The Director of Content Standards & Pipeline Quality at McClatchy Media oversees the Content Scaling Agent and content pipeline, establishing editorial standards and quality frameworks. Responsibilities include managing testing protocols, ensuring compliance, and serving as a liaison between editorial and tech teams. The role requires strong editorial judgment, technical fluency, and experience in content strategy, with a salary range of $120k to $160k annually. Candidates should have a bachelor's degree and at least five years of relevant experience. McClatchy offers a flexible work culture and comprehensive benefits.
McClatchy Media
The Director, Content Standards & Pipeline Quality acts as the guardian of McClatchy's Content Scaling Agent (CSA) and the broader content pipeline that drives the company's digital growth. This role operates at the intersection of editorial expertise and operational precision, defining benchmarks for both automated and human-generated content, establishing robust testing frameworks, and serving as the primary liaison between the Programming and Product & Tech teams.The Director is responsible for setting editorial standards for the content pipeline, designing comprehensive quality frameworks and escalation protocols that encompass editorial, commerce, and emerging formats. Rather than functioning as a bottleneck for every quality decision, the Director collaborates with functional leads who manage day-to-day quality control within their areas.The main duties include defining standards, building effective systems, and ensuring consistency throughout the operation. This role requires the ability to translate technical possibilities into editorial opportunities and to champion features that prioritize quality, while articulating editorial nuance in a manner that leads to actionable standards and operational excellence.The anticipated base pay range for this position is between 120k and 160k annually. Individual base pay may vary within that range, depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, relevant education, departmental equity, training, geography, and local wage and hour laws. Essential Duties/Responsibilities • Own editorial standards and voice guidelines for the Content Scaling Agent and content pipeline, translating editorial principles into documentation that guides both human teams and AI agents in producing on-brand, high-quality content across formats and platforms. • Design and manage comprehensive testing protocols for new content types, formats, and automated workflows, establishing quality benchmarks before launch and maintaining ongoing QC processes that catch issues before they reach audiences. • Serve as the primary product liaison between the Programming team and Product/Tech teams, ensuring seamless integration of the CSA into editorial workflows, translating technical capabilities into editorial opportunities, and advocating for quality-focused features and safeguards. • Develop and deliver quality and performance metrics for the CSA program, creating dashboards and reporting frameworks that provide visibility into content quality, compliance adherence, and operational efficiency across the content supply chain. • Conduct quality assurance testing for Editorial and Commerce content operations, applying the same rigor to commercial content, ensuring affiliate content meets brand standards, disclosure requirements, and audience expectations. • Establish compliance frameworks that ensure all content—whether human-generated or AI-assisted—meets legal, ethical, and platform-specific requirements, including disclosure standards, accessibility guidelines, and brand safety protocols. • Partner with editorial leadership to identify quality trends, surface systemic issues, and recommend process improvements that strengthen content quality while maintaining production velocity. • Other duties as assigned by management • McClatchy Media’s employees are encouraged to take advantage of opportunities to ethically harness and leverage artificial intelligence and other automation to enhance and elevate their work and to find efficiencies that free them to focus on source-building and high-quality, deeply reported journalism. Required Knowledge, Skills And Abilities • Demonstrated experience establishing editorial standards, style guides, or quality frameworks that have been adopted across teams • Technical fluency working alongside product and engineering teams, understanding how AI agents function, and translating between editorial needs and technical requirements • Editorial judgment with operational discipline—an understanding of what makes content compelling and trustworthy, ability to translate that understanding into repeatable standards and measurable quality criteria • Working understanding of Content Management Systems (CMS), Asset Management systems, tagging, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Metadata, etc. • Analytical rigor with comfort building metrics frameworks, interpreting performance data, and using insights to drive decisions • Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to document complex processes clearly and advocate for quality standards in cross-functional settings • Adaptability in ambiguous, evolving environments—energized by building new frameworks and comfortable making sound judgment calls when perfect information isn't available • Track record for innovation, learning and using new skills and technology, especially AI. • Ability to prioritize and to work under and meet short- and long-deadlines in a fast-paced, data-driven work environment and to accurately fact-check information • Excellent interpersonal, problem solving and team player skills. Excellent communication and active listening skills. • Ability to interact professionally and build relationships with a diverse array of people. • Ability to work a flexible schedule; Must be able to work remotely while contributing to a team environment • Regular and reliable attendance. Education And Experience • Bachelor's degree (B.A. or B.S.) from an accredited college or university preferred; ideally in journalism, communications or related field; or the equivalent education, experience, skills and knowledge needed to perform the tasks and responsibilities of the position. • Five or more years of experience in editorial operations, content strategy, quality assurance, or related roles within digital media or publishing environments Application Process To apply, please submit your resume and a cover letter detailing your experience and interest in this role. About McClatchy Our impact is growing every day. 30 growing markets. Over 65 million monthly readers. 56 Pulitzer Prizes. A strong portfolio of dynamic partnerships and smart investments. Our award-winning journalism, digital reach, and commitment to innovative growth have never been stronger.As a member of the McClatchy family, you are part of a flexible, empowering, and exciting culture dedicated to creating a work/life balance and consistent opportunities for growth—a place where you have a voice and the ability to impact our future. It’s an exciting time to be here. Our company is experiencing the most transformative period in its history. We’re growing rapidly in the digital space and delivering award-winning journalism in innovative ways.McClatchy strives to be an employer of choice, and our benefits package is made with this goal in mind. With a focus on well-being and daily life, our package options include healthcare coverage for employees and their families, financial protection from expected and unexpected expenses, multiple no-cost wellness resources and even coverage for four-legged friends.Our overall benefits package also includes a 401(k) with employer match, competitive paid time off and corporate holidays, and a variety of mental health benefits. For more information on McClatchy's benefit plan, please visit McClatchyLivewell.com.