Executive Editor

The Maine Trust for Local News, part of the National Trust for Local News, is growing and dynamic. We seek an innovative and transformational executive editor to lead all editorial operations across our publications in Maine, including overseeing content strategy, digital evolution, audience building, ethics and standards and talent and retention. This position will supervise the Portland Press Herald, (Lewiston) Sun Journal, Kennebec Journal, Morning Sentinel and 16 weeklies that make up the Maine Trust for Local News. 

Our ideal candidate is a proven leader who is passionate about impactful journalism and possesses deep knowledge of audiences. This leader also must be adept at communicating and collaborating and leading sophisticated work across platforms. The successful candidate will also work to increase the visibility and relevance of our local brands. 

The National Trust for Local News (NTLN) is the largest non-profit newspaper company in America. Our mission is to prevent the spread of news deserts and reconnect people to the places they live. We publish sustainable community newspapers that safeguard public trust, empower community solutions, elevate facts, and foster a strong sense of place.  

Responsibilities

• Manage, motivate and inspire newsroom editors and their staffs toward excellence. 
• Develop an audience-centric statewide content strategy to ensure our news is relevant to readers’ lives on a daily basis. 
• Implement accountability measurements to ensure our journalism is read and relevant to the widest number of Mainers with a keen focus on analytics. 
• Establish goals for each newsroom. Put in place and manage performance standards. 
• Develop strategies to increase paying membership/subscriptions and serve the community through meaningful, compelling journalism. 
• Implement engagement efforts based on community listening. 
• Promote diversity and inclusion in story development and staffing decisions. 
• Collaborate across the publications in METLN on story development, content strategy, training and best practices. 
• Accelerate digital transformation efforts, including through newsletters, social media presence and digital-only content offerings. 
• Promote a collaborative environment in which employees feel valued for their contributions and have a voice in decision-making. 
• Lead the visioning and execution of METLN Live Journalism events. 
• Build collaborative partnerships with other nonprofit news outlets in Maine/New England. 
• Embrace new technologies and build a culture of innovators and self-starters.  
• Serve as a visible external ambassador of our journalism and as a thought leader in our community.  
• Lead and connect the newsrooms of the Maine Trust with focus on collaboration, coaching, training, and helping everyone on the team do their best work.  
• Uphold the highest standards of journalistic integrity and credibility while strongly supporting the First Amendment. 

Qualifications

• Journalistic Excellence: Proven track record in journalism, with a strong portfolio of impactful stories and projects. Experience in enterprise and accountability reporting preferred. 
• Leadership: Significant experience in editorial leadership roles, with a demonstrated ability to lead and inspire teams. Strong decision-making skills and strategic thinking ability. 
• Digital savvy: Deep understanding of digital journalism trends, analytics, and audience development strategies. Experience with content management systems and digital publishing tools. 
• Passion for Maine: A genuine love for Maine and a deep understanding of its communities, culture, and issues. Committed to making Maine a better place through quality journalism. 
• Communication skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Ability to engage and collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders, including staff, donors, and the community. 
• Innovative spirit: Curiosity, creativity, and a passion for innovation in journalism. Proven ability to adapt to new technologies and industry shifts. 
• Understanding of audience: Background in audience development and engagement strategies.