Head of Editorial & Community Impact

Central Current; City of Syracuse (NY); On-site; USD 70,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Annual professional development budget

Moving stipend

Paid time off

Job summary

Central Current, a nonprofit digital news organization in Syracuse, NY, seeks an editor-in-chief to lead its growing newsroom and advance its mission of in-depth journalism. The editor-in-chief will set the newsroom’s long-term editorial vision and oversee daily operations.

The editor-in-chief will translate the mission into a practical daily strategy, expand reporting depth, grow and diversify the audience, and strengthen readers’ trust in the newsroom.

Qualifications

• Degree in journalism or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• At least five years of professional newsroom experience.
• Significant editing experience, including line editing, story development and management of complex or sensitive reporting.
• Experience with investigative and explanatory journalism and comfort overseeing arts and culture coverage.
• Experience leading journalists and managing newsroom workflows, deadlines and competing priorities.
• Demonstrated commitment to accuracy, fairness, editorial independence and high ethical standards.
• Experience developing editorial talent and fostering an inclusive, collaborative workplace.
• Experience with digital journalism and publishing across multiple formats and platforms.
• Ability to develop and manage a newsroom budget and make sound resource allocation decisions.
• Strong writing, speaking and public presentation skills.
• Knowledge of Central New York or the curiosity and commitment to develop deep knowledge of the region.

Responsibilities

• Lead the assignment, development, editing and publication of Central Current’s journalism across all platforms.
• Serve as the publication’s primary editor, including line editing and final editorial review when appropriate.
• Plan the editorial calendar, set coverage priorities, and manage newsroom workflows and deadlines, including editorial execution of newsletters and social media content.
• Ensure that Central Current’s journalism is fair, accurate, thoroughly sourced and consistent with applicable legal and ethical standards.
• Oversee corrections and related editorial policies.
• Work closely with the executive director to coordinate newsroom operations, plan events and advance the organization’s audience engagement strategy.
• Collaborate on internal communications with staff and the board, and conduct staff performance reviews as needed.
• Develop and approve editorial collaborations with other news organizations and identify new distribution opportunities.
• Monitor regional news coverage and trends in nonprofit journalism to inform Central Current’s operations, strategy and identity.
• Attract, develop and retain editorial talent through inclusive recruiting and a newsroom culture that is empowering, respectful and accountable.
• Mentor emerging reporters and support the professional development of staff and contributors.
• Participate in developing the newsroom budget and manage editorial spending within the approved organizational budget.
• Generate and evaluate ideas for new editorial strategies, technologies, products and approaches to reaching audiences.
• Track relevant analytics and other data concerning Central Current’s reach and impact.
• Represent Central Current at events, interviews and other public-facing opportunities that promote the organization and advance its mission.
• Report to the board of directors and consult with the board on matters involving Central Current’s mission, purpose, policies and strategic direction.

Skills

Editing

Leadership

Journalism

Digital publishing

Budget planning

Education

Journalism degree

Job description

Central Current, a nonprofit digital news organization in Syracuse, NY, seeks an editor-in-chief to lead its growing newsroom and advance its mission of in-depth journalism. The editor-in-chief will set the newsroom’s long-term editorial vision and oversee daily operations.

The editor-in-chief will translate the mission into a practical daily strategy, expand reporting depth, grow and diversify the audience, and strengthen readers’ trust in the newsroom.