Fairness, wealth, well-being, inequality, power, all of it and more. What a time to cover the economy! Capitalism itself is coming under question. Basic assumptions about economics are falling away. We’re facing a profound moment of economic crisis, with deep human suffering, disparate impacts along racial and ethnic lines, all while wealth and innovation are soaring. It’s complicated. It’s confusing. It’s a lot. Does that energize you?
We need someone with a steady hand, analytical mind, creative instincts and caring heart to help us chart our course through this moment in American history. Someone able to make tough decisions, working with each reporter/producer to do their best work. Millions of people are counting on us.
We’re an extremely collaborative and tight-knit team with broad creative freedom to tell stories however we can. Sometimes it’s a character narrative, other times it’s field reporting or an expert interview, or trying things for ourselves, like buying 1,000 barrels of oil or a load of Christmas trees. Humor, antics, empathy, pathos, metaphor, or even quizzes or song, we deploy whatever tools we need to best explain, engage and entertain.
We’re looking for two supervising senior editors who can juggle all of that, with news instincts, narrative audio chops and leadership experience. Someone who we can spot stories, sharpen scripts and set a coverage agenda in partnership with the rest of us; offer constructive, rigorous, fair feedback with empathy and kindness; and push our staff to grow. If all of that is interesting to you, read on.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Manage some (4 or 5) of the talented, experienced reporters and producers.
As part of the leadership of this consensus-driven team, set the editorial agenda in collaboration with hosts and other editorial staff, then empower, motivate and encourage staff to achieve goals, creatively removing obstacles along the way.
- Hiring, as needed, the next round of world class audio storytellers
- Edit episodes, quickly, decisively, with insight, rigor and kindness
- Be ambitious, thinking up large-scale projects for the team to tackle collaboratively
- Ensure every episode meets our high standards for craft, journalism, and tone and substance
- Keep the show from sounding boring, predictable, generic
- Have tons of ideas
- Know how to pluck news from unexpected sources, or from business or trade press, or the 13th paragraph of a magazine article and turn it into a narrative the general public can’t help but listen to
- Approving or rejecting story pitches from staff and freelancers, along with other editorial staff, and provide clear reasons for your choices
- Offer feedback at the macro and micro levels: on story conception and framing as well as fine tuning scripts
- Re-writing stories along with hosts, including restructuring arcs, sharpening narration, punching up jokes, trimming episodes to time and whatever else is needed
- Thinking ahead with reporters about getting that dream tape with just the right question, or by being in just the right place
- Participating in our collaborative group edit process
- Offering direct, critical feedback with kindness, consideration, collegiality
- Embody the team values of kindness, consideration, empathy, inclusivity, diversity, and equity.
- Keeping it fun
- Thinking big. Really big. Pushing the ambition of the team on all fronts is key, innovating in craft, format, journalism, narrative, insight, all of it.
This is a dream job for the right person. Is that you?
To apply, go here.
