ProPublica is an independent, nonprofit newsroom that produces investigative journalism in the public interest.
ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network is helping local and regional news organizations produce the kind of accountability reporting that is so vital to our democracy. We recently announced our 50 State Initiative, in which we committed to partnering with local news organizations in all 50 states over the next five years. We are hiring a senior editor to oversee five projects each year. The selected editor will guide and edit the work of our local reporting partners and will collaborate with editors in partners’ newsrooms to envision multipart projects. As with all our work at ProPublica, the job is ultimately to create compelling investigations that spur change.
The collaborative projects with our Local Reporting Network partners have garnered the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service, the George Polk Award, the Selden Ring Award for Investigative Reporting, National Magazine Awards, and top prizes from organizations such as Investigative Reporters and Editors, the Online News Association, the Society of Environmental Journalists and the Association of Health Care Journalists.
What you would be doing:
- Editing five reporters pursuing yearlong projects, each at a different newsroom.
- Working in collaboration with partner newsrooms to execute stories that can take a variety of forms, from newspaper-style takeouts to magazine, audio and video pieces.
- Coordinating with a team at ProPublica that includes research, data, news applications, engagement, audience development and design to elevate your projects.
- Coaching journalists who range in experience from veteran investigative reporters who have tackled big subjects to newer journalists working on their first large-scale investigations.
We’re looking for someone who has:
- At least five years’ experience managing or leading complex investigations as a reporter or editor.
- Experience reporting or editing collaborative projects with communication and diplomacy skills that center building consensus and meeting different needs of different audiences.
- Experience with juggling multiple projects and many responsibilities at once. Strong organizational skills are a must.
- Ability to meet deadlines and handle pressure while remaining calm.
- The editing range to handle and think creatively about different types of investigative storytelling, including rolling investigations, traditional investigative projects, narratives and multimedia formats.
- The bedside manner to help reporters land what is often the most challenging work of their career.
- Interest in and experience teaching reporters about fact checking, organization, interviewing and other journalism skills.
This job is full time and includes benefits. (Read more about ProPublica’s benefits.) ProPublica is based in New York City, but remote applicants anywhere in the U.S. are welcome. For those who prefer working in person, we have offices in New York City; Washington, D.C.; Atlanta; Chicago; Phoenix; and Berkeley, California. Applicants must be eligible to work in the U.S.
The expected salary range for this position is $150,000 to $195,000.
This is a good-faith estimate of what we expect to pay for this position. The final salary figure will take into account a person’s experience, accomplishment and location. ProPublica is committed to paying its staff equitably, and these ranges should not be considered career salary limits or caps.
What you should send us:
- The most important part of your application is your past work. Send us links to your best stuff. Let us know how your editing shaped and improved the stories. Tell us about any challenges you faced in the reporting or editing of the story/project, how you overcame them and what you learned from the experience. Editing is about far more than moving around words. Show us how you think and interact with reporting and reporters.
- Working with local reporters — and doing so in partnership — is a unique experience. In a paragraph or two, please share your thoughts about the skills and experience you bring that would make you a good editor for the LRN.
- Your resume.
We will begin reviewing applications as we receive them and will continue to consider candidates as long as the posting remains live on our site, through at least May 15.
Questions? Send an email to talent@propublica.org.
No phone calls, please.
We know there are great candidates who may not fit into what we’ve described above or who have important skills we haven’t thought of. If that’s you, don’t hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself.
We are dedicated to improving our newsroom, in part by better reflecting the people we cover. (Here is a breakdown of our staff.) We are committed to diversity and building an inclusive environment for people of all backgrounds and ages. And we are taking steps to meet that commitment. We especially encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, including women, people of color, LGBTQ+ people and people with disabilities. We are an equal opportunity employer and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age or any other status protected under applicable law.
