Senior Editor, Investigations

Application Deadline: Friday, Nov 30, 2018

Description

Position Summary:

The Investigations Editor leads, edits and guides a team of reporters to create compelling investigations that spur change in Southern California.

The senior editor will supervise two investigative reporters, work closely with a Data Editor and data journalist and play a key role in shaping investigative stories newsroom wide.

You’ll shape ideas, deepen reporting and look for creative ways to tell stories across multiple platforms; radio, digital, on demand and live events. You’ll be an advocate for collaborating with other newsrooms and the communities we cover.

The senior editor should offer a track record of reporting, writing and editing in-depth enterprise or investigative stories that reveal wrongdoing and injustice. Interest and aptitude in using computer programming to creatively approach investigations is key. A collaborative spirit is also a must.

As a manager, you’ll spend time providing actionable, consistent feedback. We value teamwork, creativity, and a willingness to learn new forms of storytelling that meets the community where they are.

The KPCC/LAist newsroom is deeply committed to producing distinct, original reporting that stands out in the crowd. We believe engaging with our audience throughout the reporting process can result in coverage that better reflects and listens to the concerns of our audience. We also believe they know things that can lead us to groundbreaking work if we’re talking to them regularly.

In this role, you will work in tandem with the Managing Editor in reaching that goal and expanding the ambition of our report

We’re looking for an editor who gets excited about digging into the ways systems are failing Southern Californians. If that sounds like you, we encourage you to apply, even if you don’t tick off every box.

This is a two year grant funded position.

Please provide work sample as explained below.

1. Send link to the best piece of journalism you’ve ever done.
2. What was your role in the story?
3.  How did you make it better?

Attach a separate word document in the application explaining this.

Position Responsibility:

• Consistently generates ideas and avenues of inquiry for original investigations.
• Work with spreadsheets, databases, SQL and other technology tools for data reporting.
• Edit reporters for accuracy, fairness and accountability.
• Audio editing (experience a plus, if not come with a willingness and ability to learn.)
• Advise on investigative angles within breaking news stories.
• Advise KPCC/LAist beat reporters and editors on investigative reporting.
• Provide clear guidance, feedback and supervision to assigned staff.
• Create development opportunities and individualized development plans for staff and training to enhance skills and foster growth.
• Communicate transparently and consistently with all platform leaders for purposes of collaborative production
• Ensure that grant funded KPCC staff execute deliverables
• Seek collaborations and regional partners for KPCC/ CPB investigations
• Work with the data editor to coordinate training opportunities for KPCC/LAist editorial staff including data assisted reporting, document retrieval, etc
• Lead regular instructional sessions on investigative techniques for the KPCC/LAist newsroom.
• Work with audience insights manager to make data-informed decisions
• Assist in the expansion of our investigative team, as resources allow.
• Encourage creativity and high standards.
• Coordinate with senior managers to assist in funding projects.
• Represent KPCC/LAist at public events.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience.

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Five years reporting or editing experience, with two years’ editing or equivalent experience.
• Minimum of five years reporting or editing.
• Experience in maintaining high journalistic standards under deadline pressure, including standards of objectivity, balance and fairness.
• Some experience providing work direction or supervisory experience.
• Some experience assigning stories and editing copy
• Experience with digital audio editing systems.
• Experience with digital news production and presentation.

Required Skills, Knowledge and Abilities:

• Strong writing, editing, and radio production skills essential.
• Knowledge of radio, digital, and print style.
• Ability to make decisions on deadline, direct coverage and communicate effectively with colleagues and supervisors.
• Ability to effectively execute multiple assignments on deadline.
• Leadership and personnel skills and ability to develop high performing teams.
• Ability to consistently work well with others and to inspire and lead the staff.
• Strong communication skills and passion for building community relationships via networking both in-person and through social media/online.
• Editing skills: has an understanding of need for interpretative reporting on complex issues.
• Ability to develop complex story ideas that provide analysis and add context.
• Ability to recognize and act on opportunities for tapping audience expertise and other news resources.
• Ability to use non-traditional approaches, including use of Public Insight Journalism and other community engagement tools/methods, crowdsourcing and digital newsgathering techniques.
• Well-established contacts and knowledge of the journalism community.
• Commitment to public service journalism.
• Communicate effectively and cordially with colleagues across platforms.
• Juggle multiple projects and deadlines.

Preferred Skills and Experience:

• Fluency in Spanish or other languages commonly used in southern California
• Experience reporting in Los Angeles.

Reporting To This Position:

Reporters

Physical Demands and Working Conditions:

• Must be able to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation
• Physical Demands

• Required to move about in an office environment and sit for extended periods of time
• Required to move about in the community
• Frequent use of hands for data entry/keystrokes and simple grasping.

• Working Conditions:
• Moderate noise level

Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.

We are committed to hiring a breadth of diverse professionals and encourage members of diverse groups to apply

For additional information about this position, please contact: