Futuro Unidad Hinojosa, a unit of Futuro Media is seeking an experienced Senior Editor to help build and lead our newly formed investigative unit (FUHi) and produce highly impactful multimedia journalism that will hold the powerful to account for the communities we serve.
Futuro Media has a ten year history of producing award winning journalistic productions that bring to light topics of great importance to our civic space by centering the human experience. Our multimedia digital newsroom produces award winning radio and podcast series including Latino USA, In the Thick and Latino Rebels as well as the standalone long form narrative series. We regularly publish online digital reports focused on issues facing diverse communities across the United States and Latin America, as well as video documentaries that delve into the intersection of policy, data and community needs including the acclaimed series America by the Numbers for PBS and Humanizing America for NBC.
We are excited to be adding an investigative unit to our newsroom with the goal of expanding and deepening our reporting efforts across our current media properties, deepen the knowledge and resources available to our reporting teams and to create new productions with outside partners that align with Futuro’s mission to report on the issues facing diverse communities whose concerns go unreported or that are frequently misreported.
The unit and team will include those who have a background or specific interest in accountability reporting and have specialized skills in procuring public records, data analysis and in connecting with communities to address the concerns they are facing through thorough reporting and narrative storytelling. We will also seek partnerships with other news organizations, community groups to fortify and expand our reporting capacity and impact.
We are specifically interested in NOT mimicking the worst aspects of investigative units that hold themselves above other parts of the organization or above the communities we serve. We want to foster collaboration internally, through training, mentorship and reporting support and with the audiences we serve. This effort will build on Futuro’s long standing relationships with the communities we serve (Latino/a/x, Black, immigrant, Indigenous, LGTBQIA) to develop story ideas and work with them to create new areas of inquiry and data to illuminate issues they face.
Our goal is to define our unique approach to investigative reporting including challenging and interrogating data, centering the human experience and holding the powerful to account with the people and communities impacted by policy and the powerful.
THE POSITION
The Senior Editor will report to the Executive Producer of Futuro Unidad Hinojosa and be a key player in building the unit, establishing its priorities, editorial approach and processes with the Executive team as well as with Futuro’s editorial leaders.
We are looking for a collaborative leader with an established knowledge of investigative reporting methods and who has experience with crafting powerful stories from complex findings and who can lead our team and be an enthusiastic advisor and collaborator with the journalists throughout our newsroom.
The Senior Editor will lead a unit consisting ultimately of three to four staffers, including Senior Correspondent Maria Hinojosa, a Senior Producer, an Associate Producer/Researcher, and a full time Fellow. They will have a budget to hire freelance or consulting reporting talent and secure reporting resources and will work with a unit production manager/coordinator. Our initial goal is to produce two bespoke larger scale projects per year while providing editorial guidance and resources for projects being reported by Futuro’s other production units.
We are a multimedia organization and much of our work is audio and video based but we are open to candidates from digital or print who may not have lead audiovisual units but have an appreciation for the mediums and who are highly skilled at leading investigative efforts. First and foremost we want a person who knows how to build and lead a team, someone who can shepard projects with journalistic smarts and sensitivity and who is passionate about mentoring the next generation of dedicated diverse journalists.
We want to hear from candidates who have a passion for the power of community-centered journalism, who have solid investigative skills that they use to challenge systemic issues and who are equally passionate about creating a work environment that fosters collaboration and growth.
Responsibilities will include:
Unit Development
The Senior Editor will work with the Executive Producer to define unit priorities and procedures based on editorial interests, resources and budget
Establish department wide systems for reporting and production processes
Establish a creative, welcoming culture that focuses on collaboration and fosters innovative approaches to reporting projects that have impact on communities
Spearhead recruitment efforts in collaboration with Executive Producer while maintaining a dedication to fostering a supportive diverse work environment
Staff & Project Management
Responsible for delivering reporting projects that meet established deadlines and editorial standards and regularly keeping Executive Producer informed about status on the unit, projects and any pressing concerns
Oversight of staff and supporting their professional development while acting as an editorial mentor on investigative techniques to journalists across our organization
Responsible for periodic staff check-ins and annual reviews or team members that report to you.
Working with Executive Producer help maintain unit budget
Responsible for project management, determining size and scope of individual projects, establishing and maintaining budgets and production schedules
Identifying reporting resources and securing freelancers or contractors to work with our staff to ensure the best possible reporting
Working with Senior Correspondent, Executive Producer and full team identify long lead and more immediate reporting projects and oversee their development from conception through to delivery
Establish and maintain editorial checks and balances for the reporting projects and help reporters and producers craft their reporting approach, story and narrative
Oversight of reporting teams and guiding them in their efforts, including on source development, ethical issues, security & safety procedures.This may include being available for off-business hour consultations including some nights, weekends or holidays
Consult with reporting team, fact-checkers, Executive Producer and legal advisors to ensure reporting projects meet high editorial standards
Managing Internal & External Partnerships
Maintain collaborative relationships within Futuro’s editorial teams, attending periodic planning meetings and providing guidance and mentorship on investigative reporting projects
Create and present story proposals to other Futuro entities as well as for outside reporting and distribution partnerships
Maintain relationships and processes with Futuro’s production and administrative units to ensure the priorities and needs of the unit and its productions are known and supported
Maintain relationships and ensure deliverables with outside collaborative reporting partners
Stay abreast of ongoing news and develop sources within communities, advocacy groups and within governmental organizations to advance reporting
With the unit team develop new ways to engage with communities to find new stories
Edit and refine story pitches, digital stories and scripts
Write or edit web and social media copy as needed
Write project briefs and unit updates for administrative needs as requested
The ideal candidate will have many, if not all, of the following qualifications:
Ability to conceive a project and build it in thoughtful stages from the ground up
Experience leading (or working on) collaborative reporting projects that include multiple reporters/producers and guiding a team toward a cohesive impactful report
Commitment to diverse coverage within in terms of sexual orientation, gender, and race and ethnicity
Ability to think thematically and integrate stories into the larger narrative and guide reporters in crafting scripts and reports with these goals in mind
Ability to work in a highly collaborative environment in different stages of the production process
Experience with investigative reporting methods, including obtaining and interpreting primary documents and data, and source cultivation.
Competitive editorial drive that thrives on originality, relevance and compelling storytelling.
A deft ability to create adaptive approaches for project and team management
Experience in data analysis and an ability to help a reporting team use it effectively while integrating into narrative storytelling
Self-starter and ability to work on several projects at once at varying stages of development
Ability to prioritize while working on different tasks.
Attention to detail, great organizational skills, and capacity to complete projects in their entirety and on deadline and to guide a team to do the same
Teamwork ethic, great communication skills, and rock-solid reliability
Success in the job will require:
Ability to work in a team environment that promotes collaboration and effective communication across all departments
Ability to solve problems as they arise
Excellent journalism and storytelling instincts
Sensitivity to reporting on untold stories, underreported communities and cutting edge storytelling
Commitment to fostering diversity, equity, inclusion, and team development
Qualifications:
Three to five years of leading large, preferably investigative, reporting projects
Expert knowledge of investigative reporting techniques, including source development, public records procurement and data analysis
Proven editing experience of narrative long-form reporting projects. Our preference is for someone with long form audio experience but we will consider other candidates who bring impressive skills to the table.
Self-starter and creative thinker
Understanding of current trends in public, commercial, and digital media
Outstanding interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills
Strong attention to detail and excellent organization skills
Exceptional skills in diplomacy
Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and work under pressure to meet deadline in a fast-paced environment
Sense of humor makes us smile, and we’ll offer the same
Spanish or regional language a big plus, but not mandatory
The offices of Futuro Media Group are located in Harlem, New York City and our preferences will be for a candidate who can be based there.
This is a full time position, inclusive of benefits with a salary range of $90,000-100,000.
DEADLINE AND APPLICATION PROCESS
Please submit the following:
a cover letter stating qualifications and why you are interested in this position;
your resume;
and three (3) references (*contact info only.)
To apply, please send your application materials via email with the subject “FUH (Senior) Editor Position” to UH_Jobs@futuromediagroup.org.
Early consideration deadline December 7th, final consideration December 30. Only the most qualified candidates will be contacted.