distribute premier filmed entertainment and programming through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group and Universal Studio Group, and have world-renowned theme parks and attractions through Universal Destinations & Experiences. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.

Our impact is rooted in improving the communities where our employees, customers, and audiences live and work. We have a rich tradition of giving back and ensuring our employees have the opportunity to serve their communities. We champion an inclusive culture and strive to attract and develop a talented workforce to create and deliver a wide range of content reflecting our world.

Comcast NBCUniversal has announced its intent to create a new publicly traded company ('Versant') comprised of most of NBCUniversal's cable television networks, including USA Network, CNBC, MSNBC, Oxygen, E!, SYFY and Golf Channel along with complementary digital assets Fandango, Rotten Tomatoes, GolfNow, GolfPass, and SportsEngine. The well-capitalized company will have significant scale as a pure-play set of assets anchored by leading news, sports and entertainment content. The spin-off is expected to be completed during 2025.

Job Description

The Director of Planning is responsible for leading the strategic planning and coordination of high-profile news and special events coverage across the network. This includes breaking news, major political events (primaries, conventions, debates, election night), presidential and high-profile funerals, state ceremonies, major sporting event coverage, and cultural milestones such as award shows. This role works cross-functionally with newsgathering, production, technical, digital, and field teams to ensure seamless execution of complex live broadcasts and special programming.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Event Planning: Lead and oversee the network’s long-range planning for high-impact news and cultural events, ensuring editorial goals and production logistics are fully aligned.
• Editorial Coordination: Partner with executive producers, political directors, and senior editorial staff to shape coverage plans, and align storytelling across platforms.
• Logistics Management: Manage all logistical elements for remote and in-studio productions, including site surveys, credentialing, satellite and transmission planning, travel, accommodations, staffing, and scheduling.
• Team Leadership: Supervise a team of coordinators and field journalists, assigning roles and responsibilities, managing timelines, and ensuring collaborative workflow across departments.
• Cross-Platform Integration: Work closely with digital and streaming teams to align coverage plans and optimize multiplatform delivery.
• Budget Oversight: Develop and manage budgets for major special event coverage, balancing editorial ambition with fiscal responsibility.
• Risk Management & Contingency Planning: Anticipate and plan for potential disruptions, technical issues, and news-cycle shifts that could impact coverage.
• External Liaison: Serve as the network’s primary point of contact for event organizers, government agencies, venues, and outside vendors for credentialing and access.
• Post-Event Review: Conduct debriefs and evaluations after major events to identify successes, challenges, and improvements for future coverage.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferably in journalism, communications, media production, or related field, or equivalent experience 
• At least 10 years of experience in live news planning, political event coverage, or large-scale broadcast event coordination.
• Deep understanding of U.S. politics, electoral cycles, media law, and journalistic ethics.
• Proven success leading large cross-functional teams under tight deadlines and in high-pressure environments.
• Strong editorial judgment and storytelling instincts.
• Exceptional organizational, budgeting, and communication skills.
• Experience with control room production, field operations, and remote event planning.
• Ability to work nights, weekends, and extended hours during peak coverage periods.

Preferred Experience