The online editor serves as the head editorial staff member on the Iowa State Daily’s digital media team. The digital media team is a small team focused on improving the Daily’s digital products. He/she, along with the Managing Editor of Online and Content, will be charged with fostering a culture shift within the newsroom – one that moves the Daily away from a print based workflow, and toward a workflow that emphasizes the various publication methods available and prioritizes the need to get information in our community’s hands as quickly and accurately possible.

Knowledge:

• In-depth knowledge of the Internet and developing trends of user behavior
• Strong insight into where future opportunities will arise
• Visionary understanding of what is coming next
• Understands technology and how it will be used by communities to deliver new value
• Grasp of AP style and journalistic writing methods

Experience:

• Strong and proven track record in digital media/communities and social media
• Strong knowledge of journalism practices, ethics and experience working under tight deadlines
• Management experience in working with teams to deliver success
• Experience using proprietary and open-source content management systems (ex: TownNews’ BLOX, proprietary; WordPress, open-source)
• Ability to produce multimedia digital content, including, but not limited to videos, photo galleries and live event coverage
  HTML and CSS skills are a plus, but not required

Responsibilities:

• Work with the Director Digital Media and Managing Editor of Online and Content to maintain a consistent image on the Daily’s websites
• Work with newsroom journalists in teaching and maintaining a responsible/effective social media presence for the Daily and themselves
• Develop on-going training programs in relation to digital media, emerging technologies and best practices
• Work along side newsroom editors to plan, assign and edit content for the Daily’s digital platforms, including exclusive website, tablet and mobile content
• Working with newsroom editors to plan event coverage and special projects
• Working with copy desk to make sure Daily style is consistent and all stories and headlines fit Daily style standards, SEO best practices and are optimized for their respective delivery methods.
• Attend budget meetings, asking questions like “Why is this story deserving of featured box”
• Monitor Google Analytics — watch for hot stories and trends, Look for causes of traffic spikes or drops and communicate these causes with the appropriate editors and reporters.
• Monitor desks’ social media activity, ensuring stories are being promoted and information shared through the Daily’s social media accounts; encourage the use of hashtags both within the newsroom and the community.
• Help coordinate breaking news coverage — work with editors to ensure content is posted quickly and accurately. Make resources available to those editors.
• Manage a team of web producers, who produce exclusive digital content — Ensure their job responsibilities are being met; provide training and coaching when needs are not being met.
• Attend the weekly digital media meeting — Prepare agenda and FYI items to update the group as to the progress of the editorial projects and issues
• Other responsibilities as delegated by the Digital Media Director or Managing Editor of Online and Content

Manages: The online editor will manage a team of web producers. He/she also will work closely with the digital media department’s graphic designers, but he/she will not directly manage these employees.

Reports to: The online editor reports to the Director of Digital Media for issues relating to technology, structure, distribution, analytics and website design. He/she reports to the Managing Editor of Online and Content for issues relating to newsroom conflicts, content and breaking news coverage. He/she will also work closely with the newsroom’s desk editors, but will not report directly to these employees.

Interested candidates should visit http://www.iowastatedaily.net/apply to submit an application. Questions can be directed to [email protected] or 515-294-4149.