Weekend & Special Projects Editor

The Chicago Sun-Times is the hardest-working paper in America, breaking the stories and covering the issues that matter most to Chicagoans with depth, integrity and grit. The newsroom has earned eight Pulitzer Prizes for its hard-hitting investigations, feature reporting, photography, criticism and editorial cartoons. An industry-leading innovator in local news, it has been recognized nationally for news coverage, investigations and feature reporting and for expanding digital and multimedia reporting platforms alongside its indomitable newspaper.

In January 2022, the Sun-Times merged with public radio station WBEZ, with a shared mission to strengthen local journalism in Chicago. Under the banner of Chicago Public Media, Chicago Sun-Times Media, Inc. (CSTM) is now part of one of the largest nonprofit news organizations in the nation. This merger reinforces our commitment to serving Chicagoans with the news that matters most — fact-based, unbiased journalism deeply connected to Chicago communities.

An opportunity to make a big impact

We’re looking for a versatile, experienced leader to guide coverage of politics and government from Chicago City Hall to Springfield to Washington that breaks news, uncovers corruption and serves Chicago area residents who want to understand how our government works and participate in our democracy.You’ll lead one of our biggest enterprise news coverage teams — including City Hall and Washington reporters, politics writers, a columnist and two investigative reporters — to plan and produce news stories, analyses and short- and long-term enterprise and investigations at the core of one of the key areas for which readers have come to know and trust the Sun-Times.

It’s an important moment as we reorganize our staff to continue to break news while focusing even more on enterprising stories and investigations that drive conversation and make a difference. Also, Chicago will be hosting the Democratic National Convention next year.

This key role offers an opportunity to shape and help build an influential and growing local news outlet in a highly competitive market that also offers exciting opportunities for collaborations beyond our own newsroom.

If you’ve got a track record of helping ambitious, talented and seasoned teams produce compelling, distinctive must-read stories – and you’re inspired to provide digital and print audiences with the information they need to participate in, and make the most of, our community – we may be looking for you. Please apply!

Requirements

• Set the goals, strategy and plans to achieve the growing ambitions for our coverage of politics and government, working with the deputy managing editor for enterprise and investigations, the leaders of other enterprise teams and other stakeholders in the newsroom.
• Help improve the Sun-Times’ editorial excellence, workplace culture and impact.
• Build collaboration and communication in the newsroom and with our Chicago Public Media partners and with other news organizations.
• Elevate storytelling on politics and government across platforms to produce compelling stories online, in print, on social media, in newsletters and anywhere else.
• Manage the politics and government team to produce compelling and impactful journalism.
• Create an effective workflow to ensure that we are breaking news on politics and government and producing impactful enterprise stories and investigations.
• Help your team members develop their talents, get appropriate training, set goals for growth and achieve their ambitions.
• Promote diversity, inclusion and equity.

Requirements

• Knowledge of Chicago or Illinois politics.
• Demonstrated ability to plan, think strategically and lead ground-breaking short-, medium- and longer-term news and investigative reporting.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a union environment.
• Ability to react quickly in a deadline-filled environment while also driving longer-range coverage.
• At least 10 years of newsroom experience, including news reporting and management of news coverage and investigations.
• Demonstrated ability to help a team reach ambitious goals and maintain a standard of excellence.

What we offer

• The chance to be part of an iconic and trusted brand and help build the future of local news.
• Opportunity to work within a collaborative team culture.
• A flexible work schedule.
• A competitive salary and benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability coverage, retirement savings (including a 401(k) match), an FSA plan and a commuter benefits plan.

The information contained in this job description is not intended to create any contractual or other legal commitment. CSTM can change the content or format of this job at any time at its sole and exclusive discretion without notice.

This role does not offer sponsorship employment benefits.

CSTM does not discriminate in its employment decisions based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, citizenship or national origin, veteran status or on any other basis which would violate any applicable federal, state or local law.