Community-minded managing editor wanted
Do you see news everywhere you go? Do you enjoy being part of a community? Do you have a passion for telling stories in unique and counterintuitive ways?
These are just some of the qualities we’re seeking in a managing editor to head two of our company’s hyperlocal publications.
The Longboat Observer is a community weekly that covers Longboat Key, a barrier island just off the coast of Sarasota, Fla. Surrounded by water and beautiful beaches, Longboat is a special place with unique stories, ranging from rogue peacocks to wacky cops reports. It is a town with an intelligent, affluent readership who are engaged with their newspaper. This makes for fun coverage that showcases residents’ passion — with no shortage of sources for stories.
The Sarasota/Siesta Key Observer has a flavor all its own, covering the more cosmopolitan world of downtown Sarasota and its barrier island, Siesta Key. Our goal for this paper is to ensure we cover all the city of Sarasota news relevant to our readers, while producing stories and features that connect and inform the larger community surrounding the city.
We’re seeking a leader for these papers who is excited to become part of the community to uncover the news people are talking about as well as the heartwarming stories that bring them together as neighbors. It requires excellent weekly news judgment, experience covering city government, an instinct for breaking news on the web, and an ability to lead reporters in planning and executing stories that shine for our readers.
Whether it’s online or in print, our goal is to surprise and delight our readers with 100% local content that is relevant, informative and entertaining. As a hyperlocal news organization, we believe our papers should be a reflection of the area. We believe in covering what matters most to our readers, be it serious issues that foster community conversations or playful features that help connect the community.
We believe there’s no news too small, and we want to deliver papers that are full of engaging “day-after” stories that have a unique angle and offer something the dailies can’t. This means this position involves a lot of planning, coordinating and creating. It means thinking through how each story will look on page, with art and graphics, as well as how it could be presented online. It also means collaborating with a team of reporters to give clear vision and leadership each week to ensure a high-level of execution.
Each week, the managing editor is responsible for planning, directing and editing stories for the print edition and daily updates online. This may also mean attending local events.
Must-haves include:
- Proven copy-editing skills, including knowledge of all things AP style
- Excellent news judgment for a weekly audience
- Enthusiasm for community and getting involved
- A wicked sense of humor
- A hard worker who’s not afraid to try new things
- Great leadership skills and the ability to show others by doing
- Ability to collaborate and work well with a team of young reporters and editors
- A passion to think outside of the box and create unique content every week
- An obsession with improvement and an unparalleled commitment to excellence
And why should you choose us? You can tell the moment you enter our offices that you aren't in your average newsroom. We have a simple motto that describes our culture: If you can dream it, you can do it. We give our staff lots of freedom to think big and create great content, which includes putting new ideas into action. We also work as a team, and you'll find everyone is a cheerleader for creating new and exciting things, whether it's a new advertising initiative or a special print product. We strive for excellence every day in everything we do, and we're looking for others who do the same. Like to work hard? You'll be rewarded — as a thriving media company, we've got ample opportunities.
Interested? Send your resume and a cover letter to Executive Editor Kat Wingert at kwingert@yourobserver.com. Please put “managing editor” in the subject line.
