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Senior Staff Editor, Obituaries

New York, NY

The mission of The New York Times is to seek the truth and help people understand the world. That means independent journalism is at the heart of all we do as a company. It’s why we have a world-renowned newsroom that sends journalists to report on the ground from nearly 160 countries. It’s why we focus deeply on how our readers will experience our journalism, from print to audio to a world-class digital and app destination. And it’s why our business strategy centers on making journalism so good that it’s worth paying for. 

The Obituaries desk is looking for a full-time senior staff editor. You have strong story-editing skills, be able to work with reporters in framing and shaping a piece on a first read and in polishing an obit on a second read. You'll handle obituaries on a wide range of subjects, from art to zoology, so you have broad general knowledge in multiple subjects and the ability to smoothly change gears from one field to another. 

A senior staff editor would also help vet candidates for obituaries, to find the most newsworthy and compelling subjects to profile. And the editor in this role would be comfortable working in a variety of digital formats, as the desk continues to explore new ways to chronicle the lives of significant people online. 

This is a hybrid position based in New York City and includes regular attendance in the office each week per your departmental guidance.

This position is represented by the NewsGuild of NY.

Responsibilities:

  • Vet candidates for obituaries, using Times Past as a starting point
  • Work with reporters in framing and shaping articles
  • Assist reporters with story structure, organization, factual accuracy and felicity of prose
  • Demonstrate support and understanding of our value of journalistic independence and a strong commitment to our mission to seek the truth and help people understand the world.
  • You will report to the Editor, Obituaries

Basic Qualifications:

  • At least five years’ experience editing stories with a rigorous hand 
  • Experience working with reporters in framing and shaping a piece
  • Experience working in multiple digital formats. 
  • Sound news judgment

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Knack for narrative storytelling
  • Broad general knowledge in a variety of subjects 
  • Creativity in using non-traditional storytelling techniques across various media

REQ-018050

The annual base pay range for this role is between:

$124,979.94 - $126,000 USD

 

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