Senior Features Editor, Cosmopolitan

Job Description

Why Hearst Magazines?

Hearst Magazines is one of the largest publishers in the world, with more than 25 brands, including Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Esquire, Good Housekeeping, Harper's BAZAAR, Popular Mechanics, and Oprah Daily. We reach more than 150 million people every month in the United States alone.

But we're more than just our magazines. We engage our audience across all mediums and channels-print, digital, video, and social-with sophisticated content creation, distribution, and data capabilities. We create, package, and sell products with cutting-edge technology and proprietary platforms. Together, we are reinventing publishing for the 21st century.

Your impact:

Cosmopolitan's features team has a rare opening for an intrepid journalist who will work across the brand's print and digital platforms to help shape our prize-winning investigative journalism, buzz-worthy narrative reads, and compelling cultural analysis. We're looking for an ambitious features specialist who has a near-miraculous talent for finding stories (and has a razor-sharp understanding of what makes a story a story), infinite curiosity about the lives of young women today, the bravura to take big swings (journalistically and creatively), and a steadfast commitment to making every story better, smarter, and totally unforgettable. This person will report to the features director.

To apply, please send your resume and a link to a story you worked on that best exemplifies the qualities listed above. Briefly describe the story's development from start to finish, focusing on your role in the process. No need to bother with a "regular" cover letter unless you have something pithy to say that's not on your resume. Thank you for your interest in Cosmopolitan!

Please note: For consideration, resumes must be submitted with salary requirements. This position is based in New York City; unfortunately, we will not be able to consider remote workers.

What you'll do:

• Develop feature proposals. The heart of your role will be leveraging a host of tools-in-person and phone reporting, public records gathering, data analysis, use of social platforms, and cultivation of key sources-to track leads and turn them into robust, viable pitches that break through the noise
• Write the stories you pitch but not all of them, because that would be bananas. Your careful pre-reporting will form the basis of assignments to freelance journalists, with an eye toward diversifying our network of contributors
• Collaborate with external writers. Emphasis on collaborate. Yes, you'll excel at editing for clarity and voice and perfecting story structure. Sure, you'll frequently assess a heap of raw material-a FOIA document dump, a chaotic first draft-to identify a coherent main idea. But you'll also respectfully guide writers of diverse backgrounds and experience levels in bringing a shared vision to life
• Collaborate with internal departments. Many talented humans contribute to the success of our features. You will clearly and patiently communicate with our print, digital, social, video, art, photo, fact checking, copy editing, legal, TV/movie development, and PR teams to ensure 360-degree alignment on your stories' execution and rollout, and will monitor how your stories perform to help guide decision-making around future assignments. For stories that originate in print, you will own the digital build-out and publication process

Who you are:

• You're an editor with at least 6 years of experience developing enterprise features for editorial publications, the ability to think broadly and critically, and a track record of publishing impactful long-form journalism
• You have a shoe-leather sensibility and are not shy about working the phones/kicking the tires/shaking the trees-basically all the journalism cliches that mean wrangling a story no one else has
• You have a clear, confident writing style that translates across reported narratives, deep think pieces, punchy service packages, and more
• You have a deep understanding of journalistic ethics and standards, and experience overseeing legally sensitive stories. Ideally, you are also versed in trauma-informed reporting practices
• You possess a solution-oriented mindset. Curveballs come with the territory in long-lead features land; your adaptability and resourcefulness will be essential to carrying complex pieces across the finish line
• Bonus if you have data journalism experience. Extra bonus if you have a funny, mischievous streak for when we just feel like being ridiculous!!

The base salary for this role is between $74,000 and $90,000. The actual base pay offered is dependent upon many factors, such as transferable skills, work experience, business needs, and market demands. The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

#LI-RW1