VPM is a public media organization serving Central Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley. The VPM News team produces award-winning journalism for our NPR station in Richmond and distribution across our digital channels to over 2 million people in VPM’s coverage area. As an independent, non-profit service, we strive to create and serve a more informed public.
VPM News is seeking an experienced editorial leader and enthusiastic mentor to lead feature production for our team of enterprising, award-winning news reporters and producers. The Managing Editor is a skilled collaborator who brings out the best of our team’s reporting and storytelling skills. With an understanding of multiple platforms, the Managing Editor oversees on-air and online features, special series, investigations, multi-station collaborations and multiplatform coverage. The Managing Editor reports to the News Director and works closely with a team of VPM News editors, including a Newscast Editor and Digital Editor, who co-manage a staff of about 12 reporters, producers, and hosts.
VPM believes attracting and retaining diverse staff is crucial to serving our community and fulfilling our mission to create and serve a more informed public.
Responsibilities:
• Oversees and edits daily stories and features, including special series and investigations.
• Daily editorial guidance and mentoring of staff, freelancers and interns on all VPM News content, from idea development, sources, pitching, interview questions, story structure, edits, fact checking, audio production and web buildouts.
• Works closely with Digital Editor and on planning, editorial guidance and delivery of visual elements for feature stories.
• Maintains 12-month feature planning calendar and oversees system for pitching/commissioning stories.
• Collaborates with other departments on multiplatform series, projects and podcasts, including developing ideas and strategies for content creation and distribution.
• Assists with implementing and adhering to VPM News training, style and ethics guidelines.
• Assists News Director, Newscast Editor and Digital Editor with short, medium and long-term editorial and strategic planning including collaborations and partnerships.
• Assists News Director, Newscast Editor and Digital Editor on planning live and breaking news coverage.
• Assists with hiring, including outreach, job descriptions and interviews.
• Position can require some evening and weekend hours.
• Other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications
• 2-3 years editorial leadership experience, experience reporting in a public media newsroom is a plus.
• Background in investigative/watchdog journalism experience is preferred.
• Strong writing skills and demonstrated experience distilling complex topics and material into coherent on-air and digital stories.
• Demonstrated experience working with diverse teams and audiences.
• Strong knowledge of systemic racism and racial justice and how these issues can be covered across beats.
• Demonstrated experience editing/reporting on a wide range of beats including politics, education, health, housing, development, the courts, the environment, arts and culture.
• Strong background in effectively leading and managing teams in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated experience in meeting short-, medium- and long-term deadlines.
• Demonstrated experience editing/managing multi-platform journalism projects.
• Strong understanding of journalism ethics.
Apply by sending your resume to [email protected]. The position will remain open until filled.
EOE M/F/D/V VPM reserves the right to alter, change, modify, and/or terminate this job posting at any time without notice, or obligation, to any party.