Senior Editor, Morning Edition

This is a Full Time Job

OVERVIEW

Intro to Position

A Senior Editor is an emerging leader within the Morning Edition and Up First team. They are trusted with making editorial decisions that directly affect news coverage on the live show and the podcast. They are accessible collaborators, keen news watchers and excellent writers.

A Senior Editor can fulfill any role on the team, but is most relied upon to work on complex and challenging stories, projects and situations predominantly involving Morning Edition hosts. That includes traveling and field reporting with our hosts to sometimes hostile environments. It can also include managing cross-departmental editorial projects such as a series, breaking news or consequential interviews. And, they are sometimes asked to execute or manage the editorial and operational direction of the show with minimal supervision.

The Senior Editor helps edit the daily show including host interviews, reported stories and other content for the broadcast, video, and digital platforms. The Senior Editor is a writer with flair and accuracy and is able to meet tight daily deadlines. They work closely with the four show hosts, as well as with the show’s supervisory, editorial and production staff. Senior Editors also help producers and editors shape or frame their stories and segments ensuring content is focused, accurate and meets NPR standards.

The right candidate for this position is interested in daily news and is eager to deliver the freshest, most important stories to listeners to start their day. They should also want to understand the needs and wants of various audiences.

Morning Edition is a 24/6 news operation. Candidates must be able to work a variety of shifts, including dayside, overnight, or swing shifts on a rotational basis.

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

Responsibilities

All requirements of Editor I, II, III plus:
• Pitches, manages, and executes major editorial projects and stories to include high-profile guest interviews, reported stories, live events or other journalistic products
• Travels with hosts and staff domestically and internationally on reporting trips as assigned by show management team
• Edits and helps produce interviews and stories on multiple platforms and mediums to the highest editorial standards at NPR
• Routinely develops timely, original program content for shows, actively pitching forward-looking stories, with the ability to turn on an aggressive deadline
• Manages and helps develop original content for the show, podcast, and/or digital platforms
• Trains and mentors staff at all levels on the team and within the NPR network
• Fills in on show management duties as needed, such as managing staff assignments or show production
• Upholds NPR’s editorial and ethical standards on any piece of journalism they are working on including content on the show, podcast, newsletter or any other product Morning Edition and Up First produces
• Other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications
• At least eight years of journalism work experience as an editor, reporter or producer
• At least four years experience editing daily national news
• Ability and willingness to work varied shifts
• Ability and willingness to travel on assignment

Preferred Qualifications
• At least ten years experience in journalism with at least five years as an editor working in a national news organization
• Proficiency in another language than English such as Spanish, Mandarin or Arabic
• Experience mentoring or teaching
• Experience writing and editing international news

Education Requirement
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in work experience

Work Location
• Hybrid Permitted: This is a hybrid permitted role. Some aspects of this role include duties that are better performed at an NPR facility. The employee will be required to be onsite at the Washington, DC office at least 10 days a year. The employee must also reside in an NPR supported location based on the number of onsite days they choose.

Required Skills
• Expertise in editing and working with senior-level broadcast show hosts and journalists
• Expertise in writing and editing content for broadcast and digital platforms
• Proficiency in producing, editing audio and/or using audio editing software
• Proficiency in having to solve problems independently
• Ability to make news judgment calls
• Executes major show-based projects with minimal supervision, working across the network to communicate with and serve all platforms
• Ability to help shape the editorial direction of the show and podcast and takes responsibility for editorial integrity and quality of final broadcast/published product
• Mentors and supports staff at all levels on development of writing and editing skills

Does this sound like you? If so, we want to hear from you.

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