Editorial Director

InMaricopa & InBuckeye•Maricopa, AZ

About The Position

The Editorial Director (ED) is responsible for the editorial direction and production for both companies. The ED is a member of the leadership team and plays a critical role in strategic planning and other important organizational decisions. The ED supervises and mentors editors and manages Editorial-related relationships, including stringers, designers, printers, etc. Recruiting, hiring, training, and coaching new team members will be critical as we grow. The ED should also have an ethical sense of fairness for sources, readers, and the community, and buy into the core values of journalism. The ED must understand how to feed the copy-gobbling monster as efficiently as possible and find innovative ways to create content opportunities without adding resources. The ED will also contribute directly at times with news reporting/writing, copy editing, photography and/or videography. The ED will be a “face” of the company building rapport with stakeholders in a professional and tactful manner, being helpful and supportive without being bullied.

Requirements

Understand value position and how to fulfill it.
Brainstorm and recognize good stories.
Understand the moral and ethical imperative of our constitutionally protected position and place in a functioning democracy and fulfill that responsibility.
Understand the evolving law regarding internet publishing.
Know how to make it all fun.
Understand fairness to sources, the community and people who find themselves in a news story.
Results-oriented.
Competitive.
Coachable.
Cheerful.
Helpful.
Not afraid to laugh.
Work effectively independently and within a team.
Self-motivated.
Take initiative.

Nice To Haves

Passion for helping people and living our core values.

Responsibilities

Supervise and mentor editors.
Manage Editorial-related relationships, including stringers, designers, printers, et al.
Recruit, hire, train, and coach new team members.
Contribute directly at times with news reporting/writing, copy editing, photography and/or videography.
Be a “face” of the company building rapport with stakeholders in a professional and tactful manner, being helpful and supportive without being bullied.
Train editors and reporters to find, interview, report and write stories clearly and concisely.
Understand and apply knowledge of Open Records and Open Meeting laws.
Understand legalities of libel, invasion of privacy, false light and other landmines.
Come up with stories that meet the obligations of multiple interests (sports, news, schools, features, etc.) and develop systems to get them.
Instill a sense of urgency about getting the story first and a competitive spirit in the editorial staff.
Find the “what does it mean to me?” element in a story or recognize what is missing and train the editor/reporter how to flesh out this information.
Collaborate with an editor editing a story rather than simply “fixing” it to his/her liking.