Associate Editor

Slugmag; Salt Lake City (UT); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

SLUG Magazine in Salt Lake City seeks a full-time Associate Editor to provide senior editorial leadership and strategic oversight across print, digital and multimedia content. The role guides editorial strategy, mentors interns and oversees the full lifecycle of content production, aligning editorial excellence with business growth.

This is a mission-driven role with growth potential and in-person collaboration.

Qualifications

• SLUG Magazine reader with understanding of our mission, voice and community
• Actively attends events, shows up for Salt Lake City
• Passion for Utah’s music and arts scenes and local business community
• Support local businesses and the creative economy
• Editorial leadership experience in print and digital media
• Team leadership and mentoring capabilities
• Able to meet quick deadlines without sacrificing quality
• Knowledge of underground music and local art
• Strong AP Style, grammar, and editorial best practices
• Experience posting/scheduling on Facebook, Instagram, and X
• WordPress, Adobe Creative Suite, SEO and GA4 knowledge
• Willingness to use AI tools and adapt processes
• Maintain SLUG Magazine's core values of quality and transparency
• Available for occasional nights and weekends

Responsibilities

• Provide editorial leadership across SLUG platforms: print, digital, podcast and multimedia
• Make final editorial decisions on assigned content with confidence
• Ensure content aligns with SLUG's standards, voice and mission
• Balance creative vision with production timelines and priorities
• Contribute to editorial strategy and growth goals
• Oversee editorial workflows and ensure systems function effectively
• Identify gaps or risks in production and address them
• Lead editorial planning and special initiatives
• Lead cross-department collaboration on major projects
• Directly supervise Editorial Coordinator, Graphic Designer and others
• Mentor staff and interns for professional growth
• Participate in hiring, performance reviews and promotions
• Set standards for contributor recruitment and onboarding
• Maintain relationships with contributors and partners
• Represent SLUG at events and within Utah's creative communities
• Ensure contributor communications reflect professionalism
• Foster an inclusive, high-performing culture
• Lead editorial meetings and production milestones
• Oversee copy editing and production days
• Partner on issue planning and priorities
• Ensure consistency across recurring features
• Guide editorial approach to digital content and exclusives
• Use analytics (GA4/SEO) to inform strategy and growth
• Oversee newsletter content strategy
• Identify opportunities for platform/formats innovation
• Ensure branded content meets editorial/ethical standards
• Uphold SPJ Code of Ethics
• Ensure fairness, accuracy, and transparency
• Serve as visible leader for SLUG's values

Skills

Editorial leadership

Mentoring

Deadline management

Audience growth

AP Style

Cross-platform content

Hiring and reviews

Tools

WordPress

Adobe Creative Suite

SEO

GA4

Job description

Now Hiring: Associate Editor

SLUG Magazine is seeking a full-time Associate Editor to provide senior editorial leadership and strategic oversight across print, digital and multimedia content. This role serves as a key decision-maker within the editorial department, responsible for shaping editorial direction, upholding journalistic standards and ensuring SLUG's voice is executed consistently and intentionally.

The Associate Editor works closely with the Executive Editor to guide editorial strategy, mentor editorial interns and oversee the full lifecycle of content production. This position is ideal for an experienced editor who understands that editorial excellence and business growth are not separate things, they are the same thing. If you are a leader who thinks like an operator, cares deeply about local culture and wants to be part of building something that matters, this role was written for you.

Department: Editorial

Reports to: Executive Editor

Status: Full-time, 40 hours/week, in-person (Salt Lake City)

This is a mission-driven role with limited budget but real benefits and growth potential.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide editorial leadership across all SLUG platforms: print, digital, podcast and multimedia
• Make final editorial decisions on assigned content with confidence and clarity
• Ensure all content aligns with SLUG's editorial standards, voice and mission
• Balance creative vision with production timelines and organizational priorities
• Understand the relationship between editorial quality and audience growth and actively contribute to SLUG's revenue and readership goals
• Oversee editorial workflows and ensure systems are functioning effectively
• Identify gaps, inefficiencies, or risks in production and address them proactively
• Contribute to long-term editorial planning and special initiatives
• Lead cross-departmental collaboration on major editorial projects
• Directly supervise the Editorial Coordinator, Graphic Designer and other editorial staff as assigned
• Mentor Editorial Coordinator, Graphic Designer, volunteers and interns with a focus on professional growth and skill development
• Set clear expectations and hold team members accountable with consistency and care
• Participate in hiring, performance reviews and promotion recommendations as needed
• Set standards for contributor recruitment, onboarding and retention
• Maintain relationships with key contributors, publicists, and community partners
• Represent SLUG Magazine at events and within Utah’s creative communities: This is a lifestyle role as much as it is a desk role, and we want someone who shows up for the culture we cover
• Ensure contributor communications reflect professionalism, clarity and respect
• Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing editorial culture
• Lead high-level editorial meetings and planning sessions
• Oversee copy editing meetings and production milestones
• Play a leadership role on Production Day and New Issue launches
• Partner with the Executive Editor on issue planning and editorial priorities
• Ensure consistent execution across recurring editorial features
• Guide editorial approach to digital content and online exclusives
• Use analytics including GA4 and SEO tools to inform editorial strategy and growth decisions
• Oversee newsletter content strategy and quality
• Identify opportunities for innovation across platforms and formats
• Ensure branded and sponsored content meets editorial and ethical standards
• Uphold the Society of Professional Journalists' Code of Ethics
• Ensure fairness, accuracy, and transparency in all editorial work
• Serve as a visible leader representing SLUG's values on and off the clock
• Maintain accountability for the integrity of SLUG's editorial output

Qualifications

• SLUG Magazine reader with a genuine understanding of our mission, voice and the community we serve
• Actively attends events, concerts, theatrical productions, gallery openings and local cultural happenings: You live in this city and you show up for it
• Passion for and deep familiarity with Utah’s music and arts scenes and local business community
• Actively seeks to support local businesses and the creative economy
• Demonstrated editorial leadership experience in print and digital media
• Team leader with proven experience managing, mentoring and developing other team members
• Able to work under pressure and meet quick deadlines without sacrificing quality
• Keen knowledge of all genres of underground music and genuine interest in local art
• Strong command of AP Style, grammar, and editorial best practices
• Impeccable grammar and copy editing skills
• Experience with posting and scheduling on Facebook, Instagram, and X
• Working knowledge of WordPress, Adobe Creative Suite, SEO and GA4
• Comfortable using AI tools or genuinely willing to learn. Our administrative processes are evolving and this role evolves with it.
• Able to maintain SLUG Magazine's core values of quality and transparency
• Must be available to work occasional nights and weekends

SLUG Magazine is an equal opportunity employer. SLUG Magazine will not discriminate and will take measures to ensure against discrimination in employment, recruitment, advertisements for employment, compensation, termination, upgrading, promotions and other conditions of employment against any employee or job applicant on the bases of race, creed, color, national origin or sex. Individuals from all cultures and communities are encouraged to apply.