Lead Investigative Editor

Deep South Today; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full benefits

Job summary

Deep South Today, a nonprofit newsroom network, is launching a regional investigative team across the Deep South in partnership with The New York Times. We seek a Lead Investigative Editor to edit ambitious investigations and coach reporters in Mississippi and Louisiana, working closely with editors at The Times.

The role is full-time with benefits and can be based remotely within the Deep South, ideally near one of our newsrooms.

Qualifications

• Track record of shepherding investigative projects that made an impact.
• Experience guiding reporters to strengthen reporting, writing, and storytelling.
• Deep knowledge of investigative tools—public records, data analysis, source development.

Responsibilities

• Edit and shape ambitious investigations across the Deep South.
• Guide reporters in Mississippi and Louisiana; collaborate with editors at The Times.
• Oversee a new regional investigative team with a focus on accountability journalism.
• This is a full-time role with benefits; remote work possible within the Deep South.

Skills

Investigative editing

Public records

Data analysis

Source development

Collaboration across teams

Tools

Investigative tools

Job description

Location: Flexible within the Deep South, preferably Louisiana or Mississippi
Reports to: Deep South Today Executive Editor

A new model for local investigative journalism

Deep South Today — the nonprofit newsroom network that includes Mississippi Today in Jackson, Verite News in New Orleans, and The Current in Lafayette — is launching a first-of-its-kind partnership with The New York Times to expand investigative journalism across the Deep South. Together, we’re building a regional investigative team that will dig deep into the systems and decisions shaping life in the Deep South, with a focus on exposing abuses of power, corruption and injustices that too often go unchecked.

This collaboration will bring national resources to local newsrooms while staying rooted in the communities we serve. The goal is simple: produce revelatory, high-impact journalism that holds powerful people and institutions accountable — and ensure it reaches the audiences who need it most.

About the role

We are hiring a Lead Investigative Editor to oversee a new team of reporters digging into some of the most pressing issues across the Deep South. This is part of a first-of-its-kind collaboration between Deep South Today and The Times to expand accountability journalism in a region where it’s desperately needed.

The job is to edit and shape ambitious investigations that reveal abuses of power and spur change. You’ll be guiding reporters in Mississippi and Louisiana, and working directly with editors at The Times.

This is a full-time job with benefits. The role can be based remotely, as long as you live in the Deep South. Ideal candidates would be based in one of our newsrooms, or in states where we have newsrooms.

We’re looking for an editor who:

• Has a track record of shepherding investigative projects that made an impact.
• Loves working with reporters to strengthen their reporting, writing, and storytelling.
• Brings deep knowledge of investigative tools — public records, data analysis, source development — and a desire to share that knowledge with others.
• Thrives in collaboration, both within our newsrooms and across partner organizations.
• Believes in accountability journalism as a public service, especially in communities where watchdog reporting is scarce.
• Is eager to develop their investigative editing skills.

We’re committed to building an inclusive newsroom that represents the people and communities we serve. We especially encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply for this position, including women, people of color, LGBTQ people and people who are differently abled.