Public Safety Coverage Editor

Advance Local; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

The Oregonian/OregonLive in Portland, OR seeks an experienced editor to shape Public Safety coverage with accountability journalism and narrative storytelling. This role leads a team of reporters and editors, oversees investigations and daily coverage, and works to elevate stories through time and resources.

You’ll guide a fast-moving newsroom, supervise senior reporters, coach up-and-coming editors, and ensure high standards of accuracy, fairness, and public service in all coverage.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree in journalism or communications, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 5+ years of professional newsroom experience, with 3 years leadership experience supervising or leading others.
• Prior management experience with a track record of coaching journalists to do their best work.
• Demonstrated ability to edit both long-term enterprise and iterative breaking news — and to switch gears quickly.
• Strong news judgment and a clear sense for stories: what matters now, what will matter next, and what deserves more attention.

Responsibilities

• Public Safety Oversight: Set the tone for fast, accurate, iterative coverage while directing resources toward some of the newsroom's most ambitious reporting.
• Steer enterprise and accountability: Coach reporters and editors to identify the stories that merit deeper digging and help them deliver long-term work with clear lines of effort and smart pacing.
• Elevate the journalism: Provide sharp editing that helps reporters' work shine and makes readers pay attention.
• Manage and develop people: Coach individual reporters (from new to veteran) to draw out their best work; provide direct feedback that improves reporting, writing, sourcing and story framing.
• Champion experimentation: Encourage smart risk-taking in story forms, workflows and how we convey information to readers — including responsible, effective use of AI and emerging tools to improve our journalism and speed.
• Raise the bar on public safety coverage: Ensure our journalism reflects high standards, strong verification and a public-service mindset — especially in moments that matter most to readers.

Skills

Leadership

Editing

News judgment

Public records law

AI experimentation

Education

Bachelor's degree in journalism or communications

Tools

AI tools

Job description

Strengthening and empowering all of the communities we serve.

The Oregonian/OregonLive seeks an experienced editor to shape our Public Safety coverage, with an emphasis on high-impact accountability journalism and narrative storytelling. This editor should be able to elevate quick hits but also have the ambition to take on investigations and multipart series - and a keen sense of which stories will most benefit from more time and resources.

With a team of fast-moving breaking news reporters and proven investigators, this editor will have the opportunity to lead coverage that exposes policy and institutional failures, improves public understanding of crime and justice systems, and shapes the regional conversation.

The salary range for this position is $75,000 to $95,000 per year, depending on experience.

You’ll lead a talented mix of early-career and deeply experienced journalists, including supervisors who report directly to you. As the team's senior editor, you'll oversee our breaking news team editors and provide backup to ensure all-day coverage. You will also supervise senior public safety reporters directly, with a focus on daily and long-term investigations.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Public Safety Oversight: Set the tone for fast, accurate, iterative coverage while directing resources toward some of the newsroom's most ambitious reporting.
• Steer enterprise and accountability: Coach reporters and editors to identify the stories that merit deeper digging and help them deliver long-term work with clear lines of effort and smart pacing.
• Elevate the journalism: Provide sharp editing that helps reporters' work shine and makes readers pay attention.
• Manage and develop people: Coach individual reporters (from new to veteran) to draw out their best work; provide direct feedback that improves reporting, writing, sourcing and story framing. Partner with the supervisors who report to you and help them become stronger managers.
• Champion experimentation: Encourage smart risk-taking in story forms, workflows and how we convey information to readers — including responsible, effective use of AI and emerging tools to improve our journalism and speed.
• Raise the bar on public safety coverage: Ensure our journalism reflects high standards, strong verification and a public-service mindset — especially in moments that matter most to readers.

Our Ideal Candidate Will Have The Following

• A bachelor’s degree in journalism or communications, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 5+ years of professional newsroom experience, with 3 years leadership experience supervising or leading others
• Prior management experience with a track record of coaching journalists to do their best work.
• Demonstrated ability to edit both long-term enterprise and iterative breaking news — and to switch gears quickly.
• Strong news judgment and a clear sense for stories: what matters now, what will matter next, and what deserves more attention.
• Calm, confident leadership in fast-moving situations; high standards for accuracy, fairness and urgency.
• A strong understanding of public records law and data — and how they can elevate both breaking and enterprise coverage.
• Comfort experimenting with new tools and formats, including thoughtful use of AI and other emerging technologies.
• Experience managing other managers is a plus.

What Success Looks Like

• Readers get the first and best version of major breaking stories — and our coverage grows smarter, deeper and more useful as it iterates.
• Reporters and editors feel coached, challenged and supported, with clear expectations and real development.
• The team consistently generates enterprise that originates from beat knowledge and daily reporting.
• We identify and adopt best practices quickly, and we’re open to new ways of telling stories and delivering information.

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