36 RUSS STREET, HARTFORD, CT 06106 www.CTMirror.org Executive Editor Hiring Profile March 12, 2018 The Connecticut Mirror is seeking an Executive Editor to shape and direct news strategy and manage day-to-day news coverage that advances our mission. Mission: The mission of The Connecticut Mirror is to increase the level of civic engagement among the state’s residents so that they can more effectively participate in the development of public policy and hold public officials accountable for understanding and addressing the state’s needs. Successfully advancing this mission will result in more informed and politically engaged residents, greater transparency in policy-making, and a stronger democracy. Position Overview: The Executive Editor will build on the success of The Connecticut Mirror’s first eight years to take the organization to the next level of growth, innovation, and leadership among Connecticut media. Most broadly, the Executive Editor will provide more Connecticut residents with more access to more topics in more parts of the state. Specific priorities include a) striking the right balance between daily stories that maximize readership and enterprise stories that explain complex policy topics, b) accelerating the pace of innovation in CT Mirror’s news product, c) providing opportunities for staff to further develop their policy and journalism expertise, and d) bringing more diverse voices to CT Mirror reporting. Essential Functions and Responsibilities: • Sets overall news strategy to advance The Connecticut Mirror’s mission. • Champions innovation in idea development, story presentation, operational processes, and reader engagement. • Supervises and is responsible for the work of all news staff in a fast-paced environment. • Develops story ideas with staff and assigns, plans, manages and edits all CT Mirror daily, enterprise, and investigative stories. • Manages full-time and freelance staff, including facilitating greater collaboration, coordination, communication, and innovation among staff. • Actively mentors, guides, and provides opportunities for staff to learn, grow, and develop policy and journalistic expertise. • Partners with the Publisher to: o Shape the aspirations of the organization and strategize about how to achieve those aspirations, in partnership with the Board of Directors. o Develop opportunities for which The Mirror can seek funding, while maintaining editorial independence. o Create and manage reader engagement initiatives. o Identify reporting partnerships with local and national news organizations. o Manage human resources and news budgets. o Hire aspiring journalists for internships and fellowships. • Strategically manages story and feature placement and flow in the news well of The Mirror website. • Manages and grows reporting partnerships. • Hires additional reporters, as needed and within budget, with input from news staff and Publisher. • Collaborates with Publisher on social media and SEO strategy. Manages all aspects of CT Mirror news content on social media (currently Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) and driving SEO. • Provides input to Publisher into branding, marketing and promotion strategies for all news content. Desired Skills and Attributes: • Highly curious about policy, government, and politics in / that impact Connecticut. • Passion for the mission and the work of The Mirror. • Excellent news judgment. • Strong digital media skills including the ability to master the capabilities of a content management system and leverage social media to drive readership and engagement. • Record of innovation in journalism, particularly in multi-media and digital platforms. • Journalism management / editor experience. • Strong story development and planning skills. • A natural staff leader, collaborator and transparent communicator who can effectively manage staff. • Ability and willingness to mentor, guide, inspire, and develop policy expertise among staff. • Strong word-editing skills. • Willing to partner and embrace the value of reader engagement. • Comfortable working in a nonprofit journalism environment in general and the culture of The Mirror in particular (e.g., collaboration with Publisher in securing funding for editorial products and other revenue opportunities, implementing reader engagement strategies). • Strong journalistic ethics. The Position: • Full-time. • Reports to The Publisher. • Supervises all news staff. • Attends and provides a written report in advance of bi-monthly board meetings. • Based in Hartford, CT. • Includes some evening and weekend responsibilities as news and opportunities develop. • Salary Range: $80,000 to $85,000 • Medical and Dental benefits • Tax deferred 403(b) retirement plan About The Connecticut News Project / The Connecticut Mirror: • The Connecticut News Project is a nonprofit, non-partisan, independent online publisher of news, opinion, and data covering public policy, government, and politics in Connecticut. • The Connecticut Mirror publishes daily news and in-depth stories covering the state budget, legislation, high impact policy, politics, education, health care, criminal justice, economic development, urban / regional issues, and the environment. The Mirror also publishes CT Viewpoints, Connecticut’s statewide opinion page, and TrendCT, Connecticut’s leader in data journalism. • We are successful when our reporting changes the public dialogue, inspires or provokes people into reconsidering or modifying their point of view, inspires social mobilization or other action among individuals or advocacy organizations, raises awareness or understanding of an issue among policy-makers and among people directly affected by that issue. • The Mirror was launched in 2009 and first published in January 2010. It has become a highly trusted and respected source of information about public policy, government, and politics in Connecticut, with over 7 million pageviews in 2017. • Short-term goals: o Expanded breadth and depth of coverage. o Greater user engagement. o Greater diversity of staff, users, and voices and perspectives in CT Mirror reporting. o Enhanced use of multi-media platforms. o Increased readership throughout the state. • 12 staff: 1 full-time editor, 7 full-time reporters, 1 part-time editor, 2 regular freelance reporters, and a full-time publisher. • The only news organization in Connecticut with a dedicated full-time Washington, DC reporter. • 13-member Board of Directors with backgrounds in journalism, public policy, law, business, philanthropy, academia, and nonprofit management. Next Steps for Candidates • Candidates for the Editor position should submit a cover letter and resume to Publisher Bruce Putterman at publisher@ctmirror.org by March 30, 2018. Please include examples of your best work, if applicable (such as stories you edited or a project for which you were primarily responsible, or both), and describe your contribution. NO PHONE CALLS, PLEASE. • All submissions are confidential. • Finalist candidates will be asked to provide references. • A formal background check will be conducted for finalist candidates. The Connecticut News Project is an Equal Opportunity Employer, firmly supports the principle and philosophy of equal opportunity for all individuals, regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, or disability, and actively seeks a diverse pool of candidates.