Director, Polling

Working with the Executive Director of Polling, Elections, and Data Analytics and the Washington Bureau, the Director of Polling will design and conduct polls of all types for ABC News, in conjunction with partners inside the news division and ABC’s owned stations as well as external partners. The Director of Polling will prioritize editorial needs in designing polls and provide editorial guidance on ABC News polls and polls conducted by other organizations. The individual will work to bring the latest methodological and technological innovations to polls conducted by ABC News while upholding ABC News’ polling standards.

Responsibilities:

• Oversee the design and production of all polls for ABC News, including questionnaire design, fieldwork coordination, quality control, data analysis, and methodological research.
• Collaborate with platform and beat leaders on poll design and execution.
• Ensure methodological rigor and precise standards in ABC News’ polling.
• Conduct methodological research to improve the accuracy of ABC News’ polling.
• Manage partnerships with ABC News’ polling providers and polling partners. 
• Explore unique angles in storytelling in the polling space. Write analyses of ABC News polls and polls conducted by outside sources for both internal guidance and for reporting on ABC News platforms.  
• Assist reporters and producers across the news division, as well as ABC’s owned stations, in finding and utilizing polling data in their reporting.
• Uphold ABC News’ poll reporting standards.
• Vet polls and social science studies from outside sources for the news division and provide guidance on reportability and newsworthiness.
• Oversee the team that analyzes the exit poll on election nights and its reporting across ABC News’ platforms.

Basic Qualifications:

• 10+ years of experience in public opinion research.
• A strong background in survey research methodology including questionnaire design, survey sampling, likely voter modeling and survey weighting.
• Experience with statistical analysis and statistical software packages (e.g., R, SPSS, STATA).
• A deep knowledge of and interest in public opinion research as it relates to news and storytelling.
• A strong communicator with the ability to translate polling data into clear, engaging news stories including data visualizations.
• Must have excellent collaboration skills and have a demonstrated ability to work across various teams.
• Must be well-organized and able to handle multiple projects and news stories simultaneously.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment and consistently meet very tight deadlines.
• Ability to work at night and on weekends during election season and during breaking news events.
• Exceptional attention to detail and a commitment to accuracy and high standards.
• A solid background and interest in U.S. electoral politics. 
• Must be able to approach your work with neutrality and fairness to all viewpoints 

Preferred  Qualifications:

• 5+ years in a newsroom and/or television environment.

Required Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited  4-year college or university.

Preferred Education:

• Master’s Degree or PhD.

Interested candidates are encouraged to apply even if they don't meet every qualification. 

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The hiring range for this position in Washington D.C. is $179,800 to $247,100 per year and in New York, NY is $188,400 to $258,900 per year. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate’s geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to the full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.