US News Editor (Live and Breaking News)

US News Editor (Live and Breaking News)

About us

Established as a newspaper in the UK in 1986, The Independent is now a truly global publisher. It is one of the fastest growing news websites in the US, with an American readership of more than 25 million people, while in the UK it is the largest quality digital newsbrand.

Since transforming into a fully digital publisher in 2016, The Independent has been on a remarkable trajectory of expansion, with main offices in New York and London, as well as bureaus in Washington DC, Los Angeles and beyond.

Job purpose

The US News Editor will help lead agenda-setting news coverage for The Independent’s team NYC-based team.

The US News Editor (working Sunday to Thursday or Tuesday to Saturday with flexibility to fill odd shifts as needed) will be a newsroom leader who will play a significant role in setting the news agenda, ensuring regular exclusives, quality comment and analysis.

They will work closely with reporters and other editors to lead our US team on breaking news, key event coverage and exclusives.

They will collaborate with editors in the US and the UK, as well as different teams from culture and lifestyle to sport and video to ensure high-quality, comprehensive coverage.

With our audience team they will work to ensure our journalism is read as widely as possible and expand our US readership.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

• We champion diversity in our teams and in our reporting. As a growing and global brand, we must have a workforce that’s more representative of our readers, viewers, clients and partners, and a workplace that creates a sense of belonging for everyone
• We are committed to hiring and developing a diverse workforce regardless of background, and we support our people to thrive in their careers here.

The Independent is an equal opportunities employer, if you require any reasonable adjustments to complete your application, please do not hesitate to advise us accordingly.

The successful candidate will:

• Have a proven track record of editing, coordinating and writing breaking news, exclusives, compelling reads and be able to craft polished, attention-grabbing headlines. Their portfolio will include work for some of the world’s best media brands.
• Have solid news judgment and be able to prioritize urgent vs non-urgent news, be able to identify potential high-traffic stories and be able to mine social media and other sources for stories.
• Be able to coordinate content across a range of platforms and mediums, including long and short-form video.
• Be able to work under pressure in a fast-paced environment and juggle multiple priorities.
• Be able to communicate quickly, clearly and respectfully to their team.
• Exhibit an in-depth knowledge of attracting, retaining and growing a digital news audience and should have at least four years’ experience of working in an editing role in a fast-paced multimedia news environment.
• Have a Bachelor’s degree, preferably in journalism or communications, related field or equivalent training and/or experience.
• Commit to upholding The Independent’s reputation for trusted, quality journalism.

About you

• Driven to succeed – you push yourself to optimize the impact and reach of our news coverage, to maintain and improve on The Independent’s position in terms of audience, and to further grow the brand’s reputation as a market leader in quality digital news media.
• Driving the news agenda – not only do you follow the news, you are uniquely qualified to ensure The Independent leads the pack. You have an unerring sense of which stories are going to be big and how you can optimize them to make them most attractive to a mass audience, while remaining true to our values.
• Proven leadership abilities – you have a demonstrable track record in leading a team and building positive and supportive working relationships with colleagues. You know how to create an inclusive and professional work environment. You are comfortable with inter-departmental collaboration at a senior level.
• Responsive delivery – you work to agreed goals and objectives and deal with challenges in a constructive and responsive way. You are personally invested in the quality of our work.
• Care for others - you know the value of investing in quality, and are keen to promote training and personal development for yourself and for all members of your team. You show awareness of diversity at all times, and respect others.

Our values – you will deliver across all our values

Inclusive: We champion diversity in our teams and in our reporting. Working as a team, we put transparency and effective communication at the heart of everything we do.

Innovative: From the very beginning, The Independent has been breaking the mould. We take risks and are always looking to try new ideas in pursuit of excellence.

Independent: Nobody tells us what to think; we make up our own minds and aren’t afraid to do things differently. Like our readers, we value honesty and integrity above outside influences.

The Independent adheres to a hybrid work model. This role, based in NYC, will require a minimum of 3 days a week in-office.