Lead Investigative Editor, Spotlight Team

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

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.