The Seattle Times, a family-owned news organization and one of the nation’s premier regional news sources, is looking for a visionary, innovative, and grounded Features Editor to join our Pulitzer Prize-winning newsroom. You will pursue and tell stories that reflect the vibrancy of the Puget Sound region. You should be excited by the flavors, landscapes and people of the Pacific Northwest and eager to lead our 15-member Features team in its exploration of the food, drink, arts, outdoor activities, events, getaways and personalities that make the area special. You’ll be the impresario that puts into motion print and digital journalism that appeals to a broad range of readers and users on the platforms they frequent. And you’ll feel equally comfortable responding nimbly to breaking news and diving deep into artfully told, visually rich tales that inspire reader loyalty to The Seattle Times.

The Seattle Times is an award-winning newsroom with a history of producing groundbreaking journalism for a broad regional audience. Independently owned by the local Blethen family for more than 120 years, The Times has won 11 Pulitzer Prizes, the most recent in 2020. It is considered a leader among major metropolitan newsrooms, producing rapid-fire breaking news, deep and richly told narrative and explanatory stories, high-impact investigative reporting, and powerful, gripping visual journalism.

Please note: while currently remote, this position will require some work in our Seattle office once normal operations resume. Applicants should be current (or future) residents of the Greater Seattle area.

Responsibilities

• Provide visionary leadership and day-to-day management for a 15-member Features staff, including reporters, assistant editors, copy editors and producers, plus freelancers. Coach; oversee professional development; provide consistent feedback.
• Direct Features coverage areas, including beats such as food and drink, arts and entertainment, outdoors, wellness, lifestyle, events, travel and communities.

• Plan, communicate and coordinate Features coverage plans to other editors and departments. Collaborate on interdisciplinary projects with visual and digital journalists, and other news teams, such as metro, sports, investigations and business.
• Edit stories from conception to publication on multiple platforms (print and digital), and guide the editing of assistant editors.
• Balance a nimble response to breaking news and trending topics, with demands of long-range, planned features, based on audience interests and behavior. Triage a high volume of work, reprioritizing daily or even hourly as needed.
• Reflect a plurality of perspectives in coverage and uphold inclusive journalistic practices in story framing, sourcing, writing and presentation. Nurture a welcoming workplace.
• Assess staffing needs, interview applicants and participate in hiring for Features positions, with an eye toward identifying up-and-coming talent and building a diverse staff. Scout and manage freelancers.
• Represent the Features operation to sources and the public.
• Develop operating budgets, authorize overtime and expenditures, and manage expenses to meet budget projections. Understand variances and be able to explain on a monthly basis if requested.
• Actively contribute to news operation as a whole through committee involvement, planning programs, etc. Oversee newsroom-wide projects and initiatives as assigned. Participate in long-range planning, using research and other resources.

Qualifications

We are committed to diversity and creating an inclusive newsroom and encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply. If your profile doesn’t match this job description exactly, you may still be a candidate for this position. Please let us know how your skills and experience relate to the role and its objectives in your Cover Letter.

• Experience: Five or more years’ experience at daily news operation, including supervisory experience.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in journalism or related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Must have excellent grammar and language skills.
• Must have typing and basic computer skills; fearlessly adopt new technology and digital publishing platforms; be familiar with SEO and web analytics.
• Familiarity with subject matter related to Northwest communities, cultures, wellness, food and drink, travel and outdoors, arts and entertainment strongly preferred.
• Must be visually literate, with a basic understanding of layout and design principles.
• Must understand and uphold standards of accuracy, fairness, ethics and inclusion, under intense deadline pressure.
• Adhere to company requirements for the timely filing of expenses and forms as well as other information when requested.

Founded in 1896, The Seattle Times continues its tradition as a family-owned, Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper that cuts through the clutter and provides readers with timely, relevant news. We serve the Pacific Northwest with thoughtful, independent journalism that makes a real difference in our community. And as a media solutions company, we combine cutting-edge digital capabilities and service with the values and integrity of respected traditional media… with an established audience of 2.1 million. At The Seattle Times, you'll find work that matters.

If you need assistance to accommodate a disability, please contact Human Resources at careers@seattletimes.com and provide a description of the reasonable accommodation(s) needed.