Managing Editor, Here & Now

Boston University•Boston, MA

9d•$120,375 - $168,525•Onsite

About The Position

Here & Now is seeking a Managing Editor to help shape its editorial vision, standards, and content strategy across multiple platforms while building an exceptional editorial team. This role is pivotal in navigating profound shifts in how audiences consume news, build trust, and uphold journalism integrity. The Managing Editor will shape a program with deep audience trust and national reach, defining authoritative, accessible public-interest journalism for the next decade. This position is based in Boston and reports to the Here & Now Executive Producer.

Requirements

Experience in journalism and editorial leadership.
Proven ability to drive cross-platform storytelling.
Experience leading and developing editorial teams.
Championing high editorial standards.
Ability to translate between operational needs and strategic thinking.
Thrive in fast-moving, mission-driven environments.
Journalism integrity is non-negotiable.
Impact is measurable.
Experience with broadcast, digital, podcast, social, and video content.
Experience with enterprise and impact reporting.
Experience with multimedia distribution.
Experience with new technologies and formats for reporting.
Experience developing and stewarding content strategy.
Experience with audience development strategies.
Experience with data-informed editorial decision-making.
Experience monitoring news landscape and audience preferences.
Experience setting story priorities and managing editorial planning workflows.
Experience managing seasonal coverage and major news events planning.
Experience directly managing editorial staff.
Experience setting clear expectations, delivering feedback, and investing in growth.
Experience hiring for editorial excellence and cultural fit.
Experience conducting 1-on-1s and performance reviews.
Experience identifying and developing future leaders.
Experience fostering a culture of editorial excellence, curiosity, and continuous improvement.

Nice To Haves

Fluency in NPR, WBUR, and industry editorial standards.
Experience liaising with Member Partnerships to identify editorial-driven revenue opportunities.
Experience partnering with digital teams for national shows.
Experience working with hosts, executive producer, managing producer for digital, and senior managing editor.

Responsibilities

Drive cross-platform storytelling that multiplies impact and reaches diverse audiences.
Lead aspects of the program's daily editorial execution while stewarding longer-term content strategy.
Lead a high-performing editorial team with hiring, development, and coaching.
Champion the highest editorial standards across all platforms — broadcast, digital, podcast, social, and video.
Translate between immediate operational needs and strategic thinking.
Own Here & Now’s editorial standards across all outputs: broadcast, digital, podcast, social, video, and emerging platforms.
Serve as editorial backstop for significant stories: review and approve editorial decisions, navigate sensitive coverage, and ensure journalism is defensible at every touchpoint.
Edit scripts, guide story framing, and provide real-time editorial counsel to producers and hosts during broadcasts and breaking news.
Maintain fluency in NPR, WBUR, and industry editorial standards; ensure consistent application across the team.
Represent Here & Now's editorial voice and standards to member stations, NPR, and external partners.
Oversee development of high-impact enterprise journalism and special series.
Ensure the program's best stories reach the broadest audiences through multimedia distribution.
Liaise with Member Partnerships to identify editorial-driven revenue opportunities.
Champion use of new technologies and formats to enhance reporting: video, interactive visuals, podcasting, and emerging storytelling approaches.
Develop and steward a content strategy that serves existing audiences while growing reach across diverse communities and platforms.
Lead cross-platform editorial thinking: expand story development from broadcast to social, digital, podcast, and video.
Partner with WBUR's Digital Team for National Shows to evolve editorial and audience development strategies.
Champion data-informed editorial decision-making: use audience analytics, performance metrics, and engagement data to surface insights and inform coverage priorities.
Monitor news landscape, audience preferences, and editorial trends to keep Here & Now relevant, distinctive, and essential.
Set story priorities for the show in collaboration with executive producer and senior managing editor.
Oversee editorial planning workflows to ensure seamless daily execution.
Coordinate with host producers on off-air week work to align with show priorities and longer-term strategy.
Manage seasonal coverage and major news events planning (elections, breaking news, etc.).
Directly manage editorial staff (producers, editors, reporters). Set clear expectations, deliver timely feedback, and invest in each person's growth.
Hire deliberately for editorial excellence and cultural fit; build inclusive, high-performing teams.
Conduct regular 1-on-1s and annual performance reviews; create clear paths for advancement.
Identify and develop future leaders within the editorial team.
Foster a culture of editorial excellence, curiosity, and continuous improvement.
Work closely with hosts, executive producer, managing producer for digital, and senior managing editor to maintain efficient, high-quality daily production.