Deputy Sports Editor

Chicago Public Media•Chicago, IL

23d

About The Position

Chicago Public Media is seeking an innovative, audience-minded Deputy Sports Editor for the Chicago Sun-Times. The editor will help lead sports coverage across digital platforms and work with the Sports Editor to set daily priorities, shape coverage, and experiment with storytelling and distribution. The position requires strong sports-news judgment and rigorous editing, as well as experience using video, social platforms, and other digital formats to reach and engage audiences. The Deputy Sports Editor will work closely with sports reporters and colleagues in Audience, Visuals, and Product to develop timely, distinctive, and useful coverage for Chicago sports fans. The role may serve as acting Sports Editor when needed and requires availability to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as news demands. Chicago Public Media is a nonprofit news organization serving more than 3.3 million people weekly through broadcast, print, and digital platforms. It supports a collaborative culture that encourages diversity of ideas and innovation, and provides a broad benefits package for employees.

Requirements

Strong editing skills and demonstrated ability to make sound news decisions under deadline pressure.
Deep knowledge of sports and experience editing sports journalism.
Experience as an editor in sports is required.
Bachelor's degree in journalism, communications, or a related field.
Working knowledge of social platforms relevant to sports audiences, including Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and emerging platforms.
Willingness to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as news demands.
Ability to work collaboratively with reporters, visual journalists, and audience specialists to produce journalism across text, photo, video, and live formats.
Strong collaborative instincts, clear communication, and a solutions-oriented approach.
Curiosity, initiative, and comfort experimenting with new tools, formats, and workflows.

Nice To Haves

Chicago sports knowledge is preferred.
A track record of leading or contributing to change in a digital newsroom, particularly through social video, platform-native storytelling, or other new-media formats.
Strong understanding of audience behavior and platform best practices, including Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and emerging channels.
Familiarity with audience metrics and ability to use performance data and feedback thoughtfully in editorial decision-making.

Responsibilities

Help lead factual, accurate, fair, and compelling coverage of Chicago sports across Chicago Public Media digital platforms.
Partner with the Sports Editor on daily news planning, major event coverage, and long-term editorial priorities.
Serve as acting Sports Editor when needed.
Edit quickly and effectively on breaking news, game nights, and major sports moments, ensuring reporting meets Sun-Times standards for accuracy, fairness, and clarity.
Drive social-first and video-forward storytelling, including vertical video, live coverage, explainers, analysis, and other formats tailored to each platform.
Work with reporters to identify stories, personalities, and franchises with potential for recurring audience engagement and innovative formats.
Collaborate with Sun-Times and WBEZ editors and Audience, Visuals, and Product teams on story packaging, promotion, platform strategy, and experiments to improve discovery and deepen engagement.
Use audience data, social listening, and platform knowledge to inform coverage decisions while maintaining independent editorial judgment.
Help develop workflows and newsroom habits that make the Sports team faster, more creative, and more effective across emerging formats.
Engage directly with sports fans through social platforms during major news moments and games, and support promotion of the Sports team's journalism.