Editor in Chief (The Stranger)

Job Description

Job Description

Independent journalism is the lifeblood of The Stranger . The paper needs a new Editor in Chief who can meet this moment in history, take bold editorial risks with a strong vision, adeptly manage a growing team, attract and retain stellar writers with diverse perspectives, and lead the iconic and beloved 35-year-old publication into its next chapter.

The Editor in Chief will be responsible for developing an ambitious, forward-looking, and positive vision for what The Stranger covers and how it covers it. The Editor should make clear, opinionated decisions about voice, priorities, and tone; publish work that people argue about; and be comfortable with that argument. They should understand the importance of a mix of visionary features and investigations, provocative and smart arts and culture coverage and criticism, strong news reporting, humor, and edgy content that pushes the envelope. An ideal candidate will be familiar with a variety of storytelling formats and demonstrate a commitment to the highest ethical standards of journalistic integrity.

The typical schedule is Monday through Friday (though you may be asked to work nights and weekends on occasion). Some telecommuting is allowed, as approved by the Publisher. The Editor in Chief must be able to attend regular meetings at The Stranger’s offices on Capitol Hill and generally work from the office to better lead and support employees. Candidates should include a cover letter articulating a brief vision for The Stranger's next era.

• Set the editorial vision of The Stranger . Identify and own the stories that matter in Seattle. Break stories and cultivate the newsroom’s original reporting.
• Manage the full lifecycle of the editorial team from recruiting and hiring to coaching, performance conversations, and the hard calls that come with leadership.
• Develop strategies to reach new audiences—not by flattening the publication’s voice, but by amplifying it—and lead the newsroom’s growth across platforms, including web, print, newsletters, podcasts, video, and social media.
• Develop and uphold a strong workplace culture with empathetic leadership, high journalistic integrity, and a commitment to engaging the Noisy Union.
• Edit columns and features for both the website and the print paper, overseeing fact-checking, spelling, grammar, writing style, page design, and photo selection.
• Hit production deadlines and goals for both print and digital formats.
• Partner with a strong network of editors across the growing family of Noisy Creek publications in Chicago, Portland, and beyond.
• Be a collaborative leader who is able to partner across Noisy Creek and with external partners in the community to identify opportunities and plan special issues and events.

Required qualifications:

• 7+ years of journalism experience.
• Strong news judgment and storytelling ability.
• Experience working with and managing multidisciplinary teams and fostering collaborations among reporters, the Art Department, and other team members.
• Demonstrated experience shaping a wide variety of stories.
• Demonstrated experience coaching other journalists to increase their technical and journalistic skills.
• A strong track record of effective follow-up, management, and the ability to execute a vision in a timely, strategic way. This leader should understand how to manage follow-up and efficiently collaborate with internal and external partners.

Preferred qualifications:

• 3+ years of experience as an editor and manager.
• Experience working with a variety of story formats and harnessing new technologies to tell stories in new ways.
• Ability to manage budgets.

Benefits:

• Health Insurance: Employer-subsidized medical, dental, and vision premiums
• Retirement Plan: Matching SIMPLE IRA program
• Paid Vacation: Accrued vacation earned throughout the year at a rate of two weeks annually, increasing to four weeks after five years.
• Paid Sick Time: One week accrued per year, with rollover
• Paid Holidays: Nine paid holidays, a paid holiday week between December 24 and January 1, plus two any-day floating holidays
• Additional Paid Leaves: Bereavement leave, jury duty leave, plus options to supplement state-paid family and medical leave
• Commuter Benefits: Discounted transit pass
• Professional Development: Annual stipend to support training and career-related learning
• Employee Assistance Program: Access to wellness and financial support services
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA): Pre-tax

Why Join Noisy Creek?

We're a vibrant, creative team that believes the more diverse voices at the table, the better the

conversation—and the work! We realize that not everyone receives the same professional or

educational opportunities, so if you don't meet all the above qualifications but still think you'd be

a good fit, please consider applying.

Noisy Creek is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered without

regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or

disability status.

About Noisy Creek, the parent company of The Stranger

Noisy Creek launched in mid-2024 with an innovative model to invigorate local media across the

United States for our democracy, civic engagement, and thriving local communities. It currently

operates The Stranger , the Portland Mercury , the Chicago Reader , EverOut.com, Noisy Creek

Podcasts, Noisy Creek Productions, and Bold Type Tickets.

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