Senior News Editor

Newsweek; United States; On-site; USD 100,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Newsweek is looking for a Senior News Editor to manage the U.S. news desk and lead editorial decisions. This full-time position can be remote or hybrid in NYC and requires deep expertise in journalism.

The ideal candidate will have 7–10+ years of experience in a U.S. digital newsroom, with a focus on breaking news and enterprise reporting. A salary range of $100,000 to $115,000 is offered depending on experience.

Qualifications

• 7–10+ years of experience at a high-level U.S. digital newsroom.
• Demonstrated record editing breaking news and enterprise reporting.
• Deep understanding of U.S. political, legal, and cultural dynamics.

Responsibilities

• Run the U.S. news desk during peak coverage hours.
• Make final calls on framing and prioritization.
• Deliver first-class framing on competitive national stories.
• Mentor reporters and junior editors into sharper thinkers.

Skills

Exceptional news judgment

Comfortable making consequential editorial decisions

Calm leadership style under pressure

Job description

Newsweek is the global media organization that has earned audience time and trust for more than 90 years. Newsweek reaches 100 million people each month with thought‑provoking news, opinion, images, graphics, and video delivered across a dozen print and digital platforms. Headquartered in New York City, Newsweek also publishes international editions in EMEA and Asia.

Senior News Editor, Newsweek.com

Location: United States (Remote or Hybrid in NYC)

Position Overview

The Senior Editor is a senior operational authority in Newsweek’s U.S. newsroom, responsible for setting the editorial bar and enforcing it relentlessly. This role demands editors who can run a national news desk at full throttle—making high‑stakes editorial decisions in real time, rewriting aggressively, and delivering journalism that competes head‑to‑head with the strongest U.S. newsrooms. Reporting to the U.S. News Director, the Senior Editor owns daily execution of the U.S. news report, turning strategy into journalism that is fast, authoritative, analytically sharp, and unmistakably worth a reader’s time.

This is a full‑time position working 3:00 pm–12:00 am ET five days a week, including one weekend shift. This position may be worked remotely anywhere in the United States.

Key Responsibilities

• Run the U.S. news desk during peak coverage hours, making final calls on framing, prioritization, and play.
• Distinguish decisively between stories that advance public understanding and those that merely follow the pack.
• Kill weak or redundant stories quickly—and demand better replacements.
• Deliver first‑class framing on the most competitive national stories, identifying where Newsweek can add clarity, originality, or analytical value.
• Rewrite without hesitation: leads, nut grafs, headlines, structure, sourcing, and tone.
• Take raw field notes, transcripts, interviews, and exclusives and turn them into clean, analytical, tightly argued journalism.
• Perform rapid second‑day and rolling rewrites that materially improve stories as facts evolve.
• Operate as a desk reporter when the moment demands it—making calls, confirming facts, chasing documents, and closing gaps.
• Personally intervene on high‑stakes or sensitive stories where precision and judgment are critical.
• Hold yourself and your team to elite newsroom standards.
• Provide blunt, constructive feedback and demand improvement.
• Mentor reporters and junior editors into sharper thinkers and stronger journalists.
• Take ownership when coverage underperforms.
• Maintain a sophisticated understanding of how serious readers engage with news.
• Work with audience teams to ensure performance goals support editorial ambition.
• Monitor competitive coverage and push Newsweek to outperform, not echo.

Qualifications & Requirements

• 7–10+ years of experience at a high‑level U.S. digital newsroom.
• Demonstrated record editing breaking news, exclusives, and enterprise reporting at speed.
• Exceptional news judgment.
• Comfortable making consequential editorial decisions independently.
• Proven ability to handle sensitive and legally complex stories.
• Deep understanding of U.S. political, legal, and cultural dynamics.
• Calm, decisive leadership style under pressure.

Salary Range: $100,000 – $115,000 commensurate with experience.

Newsweek is an equal opportunity employer. We seek employees of diverse backgrounds and are committed to providing an inclusive, equitable and respectful workplace.