Senior Editor, Public Health and Safety Job at Chicago Public Media in Chicago

Overview

Home to WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Public Media is the largest local non-profit news organization in the country. WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times serve more than 2 million people weekly across broadcast, print, and digital platforms. We aspire to be the essential and most trusted news source for understanding our community.

WBEZ produces local and national news programming and podcasts. It is supported by 77,000 members and various sponsors; in 2024, Chicago Public Media earned multiple national and local awards. Chicago Sun-Times is Chicago’s oldest continuously published daily newspaper, with a focus on investigative reporting, political coverage, sports analysis, and entertainment and cultural coverage. The Sun-Times recently shifted to a digital membership model and removed its paywall to expand access.

Chicago Public Media believes independent journalism is essential to a well-functioning democracy. We employ 300+ staff and aim to inform, inspire, and enrich diverse audiences throughout Chicago, the region, and the world.

For more information, please see the Chicago Public Media Annual Report.

The Opportunity

The Senior Editor, Public Health and Safety guides and leads a staff of reporters and an editor to produce a wide range of enterprising, audience-focused coverage across digital, audio, print and social media platforms. This editor sets priorities and standards for the public health and safety desk and collaborates with the news desk to execute strategy in breaking news and daily coverage. The editor makes staffing and spending decisions, develops staff to meet professional and newsroom goals, shapes coverage, and helps build and engage audiences across Chicago.

General Responsibilities

• Lead and guide a staff in producing informative, impactful news and enterprise stories, including investigations related to public health and safety.
• Ensure a compelling mix of digital, audio and print stories across platforms.
• Plan, produce and promote news, investigations, and enterprise reporting to inform and engage the public.
• Dig beyond official narratives to explore violence, policing, incarceration and public safety, helping readers understand crime causes and accountability.
• Coach reporters on health coverage, examining inequities, complexities and solutions.
• Develop voices from Chicago’s diverse communities and connect coverage to public health and safety improvements.

Management Responsibilities

• Set goals, strategy and plans for public health and safety coverage to build community engagement and membership.
• Guide original reporting and investigations across platforms to elevate storytelling online, on air, in print, on social media and newsletters.
• Manage a team including another editor and reporters, fostering a collaborative, inclusive environment.
• Collaborate with editors, newsroom stakeholders, audience, audio news production and visuals teams.
• Promote cross-organizational collaboration and solicit feedback to maximize impact.
• Support talent development, training, goal setting and career growth.
• Improve editorial excellence, workplace culture and impact; promote diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Represent the newsroom and organization in communities and industry; work in a union environment.

Skills & Experience

• Record of excellence in guiding and editing news and enterprise work; experience leading a diverse team; collaboration and commitment to public media mission.
• Ability to conceive and guide high-quality reporting across platforms under deadline pressure with strong ethics and standards.
• Audio editing experience preferred; candidates willing to learn audio editing are welcome.
• Familiarity with Chicago a plus.

Compensation

The expected pay range for this position is $101,000 to $120,800 per ANNUM. Chicago Public Media provides pay ranges as a good faith estimate; actual pay is determined by factors including scope and responsibilities, qualifications, budget, internal equity, location, and market pay for comparable roles.

Working at Chicago Public Media

We value collaboration, diversity of ideas, and innovation. We offer a broad benefits package including medical, dental, vision, vacation, holidays, life insurance, disability coverage, retirement savings, and a commuter plan.

Chicago Public Media is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We actively seek and welcome people from all backgrounds and life experiences to join our team.

Important notices

The essential functions described are not all-inclusive and may be changed at any time. This job description is not a contract and does not create a legally binding agreement.