Reporter or Editor Executive editor
Job Description
Chalkbeat is looking for an executive editor to lead the day-to-day editorial and operational management of the editorial team, with an eye toward future expansion.
Chalkbeat is the nonprofit news organization committed to covering one of America’s most important stories: the effort to improve schools for all children, especially those who have historically lacked access to a quality education. We’re in five locations — Colorado, Detroit, Indiana, New York, and Tennessee — and growing. Read more about our mission and values.
Reporting directly to Elizabeth Green, Chalkbeat’s cofounder, CEO, and Editor-in-Chief, the executive editor will be responsible for executing the strategy set by senior leadership and overseeing the editorial arm of this mission-driven news organization that provides deep, local coverage of education policy and practice. You will manage the editorial calendar and work with four local editors, the national editor, and the enterprise editor to shepherd daily and longer-form journalism to publication. You will directly manage those six editors and indirectly oversee a team of 13 reporters across offices in New York, Colorado, Indiana, Detroit, and Tennessee—with more to come down the line. You will be responsible for setting readership and journalistic impact targets, and then coaching the team to achieve those goals. You will also work closely with the Director of Product and Growth on web and app development, and constantly be on the lookout for new digital trends.
Who are you?
You are a journalist who loves leading a team as much as reporting a story. You think digitally first and are constantly looking for new ways to present a narrative. You are an inspiring leader who thrives on the adrenaline of a newsroom, simultaneously able to communicate high-level strategy and willing to roll up your sleeves to direct breaking news coverage. You love numbers and analysis, and are comfortable with setting goals and measuring results.
What background and skills do you have?
- 10+ years’ experience in journalism and/or digital content creation, including several years spent in a fast-paced digital environment
- 5+ years’ experience in a senior position that includes hiring and building large teams, ideally across distributed locations
- Experience overseeing story budgets and publishing calendars
- Stellar news judgment and a nose for what makes the perfect story mix
- Comfortable operating autonomously with limited oversight
- Demonstrable experience with analytics tools and tracking
- Strong interpersonal skills with an ability to work with all levels of management; able to communicate proactively with key stakeholders in a startup environment
- Passion for education is a must; knowledge of education is a strong plus, but not required
The ideal candidate is based in one of Chalkbeat’s current locations: New York, DC, Denver, Indianapolis, Detroit, Memphis, or Nashville. Remote candidates will also be considered as long as they’re willing to travel at least twice a quarter for meetings, retreats, and relationship-building.
