Overview

Founded in 1999, Mongabay is an award-winning environmental science and conservation news organization, which publishes original news on a daily basis in an objective (does not advocate), accurate (relies on facts and scientific information) and timely manner to a global audience of conservation scientists, private-sector decision-makers, government policymakers, civil society organizations, journalists in other media outlets, and interested members of the public. Mongabay’s readership on its Global, Latin American, Indonesian, Indian, and African news sites positions the organization as one of the top sources of environmental news, analysis, information, and inspiration on the Internet.

The status of the ocean is one of the Mongabay’s top editorial priorities. Over the last few years, Mongabay has cultivated a global team of editors and reporters specialized in reporting on oceans, fisheries, and marine conservation. Driven by high reader interest, Mongabay has worked to scale up our reporting on related issues through coverage of threats to a living ocean, such as marine pollution, overfishing, and climate change as well as community-centric conservation efforts, such as marine protected areas, locally managed marine areas, and other policy initiatives aimed at improving governance of the high seas.

WHAT DOES THE CONTRIBUTING EDITOR – OCEAN DESK DO?

The full-time Contributing Editor will be responsible for the production and publication of news articles about oceans, averaging 12 per month. This editor will develop and produce articles working closely with colleagues in Mongabay’s editorial team to discuss story ideas and coverage plans. The editor will help to grow our team of contributors focused on ocean reporting, manage assignments, edit articles, and ensure adherence to grant guidelines and reporting expectations. This person should have strong analytical skills and the ability to discern what stories are important and of interest to readers. Knowledge and familiarity with environmental issues and/or marine conservation are strong positives.

KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

WRITING, REPORTING, EDITING, PUBLISHING (90% of time)

Commission, edit, or write and publish English language journalism on topics related to the ocean, fisheries and marine conservation.
Work cooperatively with Mongabay editors and staff writers to develop story ideas, arrange field reporting, and publish multiple news and feature articles per week, consistently of high quality;
Conduct interviews, phone calls and/or meetings, and perform other research as needed, to gather background for the planning of stories and article series;
Generate pitch requests and assess story proposals from freelance reporters;
Work closely with freelance journalists to manage assignments and edit contributor submissions;
Research, fact-check, and review articles prior to publication;
Source and/or produce visual content including photos, videos, charts, and maps, as needed, for each article produced;
Occasional aggregation of breaking news from third-party sources;
Write, edit and post stories via Mongabay’s content management system (WordPress);
Develop and participate in editorial partnerships between Mongabay and other journalism media outlets;
Provide other support as needed to ensure content meets Mongabay’s high standards of professionalism, consistency, authenticity, and reliability.

STRATEGIC PLANNING & ADMINISTRATION (10% of time)

Report regularly to Mongabay’s Ocean Desk Senior Editor on progress toward meeting reporting objectives;
Support editorial planning to reach established goals in the set timeline;
Collect data on impacts of stories including examples of republication for use in grant reports;
Must be able to work within tight deadlines and be responsive to Mongabay headquarters and to other Mongabay staffers via email, Asana, video and messaging platforms.

EXPERIENCE, QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS

Three or more years of experience working in journalism is required, at least one year of editing experience is preferred;
Exceptional fluency (writing and speaking) in English is required and working proficiency in a second language is ideal;
Knowledge and familiarity with ocean conservation, marine biology, the fishing industry, and marine governance is strongly preferred;
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills;
Demonstrated editorial ability to work with a variety of content including formatting of feature articles, graphics, photo captions, and HTML;
Familiarity with Microsoft Office, WordPress (or similar), Google Drive, social media, and project management software;
Reliable access to high-speed Internet is required;
Must be willing to commit to a full-time role and available during regular business hours;

PROFESSIONAL QUALITIES

This position will play a critical role in the scale-up of Mongabay’s ocean reporting efforts in multiple geographies around the world. Due to our organization’s culture and global work-at-home staff, the most successful staff members at Mongabay are adept at working independently and produce consistent high-quality journalistic work by taking initiative and thinking creatively about solutions to problems. In this context, this person:

Is extremely self-directed, motivated, and reliable;
Is required to demonstrate talent in writing and editing;
Functions independently and produces high quality work with tight deadlines;
Understands and upholds ethical and editorial journalistic standards;
Makes timely decisions and demonstrates good judgment;
Considers risks carefully and takes actions to mitigate them;
Integrates cross-cultural dynamics into their thinking;
Maintains a strong sense of professionalism and communication;
Adjusts approaches according to feedback;
Contributes to the Mongabay team by communicating and working cooperatively with staff, while following through on tasks and delivering results;
Fosters positive relationships with journalists and co-partnership media outlets and;
Demonstrates personal integrity and ability to maintain confidentiality.

COMPENSATION & LOCATION

As a globally distributed organization, there is no required location for this position. However, location is a consideration and an ability to coordinate with colleagues working in US Eastern (UTC- 5) time zone is strongly preferred. Mongabay aims to offer competitive pay rates that will attract, retain, and motivate our full-time staff. Please submit a pay range when applying.

TO APPLY

Apply online via the link below. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until filled. On the application, you will be asked to fill out basic contact information, pay rate expectations, reference information (2), and to upload the following two documents:

Cover letter – please provide specific examples of your experience related to this position, as well as specific examples of your ability to work effectively from home and meet deadlines (1-2 pages)
Resume – (1-2 pages)
Two references

Applications must be submitted in English. Please note that you do not need to provide letters of recommendation and we will not reach out to references before getting your permission to do so.

Benefits, Holidays, and Paid Time Off

It is important for all staff to step away from work to renew themselves. That is why Mongabay provides generous paid time off (PTO) for professional development, holidays, sick time, rest and relaxation, and vacation including a flexible work schedule.

We observe 11 holidays and support staff who celebrate other personal and religious holidays.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mongabay is an equal employment opportunity employer and provides EEO to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetics, or any other status prohibited by law.

* The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications. Management reserves the right to change or modify such duties as required. All staff is responsible for following applicable Mongabay policies and procedures as defined by their manager and Employment Handbook.

Contributing Editor-Ocean Desk