The San Francisco Standard is seeking a talented and experienced Features Editor.
The Standard reveals the city, and the wider Bay Area, not only to its residents but to the world. Through lively, accessible and authoritative reporting, we inform our audience about what’s happening here and why it matters. We keep them in the know and take them behind the scenes, introducing them to new ideas and interesting people. We ask tough questions, connect the dots, shine a light into our darkest corners and celebrate the characters, places, innovations and achievements that make this place unlike any other. We want to break news and capture the zeitgeist of what’s unfolding here—both for those living it and those elsewhere.
San Francisco is where many of tomorrow’s leading technologies are born, and where political movements and social trends are incubated and launched. Yet it is also often first to grapple with emerging social problems. Our metropolis is full of fringe thinkers, big dreamers, bold artists, crafty engineers, avant-garde artists and many other vibrant personalities.
We want to tell stories about a wide range of people, from entrepreneurs and activists to politicians and provocateurs. We are looking for engaging tales—sagas, dramas, mysteries, romances and more. We want to illuminate the ways in which commerce, politics, food, art and social norms and mores are changing.
Our ideal features editor is a risk-taker who brings new ideas to the table daily, staying on top of trends and offering insightful takes on the latest news and trends. You will recognize the difference between a topic and a story, and offer clear feedback to guide journalists in their reporting and writing to elucidate compelling characters, themes and trends. You will collaborate with our visual and social media teams to ensure our work reaches the largest possible audience. Ideally, you will bring a roster of talented writers with you. But whether working with staff writers or freelancers, you are able to structure narratives for high impact, deftly editing articles and helping talented writers grow in a deadline-driven newsroom.
Responsibilities:
- Curate, develop and oversee the features section of The San Francisco Standard, delivering a wide range of profiles, interviews, trend pieces and human interest stories that may be short form, long form, or something altogether different
- Identify key trends and issues that resonate with our readers and help our journalists develop pieces on topics that are compelling and timely reads
- Assign articles and provide guidance and feedback from story conception to publication, with great attention to detail
- Collaborate with reporters, photographers, videographers and our social media team to bring our stories to life across multiple platforms simultaneously
- Edit and refine feature articles for clarity, accuracy and adherence to our style guide
- Stay abreast of the latest innovations and trends in journalism and develop innovative approaches to engage and captivate our audience
- Provide input and insights to shape our overall editorial direction and strateg
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in journalism, communications, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience
- 5+ years of experience as a journalist, with a focus on feature writing and editing
- Demonstrated expertise in curating and developing engaging feature content
- Excellent writing, editing, headline composition and proofreading skills, with a strong command of AP Style
- Proven ability to meet deadlines and work efficiently in a fast-paced newsroom environment
- Strong leadership, communications and team management skills, with the ability to mentor and inspire a diverse team of journalists
- Demonstrated understanding of multiple social media platforms
- Excellent time management skills
- Deep understanding of San Francisco and regional issues
- Familiarity with digital publishing platforms such as WordPress
- Willingness to adapt to changing priorities and manage multiple projects at once
- Passion for storytelling, community engagement and delivering journalism that matter
If you are a seasoned editor with a passion for capturing unique San Francisco/Bay Area stories and shaping compelling narratives, we want to hear from you. Please submit your resume, a cover letter outlining your qualifications and vision for the role, and three to five work samples. Ideally, one or two of the work samples will be pieces you have authored, and the rest will be pieces you have edited. To help us understand your role in shaping the work of others, please include a brief narrative about any challenges you overcame in steering the piece from conception to publication.
We are an in-office company and the role thus requires physical presence in the Bay Area. We offer very competitive salaries and excellent benefits.
The pay range for this role is $110,000 to $170,000. Actual compensation packages are based on several factors that are unique to each candidate. We encourage you to apply even if you don’t fit the preferred qualifications of the job.