Executive Editor

What You’ll Do

Lead day-to-day editorial operations across NEWSWELL Chicago’s newsroom, setting priorities, managing workflows and maintaining a strong culture of accountability and excellence
Direct editorial strategy across print, digital, newsletters and emerging platforms
Assign, shape and edit stories with an emphasis on quality reporting, strong storytelling, fairness and accuracy
Edit a significant volume of copy while maintaining high editorial standards and efficient production rhythms
Recruit, manage, coach and develop newsroom talent, including reporters, editors, audience staff, fellows, interns and freelance contributors
Oversee and collaborate closely with senior editorial and audience leaders, including the senior adviser/associate editor and senior audience manager
Use analytics, listening and newsroom instinct to guide coverage decisions and better serve community information needs
Represent NEWSWELL Chicago publicly at events and community gatherings and through partnerships and media appearances
Collaborate with leadership on fundraising efforts, donor engagement, editorial impact reporting
Identify and develop opportunities to expand NEWSWELL Chicago’s reach, impact and editorial footprint
Champion community journalism, strong newsroom values and an ambitious and collaborative culture
Foster an inclusive, respectful and collaborative newsroom culture that values diversity, encourages belonging, empowers staff and celebrates both individual and team successes.
Uphold and model NEWSWELL’s values of fairness, inclusion, transparency and trust, and promote civil, solutions‑minded public discourse through editorial decisions and leadership.

Relevant Qualifications

• An experienced editor and newsroom leader with excellent news judgment
• A strong line editor who makes stories sharper, clearer and more impactful
• A thoughtful people manager who knows how to coach, challenge and support talent
• Audience-minded, digitally fluent and comfortable leading across platforms
• Comfortable balancing daily journalism demands with longer-range editorial strategy
• A visible and credible public representative for a newsroom

Required Education and Experience

• 10+ years of journalism experience, including meaningful newsroom leadership experience
• Strong editing background with demonstrated excellence in story development and copy editing
• Experience managing reporters, editors, freelancers or cross-functional teams
• Strong understanding of digital publishing, newsletters, audience engagement and modern newsroom tools
• Demonstrated commitment to fairness, accuracy, ethics and inclusion in journalism

Preferred Education and Experience

• Experience working in a newsroom or print publication environment
• Knowledge of Chicago and its surrounding communities preferred, but not required
• Familiarity with Chicago neighborhoods and community‑focused journalism

Preferred Skills and Abilities

• Spanish fluency is a plus

Submission Requirements

Please put together a single document file that includes the following, in this order:
Your resume (one to two pages)
A cover letter that highlights your strengths and explains why you make a strong candidate for the position
Three to five samples that demonstrate your editorial leadership. These may include project overviews, edited packages, newsroom initiatives, audience or workflow improvements, or other work that reflects your role, decision‑making and impact. For each sample, include a one‑ to two‑sentence description of what you did and how you did it.
Please assemble these materials into a single document and upload them in a PDF format.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) plan with matching employer contribution
• 22 days of vacation time
• 11 holidays, including your birthday
• Parental leave
• Significant tuition reductions
• $30 bi-weekly cell phone reimbursement