Senior Editor, D.C.

ProPublica is an independent, nonprofit newsroom that produces investigative journalism in the public interest. 

ProPublica is seeking a senior editor in Washington to manage a team of investigative reporters assigned to cover immigration, national security, the justice system and money in politics, among other subjects. We’re looking for a news leader with a track record of helping reporters navigate some of the most competitive beats in the country to produce distinctive work that lands with impact. 

The ideal candidate for this job has successfully helped conceive of and execute investigative projects that uncover harmful practices and policies by the world’s most powerful people, agencies and corporations. The projects they’ve edited will have taken audiences inside the halls where decisions are made and on the ground where the effects of those decisions are felt. They’ll have worked with reporters to manage public records requests, plan for sensitive interviews and filter the mountains of material that come from monthslong investigations. They’ll have experience with different kinds of storytelling, including visually led pieces, and a knack for honing and elevating copy. They will understand and embrace ProPublica’s accountability mission, and they will be dedicated to helping our reporters grow and develop. 

We’re looking for an editor with sound news judgment who is equally comfortable and adept at weighing in on what’s working, or not, in a long-form narrative as in a complicated, multipart investigation.

This position involves juggling a variety of high-level projects, weighing in on story selection and direction, guiding the reporting and writing process, and handling big-picture editing and line editing, as well as working with staffers from other ProPublica teams, such as data, research, video and audience.

The senior editor, Washington, will directly manage five reporters who cover Washington-related beats. The senior editor will report to the assistant managing editor, Washington. 

What you would be doing:

• Supervising a team of reporters working on revelatory, important stories and projects focused on Washington-related beats.
• Providing support and guidance to ensure that stories and projects are conceived of and told as ambitiously and creatively as possible.
• Working with reporters to select stories with the potential for impact and coaching them to overcome reporting hurdles.
• Editing stories, including identifying and fixing structural and logical issues and elevating writing when necessary.
• Helping reporters collaborate with researchers, data visualization reporters, engagement reporters, audience and visual staffers, and story producers.
• Serving as a champion for accountability journalism.

We’re looking for someone who has:

• At least five years of experience editing accountability reporting; you should have managed or led complex investigations and supervised a team of journalists. 
• Experience reporting or editing coverage of the federal government or Washington, D.C. You don’t need to be an insider, but you need to know enough to be able to get past the story of the day to the systemic investigation at the root of the problem. 
• Experience with — and an appetite for — collaborating, both across the newsroom and with external partners. Strong communication skills are key!
• Exceptional organizational skills and the ability to juggle many responsibilities, meet deadlines and handle pressure while remaining calm.
• The editing range to handle and think creatively about different types of investigative storytelling, including rolling investigations, traditional investigative projects, narratives and multimedia formats.
• The bedside manner to help reporters land what is often the most challenging work of their career.
• The ability to travel, as needed, for team meetings, training and other events.

The expected salary range for this position is $185,000 to $210,000.

This job is full time and includes benefits. This role will be based in ProPublica’s Washington, D.C., office, so candidates should live within the D.C. metropolitan area or be willing to relocate. Applicants must be eligible to work in the U.S.

This is a good-faith estimate of what we expect to pay for this position. The final salary figure will take into account a person’s experience, accomplishment and location. ProPublica is committed to paying its staff equitably, and these ranges should not be considered career salary limits or caps.

We will begin reviewing applications as we receive them, but we will continue to consider candidates as long as the posting remains live on our site.

Questions? Send an email to [email protected]. 

No phone calls, please.