Senior Editor, Arts and Culture Hub

NPR•Washington, DC

16h•$127,500 - $137,499•Hybrid

About The Position

NPR is hiring a Senior Editor for its Arts & Culture Hub to lead cultural insights coverage across broadcast and digital platforms. Working with Arts & Culture Hub editors, platform leads, reporters, and other teams, the editor will identify and explain the values, beliefs, and social dynamics shaping culture; contextualize emerging trends; and cover artistic movements and meaningful cultural change. The editor will help determine the shape and design of day-to-day coverage and guide the team in breaking news and ideas with speed, accuracy, and nuance. The role covers a broad Society & Culture beat, including movies, books, sports, religion, and education. It involves generating and evaluating story ideas, directing daily news and feature coverage, editing multiplatform stories, and planning coverage of major events. The editor may advise show programmers and hosts and contribute to sports editing, including some weekend work. The role requires adherence to NPR’s editorial standards and the NPR Ethics Handbook. It is union-represented under a SAG-AFTRA collective bargaining agreement. This is a full-time, exempt, hybrid-permitted position. The employee must work from NPR’s Washington, D.C., Culver City, or New York City office at least 2–3 days per week and reside in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, Culver City, or New York City. The anticipated U.S. salary range is $127,500–$137,499, plus benefits.

Requirements

At least 5 years of experience editing arts, entertainment, and culture coverage.
Experience editing for radio and/or podcasting.
Experience covering arts and culture, including areas such as movies, television, visual arts, and books.
Experience in digital media, including editing copy and visuals, coordinating with news apps, and familiarity with content management systems and collaboration tools.
A strong record of multiplatform thinking and execution in daily news, feature, and enterprise coverage.
Experience making editorial decisions, including assigning reporters or correspondents.
Ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously amid stringent deadlines and changing priorities or conditions.
Ability to work quickly and efficiently under deadline pressure.
Ability and willingness to work varied shifts.
Demonstrated collaboration and leadership skills.
Expert writing skills, including excellence in news, headline, and broadcast writing and copy editing.
Proven ability to communicate clearly and effectively in challenging situations.
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with NPR member stations and the public media system.
Some experience and understanding of sports and sports journalism.
Flexibility, creativity, and eagerness to innovate and embrace change.
Long-standing relationships and contacts in the entertainment industry.

Responsibilities

Generate story ideas and review pitches with reporters on the Society & Culture desk, covering areas including movies, books, sports, religion, and education.
Develop storytelling approaches and sources, and determine the best platform for coverage.
Direct daily news and feature coverage of the beat in collaboration with platform leads, desks, and other relevant teams.
Fill in or supplement sports coverage editing, which may include some weekend work.
Engage digital and visuals teams early in story and event planning and idea generation.
Produce multiplatform coverage plans for major events and stories in collaboration with divisions and teams across NPR when needed.
Edit stories for broadcast, digital, social, and newsletters, supporting critics and correspondents in developing and executing stories with speed, voice, and nuance.
Advise show programmers and hosts on coverage threads, guest bookings, and interview questions.
Contribute to audio production.
Apply SEO, headline writing, and other engagement practices to prepare digital stories for posting.
Participate in, edit, and direct news coverage as needed, including occasional evening, weekend, and holiday assignments.
Ensure desk content meets NPR standards and practices, including accuracy, fairness, honesty, and impartiality.

Benefits

Access to comprehensive benefits for employees and dependents, subject to eligibility.
Health and wellness benefits.
Paid time off.
Financial well-being benefits.
Medical insurance.
Dental insurance.
Vision insurance.
Life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance.
Long-term disability insurance.
Short-term disability insurance.
Voluntary retirement savings.