Essays Editor - Audience Off Platform

Salary: $75,000 commensurate with experience Location Type: Not Specified Employment Type: Not Specified

Position Overview

Newsweek is a global media organization with over 90 years of audience trust. We reach 100 million people monthly across print and digital platforms with thought-provoking news, opinion, images, graphics, and video. Headquartered in New York City, Newsweek also publishes international editions in EMEA and Asia.

The Essays Editor on the Audience Off Platform team is crucial for driving Newsweek’s engagement and reach, particularly on syndicated platforms like Apple News. This role involves rapidly sourcing, shaping, packaging, and enhancing content primarily from outside contributors. The ideal candidate will ensure Newsweek's standards are met and that content engages our audiences by telling clear and cohesive stories. This team member will also identify new story ideas for the VP of Strategic Partnerships and copy edit/publish non-essays content as needed.

Key Responsibilities

• Content Commissioning & Curation:
  • Commission and curate compelling first-person essays aligning with the publication’s voice, values, and editorial standards.
  • Identify emerging voices and diverse perspectives, actively seeking contributors from various backgrounds and experiences.
  • Evaluate submissions and pitches, filtering for quality, originality, and relevance to the publication’s audience.
• Writer Management & Development:
  • Develop strong writer relationships, providing clear guidance from pitch through publication, including feedback, revisions, and support.
• Editorial & Content Enhancement:
  • Edit for clarity, structure, and tone, ensuring narrative integrity and audience resonance.
  • Collaborate with other editorial teams (social, multimedia, art, legal) to package and promote stories effectively.
  • Maintain an editorial calendar for timely content around cultural moments, awareness campaigns, and seasonal topics.
• Strategy & Performance:
  • Track performance metrics, using insights to inform commissioning strategies and optimize reader engagement.
  • Contribute to editorial strategy, participating in planning meetings and brainstorming sessions.
  • Survey the digital landscape to contribute new and engaging story ideas to the VP of Strategic Partnerships.
  • Copy edit and publish non-essays content as needed.
• Ethical Standards & Other Duties:
  • Uphold ethical standards related to consent, fact-checking, and sensitivity when working with personal or vulnerable stories.
  • Perform any other reasonable duties to meet the needs of the business.

Qualifications

• Experience:
  • 3+ years of editorial experience, preferably in personal essays, features, or human-interest storytelling.
  • Proven ability to edit narrative nonfiction, with a strong grasp of voice, structure, pacing, and emotional arc.
  • Experience working with a wide range of writers, including emerging voices and contributors from underrepresented communities.
  • Familiarity with content management systems and digital publishing tools.
  • Understanding of audience analytics and how data informs editorial decisions.
• Skills:
  • Exceptional writing and editing skills, with meticulous attention to detail, grammar, and tone.
  • Strong news judgment and cultural awareness, with the ability to identify timely, resonant personal stories.
  • Excellent communication and collaboration skills, both internally and with external contributors.
  • Comfort handling sensitive topics (trauma, identity, mental health) with care and editorial rigor.
  • Ability to manage multiple deadlines and a high volume of submissions/editing projects efficiently.
• Education:
  • Bachelor’s degree in journalism, English, communications, or a related field, or equivalent experience.

Company Information

Newsweek is an equal opportunity employer. We seek employees of diverse backgrounds and are committed to providing an inclusive, equitable, and respectful workplace.