Local Managing Editor (CCJ) - Center for Community Journalism
The Stockton Record/recordnet.com, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, seeks an on-site dynamic, digitally-focused innovator for a local managing editor position, who can lead and supervise a news reporting team.
This local editor must love coaching and developing journalists to reveal important news, create stories with context and clarity.
The right candidate defends and advances the newsroom's work and is out in the community representing the newspaper.
This local editor will drive breaking news online and has a laser focus on growing digital audience through engaging content and effective use of social media, SEO, and other tactics.
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The job requires a mentor who can help reporters improve their newsgathering and writing skills, cultivate deep sourcing and take on ever-more sophisticated work. But it also requires a player who can nimbly do what needs to be done to help our newsrooms create relevant coverage that not only increases our reach but also drives loyalty and encourages more readers to subscribe.
The job requires a problem solver who is well-organized, can work independently and exercises solid news judgment. Collaboration and teamwork skills are a must; this local editor will work closely with an audience team to maintain a consistent flow of quality stories, visuals and other content, enforce deadlines and identify opportunities.
Dedication to transparency and accountability is key, as well as an eye for meaningful enterprise and watchdog stories with a focus on solutions.
Local editors are part of a team in Gannett's Center for Community Journalism, a nationwide leadership, editing and planning structure supporting small and mid-sized newsrooms. They may work across multiple newsrooms and even across state lines, so curiosity and commitment to remote teams and other communities is essential. The CCJ is designed to prioritize what matters most to local communities - even those that don't have an on-site local editor.
The local editor reports to a group editor and supervises frontline journalists within the wider context of the CCJ.
Pay Range: $66,000 to $70,000 DOE
Responsibilities:
- Boots on the ground editing for local newsrooms.
- Primary assigning, story vetting, line editing. Managing workflow to meet deadlines.
- Coaching and directly supervising front-line journalists, including regular 1:1s.
- Ensuring steady productivity around high value topics and adjusting as needed.
- Prioritizing DEI values in story selection, sourcing and hiring.
- Being the local face of the news organization for the community where based and ensuring local engagement by frontline journalists in others.
- Helping the staff hone skills in a wide range of storytelling: from real-time digital updates to narrative storytelling, employing alternative story forms and multimedia.
- Using metrics and analytics to determine how to best reach and grow the audience.
- Increasing digital audience and engagement and growing digital subscriptions.
- Assuring daily work is completed on time and efficiently, setting priorities and coordinating with colleagues.
- Receiving assignments in the form of objectives to meet goals; administering company policies that directly affect team members.
- Assigning and editing articles for context, completeness, fairness, accuracy, balance, and adherence to news values. Demonstrating strong news judgment in the selection, prioritization and editing of content.
- Writing effective digital headlines, social media posts, briefs and breaking news alerts that help attract audiences.
- Market leader duties such as office/building administration, compliance and customer service that require hands-on engagement at the local level (with Market Leader Administrators).
- Leading or coordinating coverage when local news attracts a national audience (with Group Editor, Producer/Planners, others).
- Cultivating a recruitment pipeline and screening, conducting first interviews for frontline journalists (with Group Editor, News and Talent Team, Recruiters).
- Reviewing and optimizing beat and topic assignments within local newsrooms (with Group Editor).
- Manage freelancers (with Operations Assistants).
Requirements:
- Bachelor's or master's degree in journalism or related field or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- 3-5 years of relevant work experience. Management/supervisory experience.
- Proven proficiency in applying analytics to content strategy.
- Strong communication and collaboration skills.
- Exposure to deadline-driven environment.
- Exceptional planning and organizational skills.
- SEO knowledge.
- Self-motivation and self-direction.
- Strong line-editing skills.
- Strong people-management skills.
- Strong problem-solving skills.
- Creativity and out-of-the-box thinking.
Application Instructions
We are eager to learn more about you and how you fit this role. When you apply, don't limit your upload to a resume; show us what you've done. To do so, put together a single document file that includes the following, in this order:
1. Your resume - one to two pages.
2. A cover letter that outlines how you would approach the job.
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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