Application instructions for this and all current OPB employment opportunities are available at OPB's careers page.

About OPB

OPB is a leader in public media, serving diverse communities of the Northwest with fact-based, in-depth news and information about politics, the environment, science, arts, history, and cultures; business, education and more. Powered by the generous support of members, OPB seeks out a variety of voices in our communities and lifts up authentic stories of the people, places, events and issues of the region, providing context and a deeper understanding. OPB’s independent journalism and programs are available at opb.org, on OPB Radio and OPB TV. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook. 

The Opportunity

Are you looking to do important journalism in an organization that’s working to become the region’s most trusted primary news source? Does leading a team of experienced reporters focusing on exploring topics that dominate public conversation intrigue you? OPB is looking for a news editor to help us reimagine how news is covered and contribute to a newsroom pushing itself to become more inclusive, equitable and collaborative.

Our news team is growing, and OPB is adding a fourth news editor to oversee up to four reporters whose beats covering public health, legal affairs and policing that interconnect around our society’s ongoing concerns related to equity. We’re looking for someone who understands the technical side of editing a story for both audio and digital audiences, and can help reporters both execute specific stories and craft a broader vision for their beats. We understand that not every interested applicant will identify with our preferred knowledge, skills and abilities, and not every potential applicant will have supervisory experience. We’re seeking candidates who have the drive and curiosity to take on a leadership role and dive deep into these subjects.

Our newsroom includes ~30 staff and works closely with other content teams to ensure the news reflects the importance in our region, Oregon and Southwest Washington. We use a collaborative process between our editors and reporters in which editors are expected to coach journalists through new projects, build beats and stories in partnership and support their growth and development. At the time of hire, this editor will oversee three experienced reporters and lead the team in both remote and hybrid working environments. Your first focus will be building relationships with the reporters you manage and then leading the team to elevate the social justice portfolio in a way that continues to highlight these important issues. There’s a lot of possibility here and we’ll lean on your expertise to bring an agreed upon strategy to fruition. To give you a sense of what that could look like, our other editors are managing podcasts (OPB Politics Now, Bundyville, Dying for a Fight), long-term multiplatform storytelling (Class of 2025) or managing key partnerships with news organizations in support of the topics they manage. Our editors are encouraged to report their own stories, try new storytelling formats and work with their teams to plan ambitious projects that stretch everyone.

Position Details

This position assigns and edits digital and radio stories for a team of as many as four beat reporters, guiding their reporting and editing their stories from idea to final product on multiple platforms. The news editor takes daily editorial direction from the VP, News, and closely collaborates with other editors, the Executive Editor for Talk and Podcasts and other content teams. They monitor social media and other sources for story ideas and play a leading role in OPB’s efforts to become the region’s most trusted primary news source. The bulk of this editor’s time will be spent working with reporters covering public health, legal affairs and policing and ensuring their reporting, both individually and collectively, includes a steady focus on issues of equity and social justice.

Supervises

This position plans, assigns and approves work; manages employee performance and recognition; recommends hiring, recommends salary adjustments, prepares and signs performance reviews and leads teams of as many as four reporters.

Responsibilities

90% - Supervise and edit a team of beat reporters and help lead OPB’s efforts to become the region’s most trusted primary news source.

·       Help reporters build beats and sources

·       Use collaborative process with reporters to think through and shape their work and provide strong guidance through stories from idea generation to final product

·       Edit stories to meet OPB and AP style guidelines for radio and digital platforms

·       Lead team meetings and spur collaboration among reporters.

·       Leads team that fosters an environment of belonging where diverse backgrounds, experiences, ideas and work styles are valued. 

·       Supports the growth and development of team members offering coaching, recognition, and feedback to optimize performance and employee engagement. 

·       Under the daily leadership of the VP news, and in collaboration with other news editors, ensure a well-rounded budget of news of importance to the region

·       Ensure that reporters adhere to editorial and ethics policies, and maintain high journalistic standards to ensure that accuracy, thoroughness, and fairness are central characteristics of all content presented.

·       Ensures team understands their work priorities, responsibilities, and contributions and how they align with department goals, organizational strategies, and mission.

5% - Represent OPB in public settings, both news-related (on air appearances on Think Out Loud®, newsmagazines) and for fundraising and member service purposes.

5% - Other duties, as assigned.

Working Conditions

The editor’s schedule will largely correspond to the reporters they supervise. Most work will be done Monday through Friday, though some evening and weekend work should be expected. Most work is done in an office, studio or other indoor location with extended periods working at a computer. There is occasional local or regional travel required to ensure coverage.

Minimum Qualifications

·       Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, or a related field, or equivalent combination of experience that provides the requisite knowledge, skills and abilities for this position.

·       Experience in a daily newsroom environment. 

·       Experience developing a story from idea to final product.

·       Ability to recognize a wide range of stories appropriate for OPB across radio and digital platforms.

·       Share OPB's commitment to covering all the communities in our coverage areas reflecting a diverse range of people and perspectives in our content.

·       Ability to work with digital audio workstations and office computer software, such as Microsoft Office, google docs, etc.

·       Enthusiasm for the mission of OPB and for the role of public media in a changing journalism environment.

Preferred Qualifications

·       Experience supervising beat reporters and fostering a sense of belonging and supporting their growth and development.

·       Experience covering or editing topics related to social justice, including but not restricted to the court system, law enforcement, public health, mental health, homelessness, racial equity and political protests.

·       Experience editing audio stories, or a proven ability to learn audio editing skills.

·       A voracious news consumer with a passion for journalism.

·       Bilingual in English and another language, preferably one spoken in communities in the Pacific Northwest (for example, Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese and Russian).

Additional Information

·       This position reports to VP News and is benefits eligible.

·       The hiring range for this exempt position is between $77,000 and $87,000 annually, depending on qualifications.

How to Apply

For application instructions, please visit OPB's careers page. You will be asked to create an account, upload your cover letter and resume and answer a few position related questions. Once you click “submit” you cannot make changes to your application.

Your application materials are due by 8:59 PM Pacific Time on December 6, 2021.

OPB is an Equal Opportunity Employer.