Editor, Spotlight

Boston Globe Media; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

The Boston Globe Media seeks a dynamic investigative editor to lead its Spotlight Team in Boston. You will guide a world-class group of reporters and editors, directing high-impact accountability work across Greater Boston and beyond.

You will lead, mentor, and partner with editors across the newsroom, collaborating on legal, data, and visual storytelling to bring deep investigations to public view. The role demands curiosity, skepticism, and a commitment to fairness.

Qualifications

• Substantial experience in investigative or accountability journalism with a track record as reporter and editor.
• Ability to lead multi-month investigations from conception through publication, including working with legal and managing sources.
• Strong editing skills across development, structure, line edits, and fact verification.
• Ability to coach journalists and develop leads into investigations.
• Sound news judgment and threshold for when a story is ready.
• Collaborative leadership with experience managing a small, high-performing team.
• Deep commitment to accuracy, fairness, and ethical journalism.
• A mindset focused on inclusivity and audience needs.

Responsibilities

• Lead Spotlight's investigative strategy and maintain a pipeline of high-impact journalism.
• Edit investigations from idea to publication, develop sources, and plan reporting.
• Provide substantive editing on drafts for structure, accuracy and fairness.
• Coach reporters to develop ideas into fully realized investigations.
• Collaborate with editors to align Spotlight's work with newsroom priorities.
• Coordinate with visuals, data, audience development and legal teams for impact.
• Foster a supportive team culture encouraging risk-taking and excellence.
• Represent Spotlight in editorial conversations and advocate for investigative journalism.

Skills

Investigative journalism

Editing

Leadership

Source development

Data reporting

Storytelling

Collaboration

Job description

Job Description:

The Boston Globe is looking for a dynamic investigative editor to lead its vaunted Spotlight Team. This position represents not only the top investigative job at the Globe, but also one of the crown jewels of American journalism.

As Spotlight editor, you'll lead a world class team of investigative reporters and editors doing groundbreaking accountability work. Your remit covers Greater Boston, but your impact will be felt around the world. Over its 56 years, the Spotlight Team has consistently delivered legendary reports that have shaken the foundations of corrupt institutions and reshaped them for the better. We anticipate the next editor will not only continue this tradition, but will also bring a distinct new ambition for truth, justice, and transparency.

But to reach these lofty goals, we need an editor committed to dogged, grinding, shoe-leather reporting. The Spotlight editor should be innately curious, properly skeptical, and unwaveringly committed. They should be a master at the craft: A skilled data reporter who knows how to pry public records from reluctant agencies and build a diverse source list. What's more, they need the vision to take a kernel of suspicion, uncover the mountain of injustice behind it, and drive it into public view through deft, narrative storytelling.

The editor will be a leader in both position and manner. They will be an empathetic leader who can teach, nurture, and get the best out of their journalists, while also rallying them behind the Globe's most ambitious projects. The editor will report directly to the Editor of The Boston Globe, and will also be a senior leader across the organization. They will collaborate closely with other department heads in the newsroom, and also liaise closely with partners in our business sections. That may involve podcasts, books, TV and movie adaptations, and more.

Responsibilities:

• Lead Spotlight's investigative strategy, setting priorities and maintaining a strong pipeline of high-impact, public-interest journalism
• Edit investigations from the ground up, helping reporters develop ideas, build source networks, structure records requests, and execute a reporting plan through final publication
• Provide substantive editing on drafts: structure, argument, prose, accuracy, and fairness
• Coach and mentor reporters at all levels, with a particular focus on developing promising leads and early-stage ideas into fully realized investigations
• Collaborate with the Editor of The Boston Globe and senior editors to align Spotlight's work with broader newsroom priorities
• Work across departments including visual journalism, data, audience development and legal to give investigations the reach and rigor they need
• Sustain a team culture where reporters feel supported to take risks, ask hard questions, and do their best work
• Represent Spotlight in editorial conversations and serve as an advocate for investigative journalism across the newsroom

Qualifications:

• Substantial experience in investigative or accountability journalism, with a strong track record as both a reporter and an editor
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex, multi-month investigations from conception through publication, including working with legal, managing sensitive sourcing, and maintaining standards under pressure
• Strong editing skills across all stages: story development, structure, line editing, and fact verification
• Proven ability to coach journalists — especially the ability to spot potential in an early tip or idea and help develop it into something significant
• Sound news judgment and the confidence to know when a story is ready and when it needs more work
• Collaborative leadership style with experience managing a small, high-performing team
• Deep commitment to accuracy, fairness, and ethical journalism
• A willingness to adapt and be audience-focused, with a curious mindset and a commitment to creating an inclusive work environment

Bonus Points if You..

• Have experience leading investigations with regional, national, or international reach
• Have a feel for the stories that matter most to New England and a source network to match
• Have worked closely with data journalists or visual storytellers to deepen an investigation's impact

The Boston Globe Media office is located in downtown Boston, near Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market, and is easily accessible by MBTA and commuter rail lines. This position is based in Boston, and candidates should be based in the area or willing to move.

The annual salary for this role is $120,000 - $160,000.

This range reflects the band for this role. We are committed to fair and market-informed compensation. It is anticipated that most qualified candidates could be hired within the midpoint of the range. Compensation for the successful candidate will be informed by their particular combination of skills, experience, and qualifications.

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

EEO Statement: At Boston Globe Media, our mission is to empower, connect, and convene our communities with independent, trusted journalism and storytelling. We know a critical part of achieving this is by having a workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. Boston Globe Media is an equal opportunity employer that welcomes candidates and colleagues of all backgrounds, experiences, perspectives, and skills.