Editor in Chief

Central Current, a nonprofit, nonpartisan digital news organization based in Syracuse, New York, is seeking an editor-in-chief to lead its growing newsroom and advance its mission of producing in-depth journalism that helps Central New Yorkers understand the challenges and opportunities facing their communities. The editor-in-chief will set the newsroom’s long-term editorial vision and oversee daily editorial operations.

Summary

The editor-in-chief is Central Current’s senior editorial leader and primary editor. They will plan the editorial calendar, establish coverage priorities, oversees story development and production, and ensure that journalism is reported, edited and published according to rigorous professional and ethical standards.

The editor-in-chief translates Central Current’s mission into a practical daily editorial strategy that reflects organizational capacity and addresses critical community needs. They will expand the depth and breadth of Central Current’s reporting, develop creative approaches to growing and diversifying its audience, and strengthen readers’ trust in the newsroom.

• Reports to: Board of Directors
• Supervises: Editorial staff, freelancers and editorial contractors
• Classification: Full-time, exempt

Job duties

• Lead the assignment, development, editing and publication of Central Current’s journalism across all platforms.
• Serve as the publication’s primary editor, including line editing and final editorial review when appropriate.
• Plan the editorial calendar, set coverage priorities, and manage newsroom workflows and deadlines, including editorial execution of newsletters and social media content.
• Ensure that Central Current’s journalism is fair, accurate, thoroughly sourced and consistent with applicable legal and ethical standards.
• Oversee corrections and related editorial policies.
• Work closely with the executive director to coordinate newsroom operations, plan events and advance the organization’s audience engagement strategy.
• Collaborate on internal communications with staff and the board, and conduct staff performance reviews as needed.
• Develop and approve editorial collaborations with other news organizations and identify new distribution opportunities.
• Monitor regional news coverage and trends in nonprofit journalism to inform Central Current’s operations, strategy and identity.
• Attract, develop and retain editorial talent through inclusive recruiting and a newsroom culture that is empowering, respectful and accountable.
• Mentor emerging reporters and support the professional development of staff and contributors.
• Participate in developing the newsroom budget and manage editorial spending within the approved organizational budget.
• Generate and evaluate ideas for new editorial strategies, technologies, products and approaches to reaching audiences.
• Track relevant analytics and other data concerning Central Current’s reach and impact.
• Represent Central Current at events, interviews and other public-facing opportunities that promote the organization and advance its mission.
• Report to the board of directors and consult with the board on matters involving Central Current’s mission, purpose, policies and strategic direction.

Qualifications

• Degree in journalism or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• At least five years of professional newsroom experience.
• Significant editing experience, including line editing, story development and management of complex or sensitive reporting.
• Experience with investigative and explanatory journalism and comfort overseeing arts and culture coverage.
• Experience leading journalists and managing newsroom workflows, deadlines and competing priorities.
• Demonstrated commitment to accuracy, fairness, editorial independence and high ethical standards.
• Experience developing editorial talent and fostering an inclusive, collaborative workplace.
• Experience with digital journalism and publishing across multiple formats and platforms.
• Ability to develop and manage a newsroom budget and make sound resource allocation decisions.
• Strong writing, speaking and public presentation skills.
• Knowledge of Central New York or the curiosity and commitment to develop deep knowledge of the region.

Core competencies

• Thoughtful news judgment and top-tier editing skills.
• Ability to think strategically about the methods and goals of local, nonprofit and multimedia journalism.
• Leadership that combines coaching, accountability, collaboration and clear standards.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a flexible, evolving work environment.
• Respect for the diversity of Central New York and a commitment to coverage that reflects the region’s many communities.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with the executive director, board and newsroom colleagues.
• Sound judgment concerning editorial risk, reputation, fairness and independence.
• Curiosity about new technologies, distribution methods, and approaches to audience development

Working conditions

• Work is performed primarily in person at Central Current’s offices in downtown Syracuse. The editor-in-chief may work remotely at their discretion, consistent with newsroom needs.
• Typical work hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with a one-hour meal period. Evening or weekend work may be required to cover significant breaking news or oversee Central Current events and programs.

Compensation and benefits

• Salary range: $70,000 to $85,000 annually.
• Fifteen days of paid vacation to start, plus five sick days and 15 holidays each year, for at least 35 paid days off annually.
• Paid family leave. See the Central Current Employee Handbook for details.
• Annual professional development stipend of at least $1,000.
• Employer-paid health insurance for the employee, including medical, vision and dental coverage and enrollment in a health savings account.
• Company-supplied computer.
• Life insurance and short- and long-term disability insurance. Long-term disability coverage begins after one year of employment.
• $60 monthly phone stipend or a company phone.
• 2% employer retirement contribution, subject to applicable plan eligibility requirements.
• $2,000 moving stipend.
• Other fringe benefits made available to similarly situated Central Current employees, subject to the eligibility requirements and other terms of the applicable plans and programs.

About Central Current

Central Current launched in 2022 to equip Central New Yorkers with better information about their communities. We want readers to feel prepared when they enter the voting booth, informed about projects and investments shaping the region, and connected to the opportunities and challenges Central New Yorkers share.

Our newsroom publishes independent, ad-free reporting focused exclusively on the community. We do not place articles behind a paywall because everyone deserves access to reliable local reporting.

Central Current is a nonprofit sustained by readers, grants from local and national sources, and local underwriting rather than advertising revenue. Donations to the newsroom remain in the community and directly support our reporting.

At a time of widespread distrust in the news media, we work to rebuild trust locally through transparent, accessible and fact-based journalism. Central Current has received 25 Syracuse Press Club awards, including first prize for investigative journalism in 2025.

About Syracuse and Central New York

Central New York is a diverse and rapidly changing region. For the first time since 1950, the population is beginning to grow and in 2024 Onondaga County resettled more refugees than any other county in New York State. From the urban center of Syracuse to the surrounding towns, farms, and forests — it is undergoing some of the most significant private and public sector investments in the state through projects like:

• A $100 billion investment by Micron for semiconductor manufacturing facilities
• The removal of a highway viaduct built during urban renewal
• A billion-dollar redevelopment of public housing
• The construction of a $100 million aquarium in the Inner Harbor.

Syracuse is home to four colleges and universities including Syracuse University’s S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications — one of the top journalism schools in the nation. Central New York’s thriving arts and culture scene provides access to outdoor music festivals all summer, multiple theaters, an expanding array of restaurants, and visual arts venues ranging from the Everson Museum downtown to the Stone Quarry Art Park in Cazenovia.

At the same time, Syracuse has some of the most concentrated child and minority poverty in the United States. Its aging infrastructure demands costly repair and reconstruction while posing public health challenges through hazards like the lead crisis and the pollution at Onondaga Lake.

It is a beautiful community with great challenges and greater opportunities.

Mission

Central Current’s mission is to educate through the application of sound journalistic principles to fact-based news, opinion and analysis about the issues, events and life of Central New York; contribute to an educated and well-informed electorate; and strengthen civic engagement and democratic governance.

Equal opportunity statement

Central Current Inc. is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Central Current prohibits discrimination and harassment based on race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, age, national origin, disability, pregnancy, veteran status or any other status protected by applicable federal, state or local law.

How to apply

Interested applicants should email a resume and cover letter to Executive Director Maximilian Eyle at View email address on click.appcast.io with “Editor-in-chief application” as the subject line.