Weekend/Breaking News Editor

USA TODAY Co.•Columbus, OH

4d•Onsite

About The Position

USA TODAY Co., the parent company of The Columbus Dispatch/Dispatch.com, is seeking a strategic, digitally fluent journalist to lead weekend breaking news coverage and daily media site operations in Newark. This editor will be responsible for driving digital-first news gathering, championing multimedia storytelling, and ensuring the journalism serves diverse communities. The role involves directing breaking and exclusive news coverage with a focus on speed, accuracy, and digital impact, assigning and editing content for all platforms with a priority on mobile, web, and social distribution. The editor will also champion video storytelling by collaborating with visual editors, reporters, and producers to create compelling video content for social platforms and the website. Additionally, the role requires developing and executing strategies for real-time sourcing and verification using social media, public agencies, and community sources, while monitoring social platforms for breaking news and trending topics. Audience engagement is key, involving the identification of top trending stories based on analytics and audience potential, using insights to shape coverage, drive subscriptions, and deepen engagement. The editor will foster a culture of innovation, accountability, and inclusivity, and mentor reporters in digital news gathering, narrative compellingness, and diverse sourcing, while collaborating across the newsroom and the USA TODAY Network to enhance story forms and audience reach.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or master’s degree in journalism, media production, or related field, or equivalent experience.
Three or more years of newsroom editing experience, with a track record in digital and public safety journalism.
Demonstrated ability to lead teams in a fast-paced, multi-platform environment.
Expertise in digital-first news gathering, video production, and social media sourcing.
Expertise with public records, data reporting, and data visualization.
Strong news judgment, editing skills, and command of journalism ethics.
Proficiency with analytics, audience funnel strategies, and digital content optimization.
Ability to verify and curate user-generated content and multimedia from social platforms.

Responsibilities

Direct breaking and exclusive news coverage with a focus on speed, accuracy, and digital impact.
Assign and edit coverage for all platforms, prioritizing mobile, web, and social distribution.
Collaborate with visual editors, reporters, and producers to create compelling video content for social platforms (TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube) and dispatch.com.
Develop and execute strategies for real-time sourcing and verification using social media, public agencies, and community sources.
Monitor social platforms for breaking news, trending topics, and user-generated content; verify and incorporate multimedia from public and official sources.
Identify top trending stories of the day, based on analytics and audience potential, specific to attracting search and social audiences.
Use analytics and audience insights to shape coverage, drive subscriptions, and deepen engagement.
Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, and inclusivity.
Mentor reporters in digital news gathering, compelling narratives, and diverse sources.
Collaborate across the newsroom and USA TODAY Network to enhance story forms and audience reach.