Monitor Local Managing Editor

Newsletter Jobs; Portland (ME); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 68,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employer-sponsored health, dental, and

Vision insurance

Cell phone stipend (nontaxable)

Retirement plan with 3% employer match

Remote work and flex time

13 ½ paid holidays

Paid time off: 15 days first year; 20+

Job summary

The Maine Monitor is seeking a Managing Editor to lead Monitor Local’s editorial strategy and civic news coverage in Maine. You will work with editors and freelancers to ensure high-quality, timely storytelling while guiding audience engagement and collaboration across teams.

The role emphasizes mentorship, integrity, and a path to expand hyperlocal civic coverage statewide, including partnerships with other newsrooms and fundraising support.

Qualifications

• Has some newsroom leadership experience and a track record of producing and editing impactful, human-centered journalism.
• Is a collaborative editor, manager, and mentor who loves to champion and develop early career journalists.
• Understands Maine issues from coast to rural areas, and can articulate a newsroom vision.
• Demonstrates integrity, initiative, deadlines, and strong written and verbal communication.

Responsibilities

• Lead editorial team with a clear vision and strategy for public service civic news and investigations.
• Guide production with editors, freelancers, and cross-team partners from pitch to publication.
• Collaborate with audience, development, and newsroom teams to amplify projects and expand reach.
• Co-lead Monitor Local operations and manage budget stewardship and newsroom talent development.
• Oversee partnerships with other newsrooms and support fundraising efforts.

Skills

Newsroom leadership

Editorial strategy

Investigative journalism

Mentoring staff

AP Style proficiency

Job description

Job Title: Monitor Local Managing Editor

Location: Maine (hybrid)

Position type: Full Time

Reports to: Monitor Local Editor

Salary: $65,000 – $68,000 (commensurate with experience)

The nonprofit Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting was founded in 2009 to produce the independent local journalism Maine needs. Our mission is to deliver fearless, independent, citizen-supported journalism that empowers Mainers with crucial information about issues impacting our state. All of our news is free to read, with no paywall, and distributed for free to other news outlets to republish, supporting the entire news ecosystem in Maine.

We publish The Maine Monitor to provide critical statewide investigative and in-depth reporting on a broad range of issues—everything from artificial intelligence in education to fair treatment by state police and Monitor Local to provide rural communities with essential local civic news about local government.

Since Monitor Local launched in November 2025, demand for its civic news has grown in the counties currently covered and in counties in need of hyperlocal civic news. As Monitor Local prepares to expand its civic news coverage, we are seeking a Managing Editor who can work with the Monitor Local and Maine Monitor teams to produce the civics news communities in Maine need.

About The Role

Leadership

• Helps lead the editorial team in developing and executing a strong editorial vision and strategy for public service civic news and investigative projects.
• Upholds the highest standards and strongly supports the First Amendment and executes investigative/watchdog journalism.
• Demonstrates commitment to the organization’s diversity objectives in problem solving, team building, recruiting, hiring and retention.
• Fosters and maintains an equitable, collaborative, and inclusive newsroom culture.
• Seeks opportunities to develop skills and professional acumen of newsroom staff.

Substantive

• Working closely with the editor, guides the editorial production process on Monitor Local to ensure a clean, informative and highly professional civic news product on a planned publication schedule.
• Works with freelancers on stories from pitch to publication, including story ideation, structural and line edits, copy editing and fact-checking, in coordination with the editor.
• Supports and collaborates with The Maine Monitor editorial team with resources and guidance needed to execute on ambitious public service and investigative journalism projects.
• Works with reporting staff, audience and outreach team, and development team to develop amplification strategies around news projects, in coordination with the editor.
• Works with audience team to develop project ideas and guide and edit production of multimedia content, in coordination with the editor.
• Occasional research and writing stories for Monitor Local.

Creative/Analytical

• Working with the editor and audience and outreach team, supports the production of multiple email newsletters.
• Works closely with digital editor, freelance photographers, and contract graphic artists to ensure editorial stories, newsletters and website have impactful visuals and audience appeal to drive audience engagement.
• Tracks and responds to assorted performance metrics, including audience engagement and website and newsletter performance, consulting and strategizing with the editor on optimization.
• Engages staff, community and leadership team to develop new strategies to grow our reach of local audiences across all delivery platforms.

Operational

• Co-leads the day-to-day editorial operation of Monitor Local, working with the editor.
• Identifies and oversees contract work with freelance reporters and photographers, in consultation with the editor.
• Identifies and develops newsroom talent, and inspires freelancers by providing meaningful feedback and creating opportunities for professional growth and achievement.
• In partnership with the editor, manages the Dirigo Reporting internship, including recruiting, editing, and mentoring.
• Practices good stewardship with company resources, including prudent management of the newsroom operational budget.

Outreach

• Builds and maintains collaborative and strategic partnerships with other newsrooms in coordination with the editor, audience team and MCPIR Executive Director.
• Collaborates across the organization and supports The Maine Monitor in fundraising efforts, including participating in outreach and fundraising events and occasional editing of donor campaign materials.
• Facilitates strong statewide connections as an ambassador of The Maine Monitor and Monitor Local and a leader in driving civic engagement.

Qualifications We’re Looking For

• Has some newsroom leadership experience and a track record of producing and editing impactful, human-centered journalism.
• Is a collaborative editor, manager, and mentor who loves to champion and support the work of a team and has experience developing the skills of early career journalists.
• Has knowledge of the State of Maine and the issues facing its residents from the coast to the rural woodlands.
• Is an organized and creative leader who can articulate and execute a vision.
• Is committed to building a caring work environment and culture by respectfully providing and accepting feedback, encouraging and modeling work-life balance, and embodying a growth mindset.
• Has great integrity and a strong moral compass
• Has a high level of individual initiative, including the ability to work with limited supervision, make deadlines, resolve practical problems independently, multitask and prioritize activities
• Has outstanding verbal and written communication skills
• Has strong news judgment, organization and decision-making skills
• Has documented success building relationships across departments and with other newsrooms and community organizations.
• Has a strong vision for journalism that is responsive to the people and communities most affected by the issues we cover.
• Be proficient with AP Style

We know there are great candidates who have skills we haven’t thought of, or who may have experiences different from what we’ve described. If that’s you, reach out and tell us about yourself!

We are taking steps to make our newsroom better reflect the diverse communities we cover. We especially encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, including women, people of color, LGBTQ people and people with disabilities.

Where You’ll Be, Compensation And Benefits

• $65,000 – $68,000 annual salary
• Employer-sponsored health, dental, vision insurance
• Cell phone stipend (nontaxable)
• Retirement savings plan with a 3% employer match
• Expense reimbursement, according to published policy
• Short-term disability insurance
• 15 days of paid time off in the first year of work; 20 days starting with the second year of employment.
• 6 personal/sick days.
• Remote work and flex time
• 13 ½ paid holidays

The position is an exempt position. It requires periodic in-person presence at the organization’s office in Augusta and at events around the state, but otherwise can be done remotely in Maine.

NOTE: Job offers are contingent on the verification of credentials and other information required by the employment process including the completion of a background check that includes criminal history.

The Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting/The Maine Monitor is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, age, marital or parental status, disability, citizenship, sexual orientation, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by law. We prohibit and will not tolerate any such discrimination or harassment.

The Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting and The Maine Monitor serve all of Maine and the diverse communities across Maine. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive board and staff that reflects the society on which we report. We are committed to fostering a workplace in which our employees can grow, express themselves and contribute to the mission and future of our organization.