Senior Editorial Director, Journalism

WHO WE ARE

ISTE+ASCD is a nonprofit edtech organization with over 40 years of experience thinking about and solving the problems of educators. Our mission is to help educators around the world use technology to solve tough problems. Together with our award-winning journalism team, EdSurge, we seek to inspire transformational action and change, and to grow a global community of passionate education professionals committed to solving tough problems in education.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Senior Editorial Director, Journalism oversees editorial strategy and journalism content for EdSurge and ISTE+ASCD, managing education reporters, editing stories, overseeing newsletters, and directing grant deliverables and budget strategy. The role requires a creative, collaborative leader and storyteller who is fluent across text, audio, video, and social and digital media platforms, and who can partner effectively across a complex, mission-driven organization. This hybrid position requires on‑site work once per week.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

● Drive and oversee EdSurge and ISTE+ASCD’s journalism strategy and integration across organizational platforms.

● Make decisions on editorial ethics and standards during the weekly production process.

● Review, approve, and assign story pitches to staff reporters and editors, including articles, podcasts, and newsletter content.

● Manage reporters, guide story development through editing and feedback, and foster a strong reporting culture.

● Develop and manage the editorial budget, including overseeing grant-funded journalism initiatives and ensuring responsible stewardship of resources. Serve as a confident, credible partner to high-level grantors and philanthropic stakeholders.

● Stay updated on publishing technology changes to improve workflows, content dissemination, and experiment with new story formats.

● Produce investigative and analytical journalism.

● Set and maintain the editorial style guide to ensure consistent standards.

● Develop new content and content-delivery approaches, including multimedia features, video and podcast production, and cross-platform social and digital media projects, with a creative eye toward emerging storytelling formats.

● Lead interdepartmental editorial projects and initiatives.

QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge

● Deep understanding of journalism principles and ethics.

● Knowledge of digital journalism/publishing strategies, tools, and platforms.

● Fluency in social and digital media landscape, including platform strategy, audience development, and content distribution.

Skills and Abilities

● Exceptional editing and reporting skills. Proficiency in digital editorial programs and leveraging technology for new story formats and workflow improvements.

● Ability to translate ideas across different stakeholders in journalism and business operations.

● Deep creative instincts for storytelling across formats, including long-form journalism, video, podcast, and social and digital media.

● Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and build strong relationships across teams, functions, and organizational levels.

● Ability to make fast, well-reasoned editorial and operational decisions in a deadline-driven environment.

● Strong interpersonal and communication skills for engaging with high-level grantors, funders, and external partners.

Critical Success Factors / Leadership Attributes

● Must be able to create value for the organization.

● Possesses the ability to make meaning by keeping others well-informed on the big issues.

● Can hire and cultivate talent who are strong contributors to the organization.

● Applies learning by seeking new learning from a variety of disciplines and addressing obstacles immediately and directly.

● Recognizes the importance of acting together by encouraging imagination and creating opportunities for others to step up and contribute.

● Executes accountably by creating clear plans to achieve goals and monitoring costs, progress, and results.

● Continuously reinvent by demonstrating the ability to change.

● Leads self by setting a personal example of authenticity and inspiring others to want to follow his or her lead.

Experience

● Bachelor’s degree or higher in journalism, communications, or a related field.

● At least 10 years of reporting and editing experience, including significant time at a journalism enterprise.

● Experience leading content strategy for an organization or team.

● Experience in or covering K-12 education is preferred.

● Demonstrated experience with video, podcast, and social/digital media content production and strategy.