Help build a newsroom that's reimagining local public media for the digital age. Local journalism is changing. We're building the newsroom we think it needs.
At Jefferson Public Radio, that means investing in ambitious reporting, digital storytelling and continuous learning. Every day, our newsroom serves Southern Oregon and Northern California through broadcast and digital journalism. We produce explanatory reporting, accountability journalism and multimedia storytelling that helps audiences understand not just what happened, but why it matters.
Great editors don't just improve stories—they improve journalists. They help reporters ask sharper questions, uncover better evidence and produce journalism with greater impact. That's the kind of editorial culture we're building.
We're looking for an experienced journalist who wants to help shape that work by developing reporters, strengthening our daily report and reaching audiences in new ways. You may already be an editor, or you may be an experienced reporter who's ready to take the next step into newsroom leadership. If you've found yourself mentoring colleagues, offering story guidance or looking for ways to make your team stronger, we'd like to hear from you.
Your primary responsibility will be editing, coaching and helping reporters produce their best work. You'll guide daily coverage, coordinate breaking news and strengthen our digital journalism. You'll also report occasionally, but your greatest impact will come through the work of the newsroom as a whole.
You'll work closely with the News Director and a collaborative team of reporters and producers. As the newsroom continues to evolve, you'll have the opportunity to influence editorial priorities, develop reporters and grow as an editor and newsroom leader.
What you'll do
You'll help lead JPR's newsroom across Southern Oregon and Northern California. As the newsroom grows, you'll spend an increasing share of your time editing, coaching and leading coverage while continuing to report as newsroom priorities require.
You'll: - Lead daily news meetings and help set coverage priorities.
- Edit stories for broadcast, digital and multimedia platforms.
- Coach reporters from story idea through publication and beyond.
- Help reporters produce enterprise, accountability and explanatory journalism.
- Train reporters in digital-first storytelling, multimedia journalism and new newsroom workflows.
- Improve how stories are presented and discovered across digital platforms through strong editing, headlines, SEO and audience-focused storytelling.
- Coordinate breaking news coverage across broadcast and digital platforms.
- Edit and publish digital stories based on Jefferson Exchange interviews while strengthening collaboration between the news and Exchange teams.
- Evaluate and help implement new storytelling formats, newsroom technologies and editorial workflows.
- Occasionally report and produce breaking news, enterprise and feature stories as newsroom priorities require.
- Serve as acting News Director in the News Director's absence, exercising day-to-day editorial authority for newsroom operations, story assignments and publication decisions.
- Assist with hiring, onboarding and other newsroom leadership responsibilities.
Who thrives in this role
You're curious, collaborative and generous with your time. You enjoy helping reporters improve and understand that editing starts by asking better questions. You're comfortable making decisions during breaking news and equally comfortable helping shape an enterprise story over weeks or months. You're excited by digital journalism and new ways of serving audiences. You see multimedia storytelling and emerging technologies as opportunities to strengthen public service journalism and reach more people.
Whether you've already led a newsroom or you're ready to move from reporting into editing, you're excited by the opportunity to help other journalists do their best work. Above all, you measure success by the work of the newsroom, not just your own.
Minimum Qualifications - Bachelor's degree in journalism or a related field; or four years of experience writing, producing and reporting; or any equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
- Five years of professional journalism experience.
- Demonstrated experience editing, coaching or providing substantive editorial guidance in a professional newsroom.
- Experience producing journalism for both broadcast and digital platforms.
Preferred Qualifications - Served as a lead editor or newsroom leader responsible for daily editorial operations.
- Held a formal or informal newsroom leadership role, such as mentoring reporters, leading coverage or editing colleagues' work.
- Demonstrated success developing journalists through coaching, editing and mentorship.
- Background in public media, nonprofit, digital-first, print, television or radio news organizations.
- Implemented digital newsroom workflows or cross-platform publishing strategies.
- Skilled in multimedia storytelling, SEO, audience engagement and digital audience growth.
- Used audience analytics to inform editorial decisions and content strategy.
- Helped introduce new newsroom technologies or editorial workflows.
- Led collaborative newsroom or cross-platform editorial projects.
- Strong portfolio of enterprise or accountability journalism.
- Knowledge of Southern Oregon, Northern California or the Pacific Northwest.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities - Exceptional news judgment and editorial decision-making.
- Demonstrated success coaching journalists to strengthen reporting, writing, audio production and digital storytelling.
- Deep understanding of digital publishing, multimedia storytelling and audience engagement.
- Sound judgment balancing speed, accuracy and quality under deadline pressure.
- Commitment to fairness, accuracy, independence and the highest ethical standards in journalism.
- Excellent communication, organizational and project management skills.
- Skill in building productive relationships with colleagues, sources and community partners.
- Curiosity about emerging storytelling techniques, newsroom technologies and evolving audience behaviors.
- Works independently while collaborating effectively in a fast-paced newsroom.
Why JPR? Jefferson Public Radio serves Southern Oregon and Northern California with independent, award-winning public service journalism. We believe our role is not only to tell people what happened, but to help them understand why it matters.
As JPR's Assistant News Director, you'll help shape the journalism our audiences rely on every day. You'll work with reporters to produce stronger stories, lead day-to-day newsroom operations and help our newsroom continue evolving across broadcast, digital and multimedia platforms.
If this sounds like the newsroom you'd like to help build, we'd like to hear from you.
Benefits: - Family medical plan
- Employee dental and vision
- 10% 401(k) contribution
- Paid Time Off (PTO): Vacation days, sick leave, and paid company holidays
Location: Ashland, Oregon
Reports to: News Director
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