The Editing Chief is responsible for running the Wall Street Journal’s publishing desk. He or she sets and polices copy editing standards, organizes a global team of editors, assigns them to edit and publish story packages in coverage areas, tracks their progress and ensures the quality of their work.
Tasks/Responsibilities
Content
- Oversee the editors in New York and other main offices in Europe and Asia who edit, compile and publish story packages, planning their shifts and assigning daily management of their work to coverage areas based on topic expertise and knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of the coverage area.
- Manage staff allocation to coverage areas according to workload and resource demands based on coverage plans.
- Oversee the ongoing work on the Journal’s style guide together with the the chief writing editor, supervising a news editor’s updates to it and broad editing staff understanding of the contents.
- Oversee the compilation of story packages on article-page level: text, visuals, video, inset boxes for related articles, timelines, etc. Ensure that the components of the package are all working together. Ensure that all components are of the highest quality, adhere to WSJ standards and publish as a complete article page which is optimized for mobile platforms (apps and web).
- Interface with platform editors to develop a baseline and ensure standardization of how content is optimized for various digital platforms: desktop, mobile and social.
- With the support of the office of the Managing Editor, identify and arrange for necessary training both individually and departmentally.
Leadership
- Lead and manage a team of editors.
- Contribute by attitude, example and encouragement to a culture of creativity, enthusiasm, motivation, ownership and professionalism.
- Manage, motivate and develop staff to consistently produce high-quality work.
- Set clear objectives for direct reports, cascading effectively down.
- Set agenda and make and articulate clear decisions.
- Set standards for individual and team performance – ongoing and in regular performance reviews.
- Identify high-potential members of the team and ensure they are effectively developed.
Key Attributes/Knowledge/Experience
- Deep knowledge of the English language and deep feel for for concision, precision, rhythm and word choice.
- Deep and also broad understanding of the mechanics and the art of journalistic writing and editing.
- Journalistic background and deep understanding and experience in digital journalism and publishing.
- Deep understanding of the brand values and mission of The Wall Street Journal and how our journalism should be selected and presented in line with those values.
- Deep understanding of the audience and membership structure, and how to use insight research and analytics to continually refine this understanding.
- Understanding of modern and innovative journalism and storytelling techniques on digital platforms.
- Able to lead and inspire our journalism team to come up with ideas; excellent communications skills. Know how to delegate, brief and give constructive feedback.
- Sound organizational abilities: setting agendas, planning and managing teams.
- Innovative and creative thinker, leader and manager.
To apply, go here.
