Assignment Editor (Life and Trends)

Newsweek is seeking an Assignment editor to join our London Life and Trends team on a 3-month, fixed term contract.

The Assignment editor will assign stories on the essential conversations taking place in American society and on the internet, from the latest social media trend, to important topics in the lives of our readers.   

The successful candidate will be able to assign and write lifestyle stories that primarily appeal to an American audience. They will be able to conceive and craft original lines for stories that intersect with social and online trends, news and current affairs. They will have a strong understanding of digital journalism and the needs of a fast-paced newsroom.  

They will have experience in an editor role at a reputable news and media organization. They will have demonstrable experience of writing and editing. 

They will use all major social media and search to learn about trending topics. They will monitor daily news topics for potential areas of coverage. They will demonstrate a strong instinct to pick and cover topics to get ahead of a trend. They will be adept at monitoring Google Trends and other SEO and discovery tools to find and identify stories and topics of interest to an American audience.   

Topics expected to be covered include, but are not limited to: family and parenting; relationships; work; food and drink; home and garden; travel; wellness and fitness; personal finance; pets and general internet trends.  

They will also help the team identify and build new topics and areas of coverage. 

They will ensure reporters are producing original and high-quality features that enhance the Newsweek brand and distinguish the publication from the crowd of competitors. They will be responsible for ensuring Newsweek delivers high-quality reporting that is accurate, fair, and conforms to accepted standards of journalism.

You can work from home anywhere in England or from our office in London Canary Wharf. Normal working hours are 7am-4pm, Monday to Friday. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Assign several stories each day.  
• Write and edit when required. 
• Communicate clearly and work collaboratively with various editorial stakeholders within Newsweek.  
• Use a variety of tools, including SEO and social media, to inform decisions on story assignments.  
• Identify and build new topic areas. 
• Ensure that all stories published conform to Newsweek’s expected standards.  
• Assist with forward planning.  
• Ensure Newsweek delivers high-quality reporting that is accurate, fair, and conforms to accepted standards of journalism.  
• Perform any other reasonable duties as necessary to meet the needs of the business. 

Requirements:  

• Several years of relevant assigning and editing experience working at a reputable publication.   
• Experience managing teams of writers and conducting performance management reviews.   
• Organization and planning skills.   
• Writing and copy-editing skills.   
• SEO and online journalism skills.   
• Familiarity covering U.S. news and lifestyle trends.   
• Familiarity with using social media, Google Trends and other tools to find stories.   
• Capable of working to tight deadlines.