Deputy Editor in Chief, Chalkbeat

Location: Remote

Reports to: Editor in Chief, Chalkbeat

Type: Full-time

Salary Range:  $130,000 - $145,000 per year, depending on location and experience

Civic News Company is leading a civic revival.

We were founded to address one of the most consequential market failures of our time: the collapse of local news. Since 2008, nearly two-thirds of U.S. newsroom jobs have disappeared, leaving communities without trusted reporting on education, elections, and public health. Our mission is simple and urgent: to help people understand how America works so they can make it work better.

Through Chalkbeat (education), Votebeat (elections), and Healthbeat (public health), we operate a national network of local news bureaus that combine deep local expertise with centralized national infrastructure. 

THE OPPORTUNITY

Civic News is seeking a Deputy Editor in Chief to support our journalists and boost our newsroom leadership capacity. In this newly created role, Chalkbeat’s Deputy will partner with the Editor in Chief to set and execute the editorial vision for the newsroom. In addition, they will oversee several reporting teams and collaborate with the Managing Editors and Bureau Chiefs to extend a clear vision forward. The role will blend day-to-day journalism guidance with big-picture strategic thinking for key newsroom projects.

As Chalkbeat enters its next phase of growth, our most important metric will remain impact — so a successful candidate will have experience in developing must-read stories that reach wide audiences and drive discussion and change. They will also be an experienced and inspiring newsroom leader with a strong track record of project planning, change management, and experimentation.

The key responsibilities for this role include:

• Working with the Editor in Chief to set the vision as Chalkbeat enters a new phase of growth and ensure it’s being carried out.

• Overseeing several of our current local bureaus and reporting teams, with a focus on ensuring that Chalkbeat coverage drives impact in the form of informed decision-making and debate.

• Coaching leaders on setting and achieving goals, monitoring progress, and supporting their team members’ professional growth.

• Supporting the implementation of Civic News Academy.

• Working on high-priority initiatives, including but not limited to impact tracking improvements, further development of a newsroom AI strategy, and future geographic expansion. 

• Collaborating closely with our growth and community team to expand our loyal audience.

• Ensuring enterprise projects are deeply compelling and well executed. 

• Serving as a newsroom leader, representing organizational priorities to local teams and vice versa. 

What background and skills do you have? (We know not all strong candidates will have all the skills we list. That’s OK. What else do you bring to the table? Please tell us!):  The person we seek:

• 10+ years of work experience, including leadership experience.

• Experience reporting and editing breaking news, daily, and enterprise stories.

• A track record of leading effective teams with inspiration, high standards, and accountability, including experience coaching employees at different experience levels.

• A track record of managing complex projects, from initial vision to developing the processes that make them sustainable. 

• Experience developing editorial strategy and building an audience.

• A deep knowledge of America’s education story paired with curiosity about its future. 

Here are our Civic News Values and how they show up in our work together:

• We work as one team.
  Rebuilding local news requires collaboration. We actively nurture a harmonious environment of dignity, respect, and professionalism. We assume good intent, support one another’s growth, and have a team-oriented approach to solving  problems together.

• We pursue truth with intellectual honesty.
  Our work demands rigor. We seek facts, challenge assumptions, and engage thoughtfully with perspectives different from our own. We follow the evidence wherever it leads.

• We practice inclusive journalism.
  Strong civic life depends on representation and trust. We commit to antiracism, equity, and inclusive practices. We build meaningful relationships with the communities we serve and reflect their realities in our reporting.

• We earn trust every day.
  We develop subject-matter expertise. We operate transparently. We take responsibility for our work and keep learning so our journalism remains credible, relevant, and strong.

This full-time, remote-eligible position may be based anywhere in the continental United States. Civic News Company already has a presence in Chicago, Colorado, Indianapolis, Newark, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Texas, Michigan, Tennessee, New York City, and Washington, D.C. 

The salary range is $130,000 to 145,000; final salary will be determined based on level of experience and geographic location, with a generous benefits package, including:

• Medical, vision, and dental insurance

• Time off that truly supports rest, including 20 days of PTO, a paid one-week recess, 5 sick days, 3 floating holidays, and 12 paid holidays in 2026

• Retirement support through a 401(k) with a 4% employer match that is immediately vested

• 100% paid parental leave: 18 weeks fully paid, plus a 2-week part-time return-to-work ramp-up

• Flexible Spending Plan for eligible medical or childcare expenses

• Annual professional development stipend

• Employer-provided life insurance and short- and long-term disability coverage

• Monthly reimbursement for cell phone and internet expenses

Civic News Company recognizes a staff bargaining unit, Civic News Company, affiliated with the Writers Guild of America, East, a labor union representing thousands of members who write content for news and online media, motion pictures, and television. This position is not included in the Civic News Company bargaining unit.

Physical Requirements of the Job

This role is primarily sedentary and involves extended periods of sitting and regular use of standard office equipment, including computers and phones, for up to 8 hours per day. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.  

Civic News Company Commitment

Civic News Company participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. If E-Verify cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, Civic News Company is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so you can begin to resolve the issue before Civic News Company can take any action against you, including terminating your employment. Civic News Company can only use E-Verify once you have accepted a job offer and completed the Form I-9.