Public Safety Editor

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch is looking for an editor to lead our public safety team, guiding reporters to deliver an ambitious and fast-paced mix of breaking news, big-picture stories and investigative work.

You will oversee coverage primarily focused on crime, police and criminal justice, though you will help with other topics as well. We’re looking for speed and urgency — someone who can expertly guide breaking stories throughout the day. But we also want high-impact ideas. We need a  leader who can help reporters develop enterprise stories and investigations, and also build plans to cover big stories as they unfold.

We require a wide range of skills for this position. Strong writing and editing skills are a start. We want an editor who can field breaking news — working on super-tight deadlines in a competitive digital news environment — but also spot opportunities for deeper work. The ability to guide and collaborate with reporters, relying on strong interpersonal skills, is critical. A willingness to study digital metrics, and understand how they can elevate news coverage, is a must. The ability to work closely with other editors in a team environment is as well.

The St. Louis area is a diverse community of 2.8 million people. There is no shortage of crime, police and other public safety news. There are also critical stories about our criminal justice system that demand to be told. Our audience expects urgent and revelatory coverage of crime, police and criminal justice. Come help us deliver stories that will inform, enlighten and captivate that audience. This is a chance to build your leadership skills, sharpen your editing and work with a hard-charging team of journalists.