Politics Editor

University of Missouri, St. Louis; Clayton (MO); On-site; USD 70,000 - 87,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

University benefits

Moving allowance

Educational fee discounts

Job summary

St. Louis Public Radio seeks a Politics Editor to lead and strengthen coverage of politics and government across the St. Louis region, Missouri and Illinois.

The editor will supervise four reporters, shape daily coverage and coordinate with editors, reporters and producers across the newsroom. The role requires a Bachelor's degree or equivalent, at least four years in journalism, and strong editing, AP Style and audience-focused storytelling. Based in St.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• At least 4 years of newsroom experience.
• Five years of newsroom experience with editing/producing/assigning experience (preferred).
• Familiarity with a newsroom CMS, audio scripting formats, and AP Style.

Responsibilities

• Lead STLPR’s coverage of politics and government across the St. Louis region, Missouri and Illinois.
• Develop and execute coverage plans for elections, legislative sessions, major political events and other significant developments.
• Oversee Jefferson City reporting and state government coverage.
• Coordinate the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air.
• Edit broadcast scripts, web stories, and briefs for clarity and editorial standards.
• Supervise and edit stories from STLPR’s political reporting team.
• Occasionally edit high-impact stories outside of the direct team.

Skills

Editing

Communication skills

Collaboration

Organizational skills

Newsroom CMS

AP Style

Mentoring reporters

Audio scripting formats

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience

Tools

Newsroom CMS

Job description

Hiring Department

St. Louis Public Radio

Job Description

St. Louis Public Radio, an award-winning multimedia journalismorganization and NPR member station, seeks an editor to lead andstrengthen our coverage of politics and government across the St.Louis region, Missouri and Illinois. The Politics Editor plays akey role in shaping daily political news coverage while helpingreporters pursue ambitious, deeply reported stories that holdelected officials and institutions accountable and give audiencesthe context they need to understand how government decisions affecttheir lives.

The Politics Editor supervises a team of four reporters andcollaborates closely with other editors, reporters and producersacross the newsroom. This editor also manages our MissouriStatehouse and Politics reporter, overseeing coverage fromJefferson City both during and outside of the legislative session.The ideal candidate will help set the newsroom’s political coveragepriorities, including elections, state and local government, policydebates and the people and communities affected by politicaldecisions.

This is an opportunity to join a deeply collaborative,award-winning newsroom of nearly 30 journalists, committed toexcellence, innovation and public service. STLPR is recognizednationally for ambitious storytelling and is a founding member ofthe Midwest Newsroom, which focuses on enterprise and investigativereporting. Our reporting regularly airs nationally on NPR,Marketplace and other programs.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead STLPR’s coverage of politics and government across the St.Louis region, Missouri and Illinois.
• Develop and execute coverage plans for elections, legislativesessions, major political events and other significantdevelopments, including coordination with editors and reportersacross the newsroom.
• Oversee STLPR’s Jefferson City reporting team and helpcoordinate coverage of Missouri state government and thelegislature.
• Coordinate the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on theAir, working with the political team to develop timely, informativeand engaging topics that provide audiences with context andperspective on Missouri and Illinois politics and policy.
• Edit broadcast scripts, web stories, and briefs for clarity,accuracy and consistency with STLPR’s editorial standards andvoice.
• Supervise and edit stories from STLPR’s political reportingteam, providing clear direction, regular feedback and support forprofessional development.
• Occasionally edit high-impact stories outside of your directteam, particularly when subject matter expertise or newsroom needarises.

Supervision Received: The Politics Editor reports to the ManagingEditor of News.

Supervision Exercised: This position supervises a team of 4reporters and may occasionally coordinate with interns or freelancecontributors.

Location: This position is based in St. Louis. The Politics Editormust live in or relocate to the region. A moving allowance isavailable in applicable situations.

Shift

40 hours a week, M-F with occasional on-call/weekend editingshift

Minimum Qualifications

A Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education andexperience and at least 4 years of experience from which comparableknowledge and skills can be acquired is necessary

Preferred Qualifications

Additionally, we are looking for candidates with thefollowing:

• At least five years of professional newsroom experience, withat least two years in an editing, producing or assigning role.
• Strong editing skills and a track record of improving clarity,structure and depth in others’ work.
• Proven ability to manage fast-moving news while maintainingaccuracy and editorial integrity.
• Familiarity with a newsroom CMS, audio scripting formats, andAP Style.
• Excellent communication skills and a collaborative approach toworking across teams.
• Strong organizational skills and comfort managing shiftingpriorities on deadline.

Preferred:

• Experience covering politics in Missouri and Illinois, with anunderstanding of legislatures in both states.
• Familiarity with the St. Louis region and its communities.
• Comfort editing both audio and digital formats.
• Experience managing or mentoring reporters.
• Interest in contributing to the development of sustainablenewsroom workflows.

Anticipated Hiring Range

$70,000 - $86,632

Grade: GGS-011

University Title:MEDIA PRODUCTION DIRECTOR III

Internal applicants can determine their University title byaccessing the Talent Profile tile in myHR.

Sponsorship Information

Employment visa sponsorship is not available for thisposition.

Benefit Eligibility

This position is eligible for University benefits. As part of yourtotal compensation, the University offers a comprehensive benefitspackage, including medical, dental and vision plans, retirement,paid time off, short- and long-term disability, paid parentalleave, paid caregiver leave, and educational fee discounts for allfour UM System campuses. For additional information on Universitybenefits, please visit the Faculty & Staff Benefits website at https://www.umsystem.edu/departments-staff/human-resources/benefits-retirement

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of Missouri is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

To request ADA accommodations, please email the Office of HumanResources at [e-mail].