Director of Election Results Operations

🌍 Remote, USA 🎯 Full-time 🕐 Posted Recently

Job Description

Posted Thursday, January 15, 2026, 1:00 AM

|Current USA TODAY Co. Employees- Please ensure you are using our abbreviated process on the internal Careers site by logging into Dayforce through MyApps|

USA TODAY Co., Inc. is a diversified media company with expansive reach at the national and local level dedicated to empowering and enriching communities. We seek to inspire, inform, and connect audiences as a sustainable, growth focused media and digital marketing solutions company. Through our trusted brands, including the USA TODAY NETWORK, comprised of the national publication, USA TODAY, and local media organizations, including our network of local properties, in the United States, and Newsquest, a wholly-owned subsidiary operating in the United Kingdom, we provide essential journalism, local content, and digital experiences to audiences and businesses. We deliver high-quality, trusted content with a commitment to balanced, unbiased journalism, where and when consumers want to engage. Our digital marketing solutions brand, LocaliQ, supports small and medium-sized businesses with innovative digital marketing products and solutions. USA TODAY Co. open roles are featured on various external job boards. When applying to a position at USA TODAY Co., you should be completing an application on USA TODAY Co. Careers via Dayforce. Job postings directing you to complete an application on other external sites may not be valid. To connect with us, visit www.usatodayco.com

The USA TODAY NETWORK is seeking a Director of Election Results Operations to oversee the buildout of a modern, newsroom-centered election results operation capable of delivering fast, accurate, verifiable data across the country. To lead this work, we seek an experienced elections professional who understands how U.S. results are collected and reported, and who can translate that knowledge into a scalable operational framework.

This leader will oversee the national standup of election-night staffing, workflows, data-handling processes, and coordination structures needed for statewide and county-level results reporting. The role blends operational design, team leadership, and cross-disciplinary collaboration with technology, data, editorial, and field personnel. Candidates should bring a builder’s mindset, a deep grounding in best practices for results handling, and the ability to lead large, distributed temporary teams under high pressure.

This role is remote and can be based anywhere in the US, except for Alaska and Hawaii.

Lead the development and implementation of a comprehensive national operation for election results reporting, including planning, readiness, and election-night execution.
Partner with cross-functional teams to define requirements and ensure reliable systems and workflows that support real-time results gathering and verification.
Establish and manage field operations in all states, including staffing models for coordinators, clerks, stringers, and temporary support roles.
Oversee recruitment, onboarding, training, and performance management for large election-cycle workforces.
Develop and enforce clear protocols for validation, issue escalation, quality control, and timely publication of results.
Coordinate closely with editorial leadership, data teams, and operational partners to ensure accuracy, consistency, and transparency in reporting.
Maintain strong professional relationships with election officials and other external partners through designated field staff.
Drive operational rehearsals, scenario planning, and continuous-improvement processes across cycles.
Deliver clear reporting to senior leadership on readiness, staffing, timelines, and risk assessments.

Bachelor's or master's degree in communications, journalism, marketing or related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Significant experience (7–12+ years preferred) working in U.S. elections, election results operations, election data management, or comparable newsroom or civic-tech environments.
Deep understanding of how election results are reported across diverse jurisdictions, including manual, hybrid, and automated systems.
Demonstrated ability to lead large, distributed teams, including temporary and freelance staff, in high-stakes, deadline-driven environments.
Experience working alongside technology, data, or product teams to define operational needs and ensure reliable tools and workflows.
Strong background in process design, quality assurance, and operational problem-solving.
Excellent communication skills and the ability to collaborate across multiple disciplines and time zones.
High level of judgment and calm decision-making under time pressure.
Commitment to accuracy, transparency, and public trust in election reporting.

Application Instructions

A cover letter that outlines how you would approach the job and relevant journalism, data and operations experience.
Your resume – one to two pages
An example or two of a project or strategy that you’re proud of and had a key hand in leading. Please include a brief description of the work, your role and any relevant results.

It is important that these items be assembled into a single document and uploaded in PDF format. Completing these steps will ensure that your application receives the highest consideration.

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The annualized base salary for this role will range between $108,000 and $168,750. Base compensation is reflective of many factors, including, but not limited to, the market in which one lives/works, individual education level, skills, certifications and experience. Note: variable compensation is not reflected in these figures and based on the role, may be applicable.

USA TODAY Co., Inc. is a proud equal opportunity employer committed to building and maintaining a diverse workforce. As such, we will consider all qualified applicants for employment and do not discriminate in connection with employment decisions on the basis of an applicant or employee’s race, color, national origin, ethnicity, ancestry, citizenship status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, marital status, personal appearance (including height and weight), sexual orientation, family responsibilities, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy status (including childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical conditions), education, genetic characteristics or information, political affiliation, military or veteran status or other classifications protected by applicable federal, state and local laws in the jurisdictions where USA TODAY Co. employs employees. In addition, USA TODAY Co., Inc. will provide applicants who require a reasonable accommodation, as a result of an applicant’s disability or religion, to complete this employment application and/or any other process in connection with an individuals’ application for employment with USA TODAY Co., Inc. Applicants who require such accommodation should contact USA TODAY Co., Inc.’s Recruitment Department at [email protected]. Applicants must be authorized to work in the applicable location. Applications from outside these regions will be removed from our system after submission.

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