Senior Staff Writer, VF

Vanity Fair; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 95,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Vanity Fair is seeking an experienced and imaginative Senior Staff Writer to join our award-winning editorial team in Los Angeles. You will file major features and shorter pieces across print, web, and social platforms, bringing intellectual curiosity and narrative flair to stories that reveal deeper significance behind headlines.

The role emphasizes collaboration with editors, designers, video/audio teams, and other writers, and requires a track record of publishing high-quality work across

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years in magazine, newspaper, or digital feature writing.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating range, originality, and voice.
• Experience reporting on politics, media, culture, celebrity, business, or society.
• Collaborative spirit and cross-format teamwork.
• Deadline-driven, detail-oriented and self-motivated with ability to manage multiple projects.

Responsibilities

• Pitch, report, and write deeply reported longform stories—spanning profiles, cultural deep-dives, investigations, and essays.
• Contribute shorter reported pieces, such as quick-turn stories, analysis, and smart cultural takes.
• Develop and deliver fresh, original ideas that reflect and shape the conversation.
• Collaborate across departments—print, digital, video, audio, social—to develop multi-platform storytelling.
• Maintain strong editorial judgment and voice, with a clear understanding of Vanity Fair’s tone and audience.
• Uphold high journalistic standards in reporting, sourcing, and narrative craft.

Skills

5+ years exp

Portfolio of published work

Politics reporting

Media reporting

Culture reporting

Collaborative spirit

Deadline-driven

Job description

Vanity Fair holds a mirror to society by celebrating the best of global culture and investigating the forces that propel it. Pop culture can be profound and current affairs can be ridiculous. Our cast of characters is wide-ranging, wildly diverse, always exceptional, and quite often stylish. In every medium, Vanity Fair harnesses the tensions of modern life.

Job Description

Location: Los Angeles, CA

Vanity Fair – Senior Staff Writer

Vanity Fair is seeking an experienced and imaginative Senior Staff Writer to join our award-winning editorial team. This role is ideal for a journalist who thrives on big ideas, has a sharp cultural sensibility, and knows how to tell a story that resonates across platforms.

The successful candidate will file major features along with shorter reported pieces, ranging from timely cultural commentary to original scoops and smart observations. You’ll bring intellectual curiosity, narrative flair, and the ability to identify the deeper significance behind the headlines. Whether investigating power structures, profiling a major figure, or uncovering overlooked cultural dynamics, your work will reflect Vanity Fair’s unique blend of depth, wit, and sophistication.

This is a collaborative role: you’ll work closely with editors, designers, video and audio teams, and other writers to bring your stories to life across print, web, social, and live formats.

This role based in New York City and is an in-office position.

Key Responsibilities:

• Pitch, report, and write deeply reported longform stories—spanning profiles, cultural deep-dives, investigations, and essays.
• Contribute shorter reported pieces, such as quick-turn stories, analysis, and smart cultural takes.
• Develop and deliver fresh, original ideas that reflect and shape the conversation.
• Collaborate across departments—print, digital, video, audio, social—to develop multi-platform storytelling.
• Maintain strong editorial judgment and voice, with a clear understanding of Vanity Fair’s tone and audience.
• Uphold high journalistic standards in reporting, sourcing, and narrative craft.

Ideal Candidate:

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in magazine, newspaper, or digital feature writing.
• A strong portfolio of published work that demonstrates range, originality, and voice.
• Experience reporting on one or more of the following: politics, media, tech, culture, celebrity, business, or society.
• A collaborative spirit and enthusiasm for working across formats and teams.
• Deadline-driven, detail-oriented, and self-motivated with the ability to manage multiple projects at once.

The expected base salary range for this position is from $95,000-$170,000 Salary offers are based on a wide range of factors including but not limited to relevant skills, training, experience, and education.

This is a guild position.

Condé Nast is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, familial status and other legally protected characteristics.