Assistant Editor, Entertainment News

The Los Angeles Times is looking for an experienced, energetic and creative journalist who can help lead our breaking entertainment and sports news coverage on the Fast Break Desk as an assistant editor and occasional writer.

This journalist will work with a team of reporters and the Entertainment and Sports Fast Break deputy editor to cover the day’s most important pop culture, celebrity and entertainment stories, as well as produce subscriber-exclusive enterprise stories. They will also jump in and help write obituaries and other breaking news items when necessary, and should be experienced with obtaining and reporting from court documents and coroner and police reports.

We are looking for a journalist who not only can publish breaking news quickly but also find fresh takes on the news, working with reporters to find unique angles and posts that set The Times apart from the competition.

This editor will be a partner in our approach to breaking news, including strategy, story formats, standards and workflow. Coaching skills are a must, as is an ability to collaborate across departments. This is the perfect position for an editor who can confidently handle different aspects of the multifaceted job, deftly moving between reporting, editing and monitoring story ideas throughout the day, and staying in tune with stories that interest our readers.

In addition to working on breaking coverage, this editor may work closely with partners on the larger Entertainment team to help lend their expertise to subject matter and develop deeper storytelling, following up on the news of the day.

The role also requires a deep understanding of SEO and the ability to craft enticing headlines while packaging a story to optimize our audience experience.

Responsibilities

• Assign, edit and occasionally write breaking news and trending stories across a variety of entertainment, including notable deaths, pop culture and celebrity news
• Identify unique angles and fresh takes that advance stories beyond the news of the day and what other outlets have already reported
• Write engaging headlines and SEO components with a digital, diverse audience in mind
• Respect and meet tight deadlines that will include brisk turnarounds on edits for multiple news posts each day
• Collaborate with editorial staff, including reporters, editors, photo, social media and audience engagement teams, to produce stories on all platforms
• Use designated tools, such as an authorized CMS or messaging system, to clearly communicate editorial coverage plans in a clear and timely manner
• Offer guidance to staff on conceptualizing, reporting and writing content to ensure quality, accuracy and fairness
• Provide timely verbal feedback and coaching to staff
  
  

Requirements

• A minimum of 10 years of journalism experience; editing experience is mandatory
• Excellent skills in line editing, combining strong news judgment, fluency in style and deep knowledge of taste and legal considerations and an understanding of the importance of speed, accuracy and precision in publishing
• Experience locating and reporting from public records, such as civil and criminal court filings and coroner and police reports
• An aptitude for navigating digital platforms and staying on top of current events
• Proven ability to work well in a team setting and juggle multiple tasks in a deadline-driven environment
• Effective communication skills with peers, supervisors and the broader newsroom
• An ethical and inclusive approach in the workplace that promotes collaboration
• Versatility and adaptability, working not just across production platforms but also across entertainment subject areas
• An excellent team player and effective communicator who’s able to work comfortably with a variety of personalities and skill levels and across departments
• A nuanced understanding of audience data and analytics and a track record of using data to make informed decisions on coverage
  
  

This role is listed as Assistant Editor in the Los Angeles Times Guild and will be based in El Segundo, Calif. Occasional night and weekend work is expected.

Qualified candidates should upload a resume, cover letter and applicable clips to Deputy Editor Dawn Burkes at the Apply link.

The L.A. Times is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all qualified applicants regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We actively work to create an inclusive environment where all of our employees can thrive. This Privacy Notice for Los Angeles Times sets forth how we will use the information we obtain when you apply for a position with us. Explore our company history, achievement, values, mission and more on our career site.

The pay scale the Company reasonably expects to pay for this position at the time of the posting is $104,421 to $129,069 and takes into account a wide range of factors including but not limited to skill set, experience, training, licenses, certifications, and other business or organizational needs. Compensation will be determined based on the above factors along with the requirements of the position. At the L.A. Times, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for the role. Please visit our career site to view the benefits available to our employees. We recommend adding our applicant tracking system domain (@dayforce.com) as a safe sender or contact, sometimes these emails get filtered to candidates' spam folders.