NBC News seeks tech/innovation editor

NBC News Digital is seeking an editor (who also be a tinkerer, builder, futurist, or dreamer in his/her spare time) to drive our coverage of Technology & Innovation and how they will shape our future.

This editor is responsible for delivering original, impactful, engaging, discussible and shareable content for a newly-constituted section on NBCNews.com. This person will “own” the section, and as such will be responsible for shaping the digital coverage team into a cohesive unit that creates distinctive digital reporting, innovative storytelling and analysis, in concert with the best of NBC News on TV.

The new section will be re-imagined from top to bottom so along with unparalleled editorial chops, the best candidates will bring a strong product sensibility and a track record of partnering with the product development side of the house.

Beyond that, candidates must bring a wealth of experience covering tech, science, and innovation topics. Not just the latest from Silicon Valley, but Hyperloop, the next space vehicle… the ‘what would happen if’, and ‘might we ever’ stories that make people see the wonder and possibility in our future.

In addition to subject matter expertise, the best candidates will have significant time spent as an editorial leader in a digital publishing environment. A familiarity with digital video – how to make it and make it well – is an absolute must, while extensive experience with video is a real plus. The person who wins this job will also know when a story is best told in video, or when it should be text, or when it should be neither and be left to a chart or graphic. They will know, and love, how to use data and metrics to help with editorial and product decisions.

Leadershipness is key, as is the ability – preferably from experience doing it – to successfully navigate a large and oftentimes complicated organization.

The role will report to NBC News’ Executive Editor, Features and TODAY.com.

Job Duties

• Setting the daily and larger editorial agendas for our digital technology & innovation coverage, including assigning stories and working with the video and graphics desks to shape their output
• Working with a range of journalistic talent from both digital and TV to produce journalism that sets us apart
• Editing stories and being the “last pair of eyes” to see everything that appears on our platforms, or empowering the right people to be that set of eyes in your stead
• Recruiting and retaining a rock star group of journalists
• Building and managing a network of freelancers and contributors to supplement in-house talent
• Establishing best practices for the team, including story selection, headline and deck writing, edit standards – all the while helping the team to break free of tried and true journalistic conventions whose time has come
• Closely coordinate with colleagues in the larger NBC News newsgathering and coverage teams to align reporting and maximize both depth and breadth of coverage.
• Use of metrics and audience data to optimize content and consumption (e.g. topics for SEO, headline writing, choice of topics etc)
• Cultivate a social media presence and general audience awareness of the site to drive traffic and audience loyalty
• Work closely with Ad Sales to understand our clients’ objectives, and put that understanding to work when developing new content
• Build relationships with content partners, within and outside the NBC News
• Managing rights of licensed content and ensure published content meets rights and contractual agreements

To apply, go here.