Bridge Michigan seeks a regional editor to help launch and oversee an expansion of the state’s preeminent public policy news publication.
This is a newly created position as Bridge Michigan moves to create regional editions to better serve the state and fulfill our mission of making Michigan better through high-quality, nonpartisan journalism and engagement.
This is a job for a skilled journalist and entrepreneur. The successful candidate is not only a rock-solid editor with excellent line-editing skills, but also has an entrepreneurial mind about newsletters and is a meticulous planner who is adept at growing communities and audiences.
We seek an editor who can help Bridge Michigan improve coverage of west Michigan and northern Michigan, with an eye toward launching weekly or twice-weekly newsletters within three to six months. After launching these newsletters, this editor would work with the Bridge Michigan team and partners to reach further and deeper for greater community engagement in these regions. The editor would develop, manage and edit a stable of freelance reporters and journalism partners; work with Bridge Michigan’s top editors on strategy and standards; meet with community groups and potential funders and help identify possible areas for growth.
The ideal candidate has connections and contacts in west Michigan and northern Michigan and is a self-starter who could occasionally write and report stories and take photosand videos and help edit copy for Bridgemi.com.
The regional editor would join a rapidly growing team that is overseen by two executive editors and includes two deputy editors and a total of 15 journalists who are committed to great journalism and a great workplace.
Bridge Michigan is one of America’s great civic news organizations. A nonprofit with secure funding, we mix deep explanatory and investigative reporting with daily government, politics and policy news. We are committed to service, have won hundreds of awards, and endeavor to be Michigan’s most dependable and successful news source.
What you will get from Bridge Michigan: Support from a team of all-star reporters and editors who will bend over backwards to help you produce the best work of your career. We will support you with training, mentorships and generous budgets for travel, reader engagement and public records requests.
The entire Center for Michigan team is expected to dedicate themselves to improving Bridge Michigan’s people-first culture, public outreach and journalistic excellence. We are proud of our values and try to incorporate them in all we do. All Center for Michigan employees are expected to follow our Ethics and Conflict of Interest policy.
The job comes as Bridge Michigan is expanding its coverage to connect with more Michiganders and report on areas that are often overlooked by traditional media but make the state unique and wonderful.
Position Requirements
- Experience: At least five years of editing and management experience
- Deep knowledge of Michigan or a curiosity about it
- A commitment to fairness, seeing all sides, a willingness to be surprised and follow facts
- A collaborative mindset and generous spirit
- Mastery of grammar, style, economy and storytelling
- Demonstrated creative mindset and enthusiasm for online media
- Experience launching, writing, and editing newsletters
- Curiosity and sound judgment to know when small stories are bigger ones and when to ignore the pack
- Excellent news judgment, knowledge of state government, policy and politics a big plus
- A commitment to journalism as a public service, leading with fairness while maintaining Bridge Michigan’s brand of zealous nonpartisanship
- An entrepreneurial and problem-solving spirit and ability to stay cool and pivot when the best-laid plans fall apart
- The ability to grow talent and expand the pipeline of underrepresented groups into journalism
Bridge Michigan has offices in Lansing and Ypsilanti. The successful applicant must be based in (or move to) Michigan.
How to apply
If you’re interested in applying, please submit an application to jobs@bridgemi.com and write “Regional Editor” in the subject line. Include a resume, a detailed cover letter explaining how you would approach the position, including coverage areas, newsletter ideas, opportunities for engagement, and four to seven work samples. Candidates should submit their application by October 18, 2024.
About The Center for Michigan and This Position
Bridge Michigan is a publication of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Center for Michigan. All staff of Bridge Michigan are employees of the Center for Michigan.
Founded in 2006, the Center for Michigan is a nonprofit organization dedicated to making Michigan better through high-quality, nonpartisan journalism and engagement.
The Center for Michigan offers competitive salaries, eligibility for an end-of-year performance bonus and flexible work arrangements. The expected base salary range for this position is $90,000 to $120,000 annually. Our offices have a casual environment and we respect work-life balance.
Benefits at the Center for Michigan include:
- Medical, vision and dental insurance (90% employer paid for employee and eligible dependents)
- Telehealth services (100% employer paid for employee and eligible dependents)
- 1% 401(k) match
- 4-6 weeks of maternity/paternity/adoption leave
- Minimum three weeks paid time off per year
- Eight paid holidays
- Monthly phone stipend
- Annual professional development and subscription allowances
The Center for Michigan is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to diversity in its workforce, creating an inclusive environment and building an organization that better reflects its communities and encourages members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, including people of color, women, members of the LGBTQIA+ community and people with disabilities.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment. The Center for Michigan will not discriminate in its employment practices due to an applicant’s race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity and sexual orientation), age, disability/handicap, height, weight, marital status, familial status, veteran status, citizenship or any other classification protected by federal or state law or local ordinance.
