Public Safety Coverage Editor

The Oregonian/OregonLive seeks an experienced editor to shape our Public Safety coverage, with an emphasis on high-impact accountability journalism and narrative storytelling. This editor will elevate quick hits while driving investigations and multipart series, ensuring coverage exposes policy failures, improves public understanding of crime and justice systems, and shapes regional conversations.

About the role

You’ll lead a talented mix of early-career and deeply experienced journalists, including supervisors who report directly to you. As the team's senior editor, you'll oversee breaking news team editors, provide all-day coverage backup, and directly supervise senior public safety reporters with a focus on daily and long-term investigations.

Responsibilities

• Set the tone for fast, accurate, iterative public safety coverage while directing resources toward ambitious reporting.
• Steer enterprise and accountability journalism by coaching reporters to identify stories meriting deeper investigation and pacing long-term projects effectively.
• Elevate journalism through sharp editing that enhances clarity, impact, and reader engagement.
• Manage and develop reporters (from new to veteran) by providing direct feedback to improve reporting, writing, sourcing, and story framing.
• Partner with supervisors to strengthen their management skills and foster team growth.
• Champion experimentation with story forms, workflows, and emerging tools, including responsible AI use to improve journalism and efficiency.
• Raise the bar on public safety coverage by upholding high standards of verification, accuracy, and public-service journalism, especially during critical moments.

Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree in journalism or communications, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 5+ years of professional newsroom experience, including 3+ years in leadership roles supervising or leading others.
• Prior management experience with a track record of coaching journalists to excel.
• Demonstrated ability to edit both long-term enterprise and fast-paced breaking news while adapting quickly.
• Strong news judgment and a keen sense for identifying impactful stories—what matters now, next, and deserves deeper attention.
• Calm, confident leadership in high-pressure situations, with high standards for accuracy, fairness, and urgency.
• Strong understanding of public records law and data to elevate breaking and enterprise coverage.
• Comfort experimenting with new tools and formats, including AI and emerging technologies.
• Experience managing other managers is a plus.

What Success Looks Like

• Readers receive the first and best version of major breaking stories, with coverage that grows smarter and more useful over time.
• Reporters and editors feel coached, challenged, and supported, with clear expectations and professional development.
• The team consistently produces enterprise stories rooted in beat knowledge and daily reporting.
• The newsroom adopts best practices quickly and embraces innovative storytelling and information delivery.

Pay

$75,000 to $95,000 per year, depending on experience.