Editor in Chief Job at Real Change in Seattle

About Real Change
Real Change exists to provide opportunity and a voice to low-income and homeless people while taking action for economic, social and racial justice. For over 30 years, we have been a trusted hub for community, journalism, and economic opportunity in Seattle. Our Vendor Program offers immediate, low-barrier work to people experiencing homelessness and poverty. Vendors are self-employed, earning income by selling the weekly, award-winning Real Change newspaper. Vendors are the heart of our organization, and centering their voices, agency, and success guides every department and every role at Real Change. We meet people where they are, without judgment, and support one another in reaching personal and professional goals. All Real Change staff are expected to bring this commitment to their work, actively welcoming vendor engagement, supporting vendor participation across the organization, and advancing our mission of economic, social and racial justice.
Job Overview
The Editor in Chief is a full-time, exempt position reporting to the Executive Director. This is a senior leadership position and is responsible for the development and oversight of the Real Change newspaper. This position involves setting and maintaining an editorial direction that is consistent with the Real Change mission and strategic goals, producing a high-quality paper with a combination of original and sourced content every week, supervising newspaper staff, contributors and volunteers, and acting as a liaison with community supporters and other departments at Real Change. This position will ensure the paper is uplifting vendor voices and covering topics affecting our community and readers, including city politics, housing and transportation, homelessness and poverty, labor, environmental issues, health, racial and LGBTQ+ issues, and arts and culture.
Primary Roles and Responsibilities
Production of Weekly Paper (60%)
Plan and produce a high-quality newspaper each week
Work with reporters, contributors and volunteers to craft ideas and pitches
Recruit, oversee, and steward volunteer and contract contributors to the newspaper
Assign and solicit weekly coverage and content
Identify content and plan weekly issues
Follow local news trends as they relate to priority issues
Manage unsolicited submissions and respond as necessary to authors
Incorporate feedback and evaluate story pitches from the Vendor Editorial Committee
Contribute news stories, as needed
Review and approve overall layout and design of paper
Edit copy for content and accuracy
Supervise volunteer copy editors
Oversee Real Change’s digital and web presence, including coordinating timely publication of content to the website and maintaining editorial standards for online platforms.
Newsroom Management and Administration (20%)
Build upon departmental goals and engage in long-term planning for the newsroom
Provide direct supervision of all editorial staff, including weekly one-on-one meetings and annual performance evaluations
Develop and maintain the Vendor Editorial Committee
Develop and manage departmental budget
Design and host panels or community forums to further organizational visibility and deepen connections with readers and community stakeholders
Work with staff to coordinate social media content, video strategy, and cross-departmental communications aligned with the Marketing & Communications plan
Support contributors and volunteers as needed
Participate in industry associations and represent Real Change in regional journalism networks
Research opportunities, develop, and submit materials for annual journalism awards
Community Relations (10%)
Attend and participate in weekly truck unload of newspapers
Develop relationships with vendors, encourage participation and solicit feedback about the newspaper (sales, reader attitudes, etc.)
Serve as a public face of Real Change and represent the organization at special events
Cultivate and maintain relationships with individuals, community organizations, publishers, contributors and other media
Leadership Duties (10%)
Hire, train, and supervise newsroom staff, interns and volunteers; actively support employee development
Facilitate and foster cross-departmental communication and engagement
Participate in executing Real Change’s strategic planning goals and objectives
Serve on the Real Change Leadership Team
Other activities as assigned
Preferred Skills:
Three to five years of relevant experience in journalism, ideally with some experience at a weekly or daily news publication
One to three years of management experience
Extensive knowledge of journalistic standards and ethics
Knowledge of legal considerations for journalists, including shield law, libel law, first amendment protections, and public records rules
Ability to synthesize complex information, to write and edit journalistic materials
Ability to encourage, mentor, support, and hold others accountable
Ability to use editorial production programs (Adobe InDesign, Adobe InCopy, etc.)
Understanding of graphic design concepts such as composition, typography, hierarchy, etc.
Strong time management & ability to communicate and hold others to firm deadlines
Ability to make decisions and bring others along with a decision that isn’t popular
Ability to bring an anti-oppressive lens to all parts of this work, with a willingness to keep an open mind and continually self-educate
Experience with digital publishing, CMS platforms, and social media content strategy
This job description represents the minimum required level of performance necessary to be successful in the position and is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of functions or responsibilities that are required of the role. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time, and does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment.
Compensation: Salary range is $75,000 - $85,000/year, depending on the candidate’s experience and qualifications; this position is salaried exempt. The benefit package includes Health and Dental coverage, 3 weeks’ vacation, 2 weeks’ sick time, 11 holidays, 403(b) Retirement Fund with a 4% Real Change contribution, and annual professional development funds.