Senior Editor, Arts and Culture Hub

NPR; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 128,000 - 137,000; Full time

Job summary

NPR seeks a senior editor to lead cultural coverage across broadcast and digital platforms. You will work with the Arts & Culture Hub editors to shape stories, guide reporters, and rapidly contextualize trends with verve and accuracy.

The role is union-represented under SAG‑AFTRA and NPR’s Ethics Handbook. It supports a hybrid work model with in-office days in Washington, DC; Culver City; or New York City, 2–3 days weekly.

Qualifications

• 5+ years editing arts, entertainment and culture coverage.
• Experience editing for radio and/or podcasting.
• Experience with arts and culture coverage including movies, TV, visual arts and books.
• Experience in digital media editing copy, visuals and coordination with news apps as well as familiarity with content management systems and collaboration tools.
• A strong record of multi‑platform thinking and execution in daily news as well as feature and enterprise coverage.
• Experience in editorial decision‑making, including assigning reporters/correspondents.
• Ability to handle multiple and complex projects simultaneously under stringent timeframes and changing priorities/conditions.
• Ability and willingness to work varied shifts.
• Demonstrated team collaboration and leadership skills.
• Expertise in writing, with excellence in news, headline and broadcast writing as well as copy editing.
• Proven ability to communicate clearly and effectively in challenging situations

Responsibilities

• Generate story ideas and review story pitches with reporters on the Society & Culture desk, which includes coverage of movies, books, sports, religion and education, among other things.
• Help develop storytelling approaches and sources, and determine the best platform for coverage.
• Direct daily news and feature coverage of beat in collaboration with all platform leads, desks and others as appropriate;
• Ability to fill-in or supplement editing of sports coverage, which may include some weekend work
• Engage digital and visuals teams at the earliest stage of story and event planning and idea generation;
• Proactively produce multiplatform coverage plans for major events and stories in collaboration with divisions and teams throughout NPR when necessary;
• Edit stories for broadcast, digital, social, and newsletters, supporting critics and correspondents in developing and executing stories with speed, voice, and nuance.
• Ability to advise show programmers and hosts on coverage threads, booking guests and interview questions.
• Competent at audio production;
• Competent in SEO, headline writing and other engagement best practices to ensure that all digital stories produced by the team are ready for posting;
• Participate in, edit, and direct news coverage when needed, including the flexibility to work some evenings or weekends when needed, and also occasional holiday assignments.
• Ensure that desk content meets NPR’s standards and practices (including accuracy, fairness, honesty, and impartiality).

Skills

Editorial leadership

Radio editing

Arts & culture coverage

Multi-platform storytelling

Deadline-driven

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent in work experience

Tools

Content management systems

Collaboration tools

SEO best practices

Job description

Overview

A thriving, mission-driven multimedia organization, NPR produces award-winning news, information, and music programming in partnership with hundreds of independent public radio stations across the nation. The NPR audience values information, creativity, curiosity, and social responsibility – and our employees do too. We are innovators and leaders in diverse fields, from journalism and digital media to IT and development. Every day, our employees and member stations touch the lives of millions worldwide.

This means that integrity, adherence to our ethical standards, and compliance with legal obligations are fundamental responsibilities for every employee at NPR.

Application Deadline

Please submit your application materials by 11:59 pm EST November 19th, 2026

Intro to Position

This editor brings enthusiasm and fresh ideas to the coverage of cultural insights and deep respect for the curious audience. In collaboration with the Arts & Culture Hub editors and platform leads, this senior editor will be responsive to the news and drive NPR’s cultural insights coverage for broadcast and digital. They will work to identify and explain the values, beliefs, and social dynamics that shape our culture and guide the reporting team to explain and contextualize emerging trends with verve, speed and accuracy. This mandate includes providing insights into current artistic movements and trends, as well as deep dives to explain meaningful cultural change. This editor’s leadership will help the team break news and ideas. Because of the breadth of this beat, this editor will be a key decision‑maker on the shape and design of day‑to‑day news coverage for the entire team.

This is a union-represented role covered under the terms of a collective bargaining agreement with SAG‑AFTRA.

This is an NPR editorial role covered under the terms of the NPR Ethics Handbook. All editorial staff are bound by this guidance. Editorial staff are defined as staff members who play a role in shaping the journalistic or creative direction of NPR's content, including events.

Responsibilities

Generate story ideas and review story pitches with reporters on the Society & Culture desk, which includes coverage of movies, books, sports, religion and education, among other things.

• Help develop storytelling approaches and sources, and determine the best platform for coverage.
• Direct daily news and feature coverage of beat in collaboration with all platform leads, desks and others as appropriate;
• Ability to fill-in or supplement editing of sports coverage, which may include some weekend work
• Engage digital and visuals teams at the earliest stage of story and event planning and idea generation;
• Proactively produce multiplatform coverage plans for major events and stories in collaboration with divisions and teams throughout NPR when necessary;
• Edit stories for broadcast, digital, social, and newsletters, supporting critics and correspondents in developing and executing stories with speed, voice, and nuance.
• Ability to advise show programmers and hosts on coverage threads, booking guests and interview questions.
• Competent at audio production;
• Competent in SEO, headline writing and other engagement best practices to ensure that all digital stories produced by the team are ready for posting;
• Participate in, edit, and direct news coverage when needed, including the flexibility to work some evenings or weekends when needed, and also occasional holiday assignments.
• Ensure that desk content meets NPR’s standards and practices (including accuracy, fairness, honesty, and impartiality).

The above duties and responsibilities are not an exhaustive list of required responsibilities, duties and skills. Other duties may be assigned, and this job description can be modified at any time.

Minimum Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience editing arts, entertainment and culture coverage.
• Experience editing for radio and/or podcasting.
• Experience with coverage of arts and culture, including but not limited to: movies, TV, visual arts, and books.
• Experience in digital media, including editing copy, visuals and coordination with news apps as well as familiarity with content management systems and collaboration tools.
• A strong record of multi‑platform thinking and execution in daily news as well as feature and enterprise coverage.
• Experience in editorial decision‑making, including assigning reporters/correspondents.
• Ability to handle multiple and complex projects simultaneously under stringent timeframes and changing priorities/conditions.
• Ability to work quickly and efficiently under deadline pressure.
• Ability and willingness to work varied shifts.
• Demonstrated team collaboration and leadership skills.
• Expertise in writing, with excellence in news, headline and broadcast writing as well as copy editing.
• Proven ability to communicate clearly and effectively in challenging situations

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with NPR member stations and the public media system.
• Some experience and understanding of sports and sports journalism
• Flexibility, creativity and eagerness to innovate and embrace change.
• Long‑standing relationships and contacts in the entertainment industry are a plus.

Education Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in work experience

Work Location & Requirements

• SAG‑AFTRA Hybrid Permitted: This is a hybrid permitted role. The employee will be required to be in the office at the Washington, D.C. / Culver City / New York City location at least 2‑3 days per week. The employee must also reside in Washington, D.C. / Maryland / Virginia / Culver City / New York City.

Job Type

• This is a full‑time, exempt position.

Compensation

Salary Range: The U.S. based anticipated salary range for this opportunity is $127,500 - $137,499 plus benefits. The range displayed reflects the minimum and maximum salaries NPR expects to provide for new hires for the position across all US locations.

NPR Benefits

NPR offers access to comprehensive benefits for employees and dependents. Regular, full‑time employees scheduled to work 30 hours or more per week are eligible to enroll in NPR’s benefits options. Benefits include access to health and wellness, paid time off, and financial well‑being. Plan options include medical, dental, vision, life/ accidental death and dismemberment, long‑term disability, short‑term disability, and voluntary retirement savings to all eligible NPR employees.

NPR Pay Range

$127,500—$137,499 USD

NPR is an Equal Opportunity Employer. NPR is committed to being an inclusive workplace that welcomes diverse and unique perspectives, all working toward the same goal – to create a more informed public. Qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, age, religion, religious belief, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, lactation, and reproductive health decisions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, transgender status, gender non‑conforming status, intersex status, sexual stereotypes, nationality, citizenship status, genetic information, genetic characteristics, political views and affiliation, unemployment status, protective order status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, or any other basis prohibited under applicable law.

If you are a person with a disability needing assistance with the application process, please reach out to [e-mail].

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