Regional Managing Editor - Yale, MI (48097)

Buried Lede Media; Yale (MI); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Buried Lede Media in Michigan's Thumb region seeks a Regional Managing Editor to lead editorial across three community newspapers, shape priorities, and ensure timely, locally relevant coverage.

You will supervise reporters and freelance contributors, plan weekly coverage, guard journalistic standards, coordinate with design and production, and maintain distinct local identities while leveraging regional collaboration.

Qualifications

• Oversee three newspapers' editorial content and maintain local identity.
• Develop weekly coverage plans and determine story priorities.
• Ensure accurate, timely, locally relevant publications.

Responsibilities

• Take day-to-day responsibility for editorial content across all three newspapers.
• Develop weekly coverage plans and determine story priorities.
• Coordinate page planning with Design & Production and ensure deadlines are met.
• Review editorial pages for accuracy and quality before publication.
• Maintain standards for accuracy, fairness, and attribution.

Skills

Editorial leadership

Staff management

Publication management

Editorial standards

Regional collaboration

Job description

Regional Managing Editor

About Buried Lede Media

Buried Lede Media is a growing Michigan-based community newspaper company built around a simple idea: local newspapers matter, and they are strongest when they are deeply connected to the communities they serve.

We operate newspapers with their own histories, personalities, and relationships with readers. We aren't interested in turning them into cookie-cutter publications. Instead, we look for ways to give local journalists better support, share resources where it makes sense and build sustainable newspapers that can continue doing important community journalism for years to come.

We're a small, hands-on organization, which means there aren't a lot of layers between an idea and putting it into action. We value people who take ownership of their work, communicate well, aren't afraid to try something new, and understand that community journalism can be both serious and fun. We work hard, move quickly, and expect a lot from one another — but we also believe in giving talented people room to do their jobs well.

Location

This position is based in Michigan's Thumb region and may be located anywhere within the communities served by our three Thumb-area newspapers. Buried Lede Media is currently evaluating options for a regional office, with the final office location to be determined.

Position Summary

The Regional Managing Editor is responsible for journalism across the three Thumb-area newspapers while protecting the individual identity and community focus of each publication. The position establishes editorial priorities, directs coverage, manages newsroom resources, and ensures accurate, timely, and locally relevant publications.

This is a hands-on leadership position for someone who understands that great community journalism starts with being present: knowing what matters to readers, helping reporters find the stories behind the meeting agendas and press releases, and making sure our newspapers reflect the communities they cover.

Editorial Leadership

• Take day-to-day responsibility for editorial content across all three newspapers
• Develop weekly coverage plans and determine story priorities
• Ensure strong coverage of local government, schools, public safety, businesses, community organizations, events, sports, and people
• Maintain an appropriate balance between regional content and community-specific reporting
• Protect the distinct local identity of each publication

Staff Management

• Supervise reporters, correspondents, photographers and freelance contributors
• Conduct regular editorial planning meetings
• Assign stories, photography and deadlines
• Review workloads across publications and shift resources when appropriate
• Coach editorial staff and improve reporting, writing, photography and newsroom practices
• Recruit and manage freelance contributors where coverage gaps exist

Publication Management

• Own the editorial production calendar for all three publications
• Ensure stories, photos, captions and other editorial materials are completed by deadline
• Coordinate page planning and news-hole requirements with Design & Production
• Review editorial pages for accuracy, completeness and quality before publication
• Ensure corrections are handled promptly and consistently

Editorial Standards

• Maintain standards for accuracy, fairness, attribution, and journalistic ethics
• Review sensitive or potentially controversial stories before publication
• Establish consistent style and editorial procedures
• Escalate significant legal, ethical, or reputational issues to the COO and CEO/Publisher as appropriate
• Maintain clear separation between advertising and editorial decision-making

  Regional & Digital Collaboration

  • Identify stories that can appropriately run in multiple publications
  • Coordinate regional reporting on issues affecting more than one community
  • Eliminate unnecessary duplication while protecting genuinely local coverage
  • Ensure important stories are published online in a timely manner
  • Coordinate breaking-news coverage and editorial social promotion when appropriate

  Success Looks Like

  Each newspaper remains unmistakably local while benefiting from a regional newsroom; important stories are covered; reporters have clear direction; deadlines are predictable; duplicate work is reduced; and journalistic quality improves.

  Just as importantly, the newsroom should be a place where people know what is expected of them, feel supported in doing good journalism, and take pride in producing newspapers their communities value.

  What We Offer

  Buried Lede Media is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a team that reflects and understands the communities we serve. Compensation is commensurate with experience, with benefits provided as part of the overall package.

  Most importantly, we're looking for the right person to join a growing company that believes deeply in the future of local journalism.