Job Description
Job Description
Managing Editor
The Daily Courier | Smith News & Media
Full-time, exempt leadership role
Position Overview
The Daily Courier is looking for a Managing Editor to lead day-to-day newsroom operations and guide coverage across Prescott, Prescott Valley, Chino Valley, and Dewey-Humboldt. Reporting to the Executive Editor, Content & Audience, you’ll set coverage priorities, lead breaking news, and protect time for original enterprise and accountability reporting. You’ll coach reporters, bring visual storytelling into coverage planning, and use audience insights to help the newsroom better serve its communities.
Perks
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Shape local coverage and develop reporting projects that matter to readers across the Prescott area.
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Work with colleagues in visual journalism and audience engagement to tell stories across print, digital, and multimedia platforms.
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Develop newsroom talent and mentor student journalists through partnerships with three local high schools.
Responsibilities
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Run daily editorial planning, assign stories, coordinate staff and freelance coverage, and lead breaking news from rapid verification through digital publication and follow-up.
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Edit for accuracy, fairness, sourcing, and clarity. Uphold editorial independence and ensure corrections are handled promptly and transparently.
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Set priorities and assign ownership for ongoing coverage areas such as local government, housing, education, and sports. Build a pipeline of enterprise, public records, and accountability stories.
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Coach reporters through regular one-on-ones, set clear performance expectations, and help journalists strengthen their reporting, writing, and digital storytelling skills.
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Bring photography, video, and other visual formats into story planning early. Partner with the Audience & Engagement Editor to use readership data and community feedback to inform coverage.
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Build relationships across the communities we serve and coordinate newsroom mentorship for student journalists at Bradshaw Mountain, Prescott, and Chino Valley high schools.
Qualifications
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Experience leading a newsroom or reporting team, assigning coverage, editing stories, and managing deadlines.
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Strong editorial judgment and a track record of producing accurate, fair local journalism under deadline pressure.
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Experience developing enterprise or accountability coverage through source building, public records, and sustained follow-up.
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Ability to coach journalists, give specific feedback, and set clear expectations for performance and development.
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Familiarity with digital publishing, multimedia storytelling, and using audience insights to guide editorial planning.
Compensation and Benefits
Compensation is based on experience, and benefits include a generous paid time off (PTO) plan, paid holidays, medical, dental, and vision coverage, and more.
How to Apply
Apply Now!
Please include a résumé and examples of journalism you’ve edited or led, with a brief note describing your role in each example.
About Us
We are a growing, family-owned community newspaper with roots stretching back over 140+ years. We believe local journalism matters — and we're investing in it. We are growing, stable, and mission-driven. Our properties serve loyal, engaged communities across the Southwest, and we're looking for a leader to grow our audiences across every channel.