Editor in chief

American City Business Journals, Inc.; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Parental Leave

401K Plan with Employer Match

Flexible Spending Accounts

Employee Assistance Program

Scholarship Programs

Commuter Flexible Spending

Lifestyle Programs

Medical Infertility Services

Corporate discount programs

Employee Recognition/Service Awards

Job summary

American City Business Journals, Inc. is hiring an Editor-in-Chief to lead our local business newsroom across print, digital, and events. You will set the vision, guide reporting, and drive audience growth while maintaining a digital-first mindset.

You will mentor editors and reporters, collaborate with publishers, and pursue new partnerships to expand the brand and reach in a rapidly evolving media landscape.

Qualifications

• Requires a bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Minimum 5–7 years in management or team leadership roles.
• Experience leading a business/industry newsroom with print and digital outputs.
• Proven beat reporter experience and strong editing judgment.
• Demonstrated ability to connect with readers and adapt to a changing media landscape.
• Collaborative, diplomatic leader with strategic vision.

Responsibilities

• Create content and product vision for print, digital, and events.
• Lead and mentor the reporting staff with a digital-first mindset.
• Drive audience growth across platforms, including print and digital.
• Collaborate with publishers and department heads on strategy and partnerships.
• Advocate for high-quality journalism and innovative storytelling.
• Represent the brand at events and industry initiatives.

Skills

Management experience

Newsroom leadership

Online news experience

Beat reporter experience

Inspiring diplomacy

Innovative mindset

Audience engagement

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience

Job description

Duties and Responsibilities, work schedules and/or location may change based on evolving business needs

• Create content and product vision. The EIC must define a clear and compelling vision for the look, feel and voice of our portfolio of products, including the existing weekly print newspaper, daily emails, website and, soon, tablet and mobile.
• Change agent. Must drive staff adaptation to new mediums, new platforms, new skill sets, new story forms, new ways of doing things. Persuasively, diplomatically, strategically, the EIC must guide the business journal operation into new markets, new competencies, and new areas of opportunity.
• Newsroom leader. It is paramount that the EIC take a proactive, hands‑on approach in developing and leading the reporting staff. Our ability to produce products that connect with our audiences stems directly from the EIC's interaction with, and direction of, the reporting team.
• Audience. The Office of the Editor and, by extension, the EIC, shares cross‑departmental responsibility for growing our print, digital and event audiences. This demands a tight relationship with our audience through blogging and Editor's Notebooks.
• Ensure vitality of print through thoughtful packaging, long‑form journalism, exclusive interviews.
• Management. Work with other department heads, create business and marketing plans for the company.
• Seek out content syndication channels and partnerships for Business Journal content.
• National editorial and News Initiatives - EIC will be the primary newsroom conduit between the local market and ACBJ‑corporate.
• Meet or exceed goals relating to audience‑engagement such as page views, unique users, repeat visits, direct traffic, social media followings and growth, paid print subscribership, email newsletter circulation growth, event attendance, and other such measures.
• Regularly participate in and attend Business Journal sponsored events.
• Take on any other assignment made by manager(s).
• Work cooperatively and collaboratively with all colleagues and professionally with sources.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
• Minimum of 5 -- 7 years of management and/or team leadership experience required
• Daily, and preferably, weekly print experience for a business news operation
• Experience working in an online news environment
• Beat reporter experience
• Inspiring, yet diplomatic
• Innovative, curious, collaborative
• Eager to connect directly with readers/audience
• Must be comfortable and thrive in rapidly changing and uncharted media environment

Job Overview

The Business Journal Editor-in-Chief (EIC) is the highest-ranking newsroom leader and responsible for driving content strategy and quality across all platforms. The EIC is expected to show an insatiable desire and proven ability to drive audience loyalty and growth through high-quality and relevant local business news. Leadership and innovation must be particularly pronounced on digital platforms.

With the entire newsroom staff reporting to the Editor-in-Chief, the EIC position is far-reaching and demanding. Some key EIC competencies and responsibilities include the mentorship and development of direct reports; hands-on editing and guidance around coverage decisions and, always, a digital-first mindset.

To be successful, the EIC must possess sharp news instincts, have a burning curiosity about local business and people, a deft editing hand and an ability to be equal parts journalist, leader, entrepreneur, and brand builder. A member of the leadership team, the EIC is expected to collaborate with the Publisher to identify and address new business and audience opportunities to extend the brand.

In a world where the media landscape is in a constant state of evolution, the EIC must embrace change, learning and trying new tools and technologies to disseminate news, while never losing focus on our hyper‑local mission of delivering business intelligence to our readers.

Additional Job Information

The well-being of our employees is paramount. For that reason, ACBJ offers a variety of rich and competitive benefits including bundled health, dental and vision plans designed to meet our employees' needs. We also provide programs to support mental health and wellness and a generous time‑off policy in support of taking the time needed to recharge.

• Paid Parental Leave
• 401K Plan with Employer Match
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Employee Assistance Program
• Multiple Employee Dependent Scholarship Programs
• Commuter Flexible Spending
• Lifestyle Programs (Including incentives for healthy habits)
• Medical Infertility Services
• Corporate discount programs
• Employee Recognition/Service Awards
• And so much more!

(Benefits coverage indicated above may be based on employee participation in benefit programs and eligibility)

Salary Range

NA

Compliance Statement

This Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Company considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by applicable city, state or federal law.