Editorial Manager

Job Description

The American Press Institute is hiring an Editorial Manager to support the development of a coherent strategy that communicates the breadth and impact of API’s work in helping news organizations manage change and develop sustainable businesses. 

As API enters a new era, the Editorial Manager will work with other communications and editorial employees and contractors to audit and inventory API’s content, evaluate what’s working, help determine what’s not, and help reconceive its website, newsletters and other resources. In addition, the Editorial Manager will help execute audience research and assign, write and edit articles, essays, quizzes, scripts and other resources that might help people understand helpful information about the changing world of journalism.

The Editorial Manager will also help manage our Need to Know newsletter and the freelancers who help curate, write and edit it.

Excellent writing and editing skills are a must. Candidates must know how to craft a concise sentence, a clever transition and an engaging headline. You must also demonstrate superior skills in copy editing and grammar. Multimedia and graphic design skills are a plus. 

The ideal candidate is a regular consumer of a variety of content across the industry, from traditional news publications to digital upstarts, to community media, while having an insatiable intellectual curiosity about journalism and sharing new ideas.  

This position reports to the Vice President of Communications and Operations and will frequently collaborate with team members from across the organization, including the Journalism Programs, Product Strategy, and Strategic Partnerships and Research departments. 

Responsibilities 

• Set editorial guidelines, style and standards for all American Press Institute content, such as articles, columns, essays, interactives, newsletters, reports and videos. 
• Maintain an organization-wide editorial calendar. 
• Edit and occasionally write and curate the Need to Know newsletter.
• Manage editorial contributors and freelancers, including assigning writers and editors. 
• Collaborate with the Senior Communications Manager.
• Help manage content migration activities, website improvement projects and website redesigns.
• Assist with web production of API content.
• Contribute to a workplace of diversity, inclusion and belonging.

Who you are

• You have outstanding writing and editing skills.
• You have a passion for journalism, a history of immersing yourself in new ideas and finding creative solutions, and you have enthusiasm for communicating insights and creating practical resources that help other journalists learn and grow.
• You’re comfortable working independently and taking initiative, but you appreciate collaborating on a team.
• You are a strategic thinker who wants to explore how different content may help API reach new audiences and expand existing ones. 
• You have about 6 years of experience as a professional working in journalism or communications, with specific experience in editing and writing for a wide audience.
• You have strong digital media skills, including experience with Adobe Creative Suite. You are knowledgeable about content management software, such as WordPress, and are experienced in using email marketing software such as MailChimp. Experience with customer relationship software such as Salesforce or Hubspot is a plus. 

Education 

Bachelor’s degree preferred, but significant professional or military experience may substitute for educational credentials, especially where the credentials may pose a barrier to candidates from traditionally underrepresented groups.

Employment details

We believe that diversity in lived experiences, perspectives, knowledge, and ideas strengthens journalism, its businesses and our own organization. The American Press Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer, where we encourage applications from candidates from communities traditionally underrepresented in journalism and from people of every age, race, ethnic background, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, disability status, medical condition, veteran status, and familial status.

This is a full-time position with a salary between $70,000 and $80,000 commensurate with skills and experience, and the following benefits:

• 20 days of paid time off, plus major holidays (9 per year) and two floating holidays
• Medical, dental and vision benefits
• 401(k) plan with a generous matching policy
• Medical and/or dependent flexible spending plan
• Paid parental leave available
• Employer-paid life insurance, short-term and long-term insurance policies
• Pre-tax mass transit plan
• Professional development opportunities (for example, conference attendance or stipends for course enrollment)

API’s main office is located in Arlington, Virginia. We prefer candidates for this role who reside in the Washington, D.C., area. The API team is mostly working remotely at present and has flexible expectations about working from the office or at home in the future. 

How to apply

Please email a resume and a letter explaining your qualifications to jobs@pressinstitute.org. We also invite candidates to fill out our affirmative action form here. Please include this form with your application. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States. Please mention “Editorial Manager” in the subject line so we can direct your application to the right people. Please be prepared to provide three professional references upon request.

The deadline for application submissions is June 10, 2022.

About the American Press Institute

The American Press Institute advances an innovative and sustainable news industry by helping publishers understand and engage audiences, grow revenue, improve public-service journalism, and succeed at organizational change. The American Press Institute is a national 501(c)3 nonprofit educational organization affiliated with the News Media Alliance. It works with and draws on the best ideas from anyone working in news publishing and journalism and anyone interested in its mission of making journalism sustainable.

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