KCUR 89.3 seeks an experienced editor to run the Kansas News Service, a collaboration of NPR affiliates across the state.

We seek a managing editor who’s passionate about radio, digital media, public radio and delivering thoughtful statewide coverage that serves our partners, and providing content to commercial radio stations and newspapers in ways that make people in Kansas better understand what’s happening in their state.

The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KCUR in Kansas City, KMUW in Wichita, Kansas Public Radio in Lawrence and High Plains Public Radio in Garden City. The managing editor is responsible for guiding the KNS network to consistently deliver compelling coverage that incorporates the art and craft needed to produce strong audio stories and well-crafted digital stories.

KNS stories cover the broadest variety of topics. That includes trends in farming and rural life, ongoing water shortages in the western part of the state, all the fiscal and cultural issues that cycle through the Statehouse, plenty of abortion developments, the environment, education and health care.

Our North Star is a focus on the social determinants of health, a term that can be applied to virtually any topic that factors in the well-being of Kansans — including the environmental health of the state, the vibrancy of civic affairs and culture.

The managing editor runs a collaborative, which means being responsive to the needs of our partners in the production of both daily news coverage and in-depth features that set a standard of reporting for all the NPR stations in the state.

The managing editor works in person and/or remotely with reporters based in Kansas City, Topeka, Wichita and western Kansas. Some of those reporters are employed by KCUR and report directly to the managing editor; others are supervised by their local news directors but still look to KNS management for assignments, to field pitches and to coach and edit their stories from concept to air and online publication.

KNS stories, both on air and online, are free for other news organizations to use. Part of the job is maintaining informal relationships with those news outlets to provide our reporters with the largest possible audience and to feed coverage to increasingly large news deserts.

In addition, the Kansas News Service works with other public media cooperatives: principally Harvest Public Media and NPR’s Midwest Newsroom. The managing editor also coordinates coverage with national public media organizations. First and foremost, that includes National Public Radio. But Here & Now, Science Friday and other organizations regularly turn to KNS reporters for content. The managing editor pitches stories to those organizations and fields requests for stories from them.

In addition, the KNS managing editor occasionally assists KCUR with local coverage, helps supports the station’s DEIB efforts and is involved in the station’s staff development.

Job description

• Ensures the smooth production and delivery of content to partners from the KNS team. This work includes digital stories, audio stories and multimedia series.
• Generates, approves, assigns and edits stories for the radio and web with a statewide focus on the social determinants of health.
• Ensures an efficient approach to news gathering and reporting that produces in-depth coverage of distinction, including breaking news situations.
• Brings in relevant stories from partner stations or collaborates on specific edits or story assignments.
• Identifies and shares stories produced by partner stations to be distributed across the network.
• Ensures that stories — audio and digital — are filed properly by reporters, and that stations can retrieve content efficiently.
• Holds daily calls with partner news directors to plan and coordinate news coverage across the network.
• Holds conference calls with reporting team on a weekly basis.
• Manages regular communication channels for the team and the KCUR newsroom.
• Attends KCUR daily news meetings and a weekly meeting with the station’s editorial leadership to create an integrated approach to the team’s work.
• Either produces or assigns the production of a pre-recorded newscast every weekday.
• Coordinates coverage among related partners at other public media stations and news outlets. 
• Serves as a resource for talk shows, including identifying sources and opportunities for additional coverage, conducting two-ways and interviews, and appearing as a guest.  
• Edits and works with reporters in the KCUR newsroom as needed.
• Participates in assigned fund-raising and outreach activities, on air and off.
• Produces a weekly newsletter.
• Sends out and maintains operating agreements with stations.
• Organizes annual training and feedback meetings for reporters and news directors. 
• Travels to partner stations to work with and train reporters.
• Manages social media accounts.
• Oversees the work of interns at times.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum qualifications

A Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience and at least 4 years of experience from which comparable knowledge and skills can be acquired is necessary.

Preferred qualifications

• Proven journalistic judgment.
• Strong interpersonal, oral and written communication skills with both internal and external audiences.
• Ability and willingness to work a varied schedule.
• Enthusiasm for collaboration.
• Enthusiasm for the role of public media in a changing journalism environment.
• Management experience in a public media or news organization.
• Experience in successfully managing content collaborations or working collaboratively within an organization.
• Experience in operating a variety of broadcast equipment including digital editing systems (e.g. Adobe Audition), field recording units and other production equipment. Demonstrated ability as a newsroom leader.

Salary

$56,864 - $74,000 per year commensurate on education, experience, and internal equity.

How to Apply

KCUR 89.3 is the NPR affiliate in Kansas City and is an editorially independent community service of the University of Missouri - Kansas City. Please apply online at UMKC's website: https://info.umkc.edu/hr/careers/ Select "Staff Position," then "View Jobs," then "View All Jobs." This posting will remain open until filled; for best consideration please apply by August 14, 2023.