The Central Desk Head is a key leadership position within the Editorial Department of our Hindi Daily Newspaper. This role involves overseeing the planning, coordination, and execution of all centralized pages including the Front Page, Last Page, National-International News, Sports, Business, and Editorial Pages. The incumbent will lead the Central Desk Team, ensure content quality, timely production, and alignment with the publication's editorial standards and vision.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead and supervise the Central Desk Team including Page Makers, Sub-editors, and Designers.
- Coordinate with Edition Incharge, Bureau Chiefs, Reporters, and Correspondents to ensure timely receipt of news stories, reports, and features.
- Oversee and finalize the layout and content of the Front Page, Last Page, Sports Page, Business Page, Edit Page, and National-International Pages.
- Review, edit, and curate headlines, intros, and photo captions for clarity, grammar, accuracy, and editorial tone.
- Work closely with the Editor and Managing Editor to execute daily and special coverage plans.
- Ensure all pages meet high-quality standards in content and design and are completed within deadlines.
- Monitor breaking news and coordinate with team members to ensure prompt and accurate updates.
- Allocate tasks and shift responsibilities among desk staff to ensure optimal workflow.
- Conduct regular reviews and feedback sessions with desk members to enhance output and professional growth.
- Implement and enforce newsroom policies, ethical journalism practices, and fact-checking standards.
Required Skills & Qualifications:
- Minimum 8-10 years of editorial experience in print journalism with proven desk management experience.
- Excellent command over Hindi language (grammar, spelling, tone, and expression).
- Strong news sense, headline writing, and editing skills.
- Proficiency in using editorial CMS systems and QuarkXPress/InDesign.
- Leadership qualities with the ability to manage high-pressure situations and deadlines.
- Team management, coordination, and conflict resolution skills.
- Understanding of digital publishing standards is an added advantage.
