Managing Editor

NC Local is looking for a managing editor to lead a talented and growing newsroom as we deliver on our mission of bringing statewide issues home to people across North Carolina.

Overview

NC Local is looking for a managing editor to lead a talented and growing newsroom as we deliver on our mission of bringing statewide issues home to people across North Carolina.

We’re looking for a newsroom leader who can turn our mission into high-impact coverage. You’re an experienced editor and manager who coaches people to do their best work. You bring creative ideas for making news and policy easier to understand. And you lead from within the team, supporting colleagues inside the newsroom and working closely with news partners across the state.

• Location: NC-based, remote position
• Reports to: CEO
• Salary: Starting at $105,000, with final compensation based on experience

About NC Local

NC Local is a statewide nonprofit newsroom on a mission to connect North Carolinians to the issues shaping their lives. We make complex state issues understandable and useful, hold public institutions accountable, and help communities become more informed and civically engaged. We do this by producing original reporting and delivering it through trusted channels, including newsletters, social media and in partnership with news and information providers.

We started our journey by asking people across North Carolina what news and information they needed most. Since launching in fall 2025, we've identified and filled coverage gaps, brought communities together around critical issues at events, and built partnerships with newsrooms and other organizations across the state. We've also secured investments from major philanthropic institutions and a growing base of donors who see NC Local's vision and path to scale.

It's an opportunity to join a well-backed startup and help a dedicated team shape it into an enduring statewide institution.

Position Overview

NC Local is looking for an experienced editor and newsroom leader to lead and manage our news operation. Our coverage shows and explains North Carolinians how policy affects them, holds decision-makers accountable to communities, and gives people practical information they can use to act on what matters to them.

As Managing Editor, you’ll run the newsroom day to day. That means assigning stories, taking pitches, deciding what we cover, and supervising, coaching and editing our team of reporters and freelance contributors. You’ll balance quick-hit reporting with longer-term projects, and you’ll think creatively about how we present news and information across different storytelling formats.

We’re looking for someone with strong news judgment and a solid grasp of North Carolina’s state policy and politics. You understand what sets NC Local apart: we reach North Carolinians with useful information about how state policy affects them, and we work in collaboration with other newsrooms across the state. You’re comfortable in an early-stage organization, where moving between hands-on editing, managing people and building newsroom processes is part of the job.

You’ll report to the CEO and work closely with our Director of Community Engagement so our reporting reaches people and reflects what communities need.

This is a remote position based in North Carolina. You’ll be expected to travel around the state as needed for team or partner meetings and events.

What you'll do

Newsroom leadership and news selection

• Manage the newsroom day-to-day: assigning stories, reviewing pitches, maintaining an editorial calendar, and overseeing publishing
• Lead editorial meetings that keep our coverage focused on NC Local's strategy and the issues we've chosen to go deep on
• Know the state's issues, including policy and politics, and help reporters identify stories, angles and questions that fill coverage gaps
• Guide reporters in asking for every story: does it help North Carolinians make sense of an issue, or help them do something about it?
• Balance quick-hit reporting with longer-term projects and features

Editing and publishing

• Edit and copy edit reporters' work for substance, accuracy and clarity
• Help reporters sharpen framing, structure and clarity so people understand how an issue affects them
• Think creatively about how news and information are presented, often going beyond articles — for example explainers, guides, maps, newsletters, social and more — and guide each reporter and contributor in producing the right format for the purpose and audience
• Manage editing assignments for other editors and contributors, overseeing their work as needed
• Oversee the production of our newsletters, ensuring they are produced and edited according to schedule

Reaching and growing NC Local’s key audiences

• Work closely with the Director of Community Engagement and other staff members to ensure our reporting reaches the people it's meant for — North Carolinians who need to make sense of issues where they live, with an emphasis on people who aren’t typically served by traditional media
• Bring what we hear through NC Local’s community listening and audience engagement initiatives into our reporting from the start
• Work with reporters and engagement team members on plans for how each piece of content will reach people across the state
• Conceive, execute and manage, with support from Director of Community Engagement, editorial collaborations and partnerships with NC Local’s news and information partners

Supervising and coaching reporters

• Supervise reporters and help them grow their skills and their work
• Coach reporters on story ideas, sourcing, structure and presentation
• Build the routines and processes that keep the newsroom running smoothly
• Help hire reporters and editors and seek out contributors, following NC Local’s growth plan and strategy

Commitment to diversity and inclusivity

NC Local is building an inclusive team that represents the diversity and multifaceted nature of our state across geography, demographics, culture and other lived experiences. We welcome talented individuals from all backgrounds who bring curiosity, dedication and a drive to succeed. If you're interested in this role but don't meet every listed criteria, we encourage you to apply anyway. We are looking for people who want to grow, contribute and make an impact.

What you bring to the organization

• You're an experienced editor with at least 5 years of news leadership experience, including time spent in supervising or editing roles
• You have strong news judgment and can lead coverage on North Carolina’s top state issues, including policy and politics
• You're skilled across storytelling formats and bring ideas about new ways to present information.
• You understand NC Local's role and how we set our coverage apart for North Carolinians.
• You can keep daily work moving while protecting time for deeper projects and features.
• You enjoy coaching reporters and helping them do their best work.
• You’re comfortable with editing multiple stories per day and managing a small team of reporters producing work across formats, ranging from social videos to articles to newsletters
• You're a sharp copy editor with an eye for accuracy and plain language.
• You're comfortable publishing to digital platforms and working with content management systems
• You work well across teams and are comfortable in an early-stage organization that's still developing processes

You'll stand out if:

• You've led a newsroom or desk at a nonprofit or early-stage news organization
• You've built coverage or products that go beyond the traditional news article
• You have a track record of collaborating with other newsrooms and even non-newsroom groups

Compensation & benefits

NC Local is a remote organization and candidates must live in or relocate to North Carolina. This is a salaried, full-time position. The starting salary for this position is $105,000, with final compensation based on experience. Employees can participate in an employer-sponsored health insurance plan, including vision and dental coverage; paid time off and holidays in accordance with NC Local policy; and a 401(k) plan.

How to apply

Submit a one-page resume and cover letter that briefly states why you’re interested in the role and answers the following questions:

• What specific skills or experiences would you bring to an early-stage statewide nonprofit newsroom?
• Share a story or project you led that helped your audience understand how a government decision or policy issue affected their lives. What was your role, what was the goal and what was the result?
• Share an example of using a nontraditional format for a news story, whether it was a story you’ve led or one that you admire from someone else. What works about the format and what audience needs does it meet?

The priority deadline for applications is Dec. 7. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with the position open until filled.