Executive Editor

We seek an Executive Editor, a new position, for Lookout Santa Cruz, for our in-person, Pulitzer Prize-winning newsroom of 10 spirited, collegial and hard-working journalists.

Application Process: Please send your resume and cover letter to jobs@lookoutlocal.com and put “Exec Editor” in the subject line.

What We Offer:

Competitive salary and performance-based incentives.

Full-time benefits include highly competitive medical, dental, and optical benefits, and 401(k) with matching.

Good PTO allowances

An opportunity to make a significant impact on and contribute to the revival of local journalism.

A collaborative and mission-driven work environment.

Stock options in a growing company.

Equal Opportunity Employer: Lookout Eugene-Springfield is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

Position Overview:

The Executive Editor, working with the Managing Editor as the newsroom leadership team, will shape the next generation of multiple news and information products offered by Lookout Santa Cruz, applying and growing the Lookout Local journalism model, making sure we meet both our mission and business performance needs.

They will also be Lookout’s most public face in the civic community, making community and reader engagement a throughline of the work, in the newsroom and in the community. Working with the director of community and student engagement, they will co-lead Lookout's community engagement work.

This is a newly created position, and it encompasses four main initiatives:

Building on the successful, Pulitzer Prize-winning Lookout Santa Cruz start of four years. Builds on Lookout’s already impactful new product creations – including Neighborhood Newsletters, Briefs, Story Maps, , Events integrations and more – proactively assesses, innovates and tests new ways of creating news and information. Builds the Lookout Playbook, applying both audience strategy and judgment that maximizes the best use of now-emerging technologies. Working with the managing editor, focuses on the next phase of our coverage plans, as we increase staffing, leading to creation of 2025-2026 community news and information plan. In this strategic content and product analysis, and product development, works as a member of Lookout’s overall senior leadership team as well as with its product and revenue teams as well.

Leading, along with colleagues, Lookout’s expansion efforts to other cities. Patterned on Lookout’s highly successful fundraising, planning, hiring and deployment for Lookout Eugene-Springfield, strategizes next markets, in California and beyond.

Serving as a public face, with publisher-like interaction, in the wider Santa Cruz County community and nationally. Become a familiar face in civic and business circles, a company presence that augments what our correspondents, ad salespeople and community engagement people do. Include creating useful community partnerships, talks to civic groups, moderation of events, 1:1 lunches with elected, business and non-profit leaders. Works with the managing editor and community and student engagement manager on a scheduled, steady, and strategic, stream of Lookout Listens and issue-oriented forums. Nationally, becomes another key spokesperson for Lookout’s success and expansion strategy.

Leads, with managing editor, next plans for development and training in the newsroom, creating a development program for journalists, individually, and collectively, setting up a steady cadence of learning/training programs.

The executive editor role requires a demonstrated, collegial leader, with substantial newsroom management, well-tested digital and audience experience, and one who excels in building further on both a set of products and a culture of excellence and collaboration. Working with the managing editor, who will direct the newsroom day to day, the ideal candidate both values Lookout’s early success and offers a vision of its next steps, steps that are both mission- and business-building. Deeply using audience analytics, the ideal candidate will proactively assess and recommend initiatives that do both, using emerging digital tools to their optimal points, and work closely with both the newsroom and Lookout’s senior team to advance quickly the work that must be done to push forward Lookout locally and nationally.

This is an in-community position and in-office news in our business operation in Santa Cruz. We’d like the executive editor to live in the community.

Responsibilities:

● Leadership and Team Management:

Lead, along with the managing editor a growing newsroom of skilled journalists, fostering a culture of excellence, innovation, collaboration and reader service.

Become a key public presence of Lookout in the civic, business and non-profit communities

Mentor and develop journalistic talent, with programs of learning and training, ensuring high standards of reporting and storytelling.

Engage with the community to understand their needs and interests, ensuring the newsroom’s work reflects and serves the community.

Represent Lookout Santa Cruz at public events and forums, building strong relationships with community members.

Aim to build local media partnerships around content and promotion.

● Editorial Direction:

Shapes and guides the next generation of editorial vision and strategy for Lookout Santa Cruz, applying Lookout’s overall model and high standards of reporting, editing and presentation.

Reviews current product set and lead adjustments in it with renewed strong focus on audience and analytics, working with managing editor, newsroom team and Lookout’s leadership team. Includes, website, apps, metro, niche and neighborhood newsletters, email alerts, notifications, forums.

Proactively innovates touchstone series for which Lookout can claim – and fulfill coverage – on topics of known audience interest

Puts into effect a story/series planning regimen that maximizes productive work, improves workflow and is of visible use to the Commerce & Community team.

Ensures the production of high-quality, engaging, and reader-centric news and information products that drive both mission and business results. Shapes expanded “Info Central” vision of positioning Lookout as a center for many kinds of information as well as news.

Maximizes regional, state and national content partnerships that add depth to Lookout Santa Cruz’s local-first position.

● Digital Expertise:

Eagerly apply current digital tools and emerging technologies that grow our impact in news delivery and reader engagement.

Drive innovation in digital storytelling, ensuring content is optimized for various platforms and devices, and reaches diverse audiences, including increasing integration of video and audio storytelling.

● Collaboration with Business Side and in Building Lookout Network:

Partners, along with the managing editor, with the business team to align editorial and business goals.

Work collaboratively to create products and initiatives that meet the needs of readers and support business objectives.

Drives larger Lookout network expansion through both Santa Cruz and innovations beyond

● Editorial Integrity and Standards:

Uphold the highest standards of journalistic integrity and ethics.

Ensure all content is accurate, fair, and non-partisan.

Qualifications:

Proven, substantial leadership and management experience in a similar role within a news or media organization.

Strong background in digital journalism and audience-focused analysis and familiarity with current digital tools and platforms.

Excellent editorial judgment, great editing chops from daily to investigative storytelling.

● Demonstrated ability to create and sustain a collaborative, high-performing newsroom culture.

● Experience working closely with business teams to align editorial and business strategies.

● Passion for Lookout Santa Cruz’s mission and a deep understanding of the local community.

● Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills.

● Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.