Associate Editor

Associate Editor at Canada's National Observer

Reports to: Jimmy Thomson, Editor-in-Chief

Compensation range: $80,000 - $90,000 annually depending on experience

Location: Remote

Term: Full-time, permanent

Hours: Mon - Fri, 12 - 8pm Eastern Time / 9am-5pm Pacific Time

Status: Management role in a unionized workplace (this position is non-union)

About CNO

What began at a dining room table in Vancouver in 2008 is now one of Canada's most decorated independent newsrooms.

Observer Media Group launched Vancouver Observer first, then Canada's National Observer in 2015, betting that excellent reporting and accountability journalism could thrive outside legacy media. In 2017, CNO became the first digital-only publication in Canadian history to win a National Newspaper Award and receive a Michener citation for public service journalism. "The little engine that could," then-Governor General David Johnston called it.

As we've grown, the awards have kept coming, and so has the impact. CNO investigations have forced government resignations, exposed dysfunction in the regulatory system overseeing a $15-billion pipeline, and revealed disinformation campaigns targeting local democracies. We have also shone a light on the best of Canadian innovation and solutions. In an era of climate crisis and coordinated disinformation, excellent accountability journalism has never mattered more.

Today, CNO covers Canada's changing climate from newsrooms in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa, with more than 35,000 articles published. Last year we launched Civic Searchlight — our popular "superpower for democracy" — and earned ten new journalism award nominations this spring alone, including the inaugural Hinton Award for AI Safety Reporting from the Canadian Journalism Foundation.

The role

Canada's National Observer seeks a talented editor with journalism and management experience to support the next phase of our award-winning journalism. You're the right person for the job if you are keen to find new ways to shape important stories about the environment, climate, energy and politics. We seek a strong writer, editor and headline writer who can package our stories for maximum appeal and impact.

This is a leadership role with management and oversight responsibilities within a unionized workplace. This position is excluded from the bargaining unit.

The successful applicant will manage staff Monday through Friday between 12pm and 8pm Eastern Time / 9am and 5pm Pacific Time. The working hours are non-negotiable.

Daily responsibilities

• Manage reporters in the afternoons
• Supervise evening copy/newsletters
• Focus on writing compelling headlines
• Manage project budgets
• Negotiate freelance contractor agreements
• Manage editorial calendar, ensuring deadlines are met and quality is maintained
• Help design and implement CNO's project work
• Fill in for EIC as required during vacations and sick days
• Find compelling visuals, improve photography photo editing tools
• Package stories for social media
• Provide vacation relief for editors and newsletter editor
• Recruit, hire and manage journalists and editors

Basic requirements

• Minimum 7 years of experience in journalism
• Strong understanding of politics, climate change and disinformation
• Excellent editorial skills with a track record of impactful storytelling
• Experience in a leadership or management role
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and manage deadlines
• Ace headline, story packaging and copy editing skills
• Able to navigate a fast-paced work environment with flexibility, professionalism, and kindness

What we offer

• Sun Life extended health package
• Employer matching RSP
• Benefits including one month of vacation, personal and sick days and equipment budget
• Career development, mentorship and opportunity over time to take on a larger leadership role in the organization
• Conference and training support
• Subscriptions to other news sources and industry magazines

How to apply — Please read carefully

Upload your resume, a cover letter and three writing samples to the Bamboo Portal link

Requirements before applying: read Canada's National Observer and explore the site. Sign up for our newsletters. It costs $1 to subscribe for a month — subscribe and see how things work. Your cover letter should demonstrate your research abilities, your writing voice, and your understanding of the company. Sign up for Civic Searchlight and use it so you understand this as well. If you haven't done a serious deep dive into what we do, and how we do it, you aren't ready to apply.

A note on AI: Do not send us an AI-generated CV and cover letter. We want to hear your voice and see your work experience laid out clearly. In your cover letter, make it clear why you'd want to work for Canada's National Observer.

This post will remain open until we find the right candidate, but we hope to have someone in place by October.

Canada's National Observer is committed to building a team that reflects the country we cover. We actively welcome applications from Indigenous, Black, and racialized candidates, women, 2SLGBTQ+ people, and people with disabilities. Our Vancouver newsroom is located on the unceded traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations and the land we live on inspires the work we do.