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 across its news sites average roughly eight million unique visitors each month, which positions the organization as one of the top sources of environmental news, analysis, information, and inspiration on the Internet.

WHAT DOES THE ENGLISH EDITOR DO?

The Editor – Latin America will be responsible for the production of English-language news and feature stories relevant to forests and biodiversity conservation, the actions of natural resource industries, relevant environmental policy developments, and the implications of environmental changes for communities throughout Latin America. The editor will help to develop a team of journalists focused on Latin America, manage assignments, edit articles, and ensure adherence to grant guidelines and reporting expectations. This is a high-visibility, high-impact role with room for growth.

A qualified candidate for this position 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 forest conservation are strong positives.

KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

WRITING, REPORTING, EDITING, PUBLISHING (80% of time)

• Commission, edit and publish English-language journalistic articles on topics related to the environment and conservation in Central and South America with a special focus on the Amazon rainforest;
• Work cooperatively with Mongabay’s multilingual team of editors and writers to develop story series, arrange field reporting, and produce news and features, 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;
• Engage and grow Mongabay’s contributor network to generate story pitches;
• Assess story proposals from freelance reporters living in Latin America and around the world;
• Work closely with staff writers and freelance journalists to manage story assignments and edit drafts;
• Research, fact-check, and review articles as well as translations prior to publication;
• Source and/or produce visual content including charts, maps, photos, and videos, as needed, for each article produced;
• Occasional aggregation of breaking news from third-party sources;
• Provide other support as needed to ensure content meets Mongabay’s high standards of professionalism, consistency, authenticity, and reliability;
• Develop and maintain ongoing editorial and co-publishing partnerships between Mongabay and other media outlets.

STRATEGIC PLANNING & ADMINISTRATION (20% of time)

• Report regularly to Mongabay’s Global Program Director on progress toward meeting reporting objectives;
• Support editorial planning to reach established production goals in the set timeline and budgets;
• 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.com headquarters and to other Mongabay staffers via email, skype, phone and messaging platforms.

EXPERIENCE, QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS

• Five or more years of experience working in journalism / editorial / writing required (environmental journalism preferred).
• Exceptional fluency (writing and speaking) in English is required while Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese language capability is strongly preferred.
• Knowledge and familiarity with conservation and environmental issues are essential. Awareness of the drivers of tropical forests loss, biodiversity conservation, Indigenous groups, climate change science, plus related topics is preferred.
• Professional experience working with media outlets in Latin America is also preferred.
• 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 (Twitter / Facebook), and Asana (or similar project management system).
• Reliable access to high-speed Internet is required.
• Must be willing to commit to full-time role (40 hours per week) and available during regular business hours.

PROFESSIONAL QUALITIES

This position will play a critical role in the scale-up of Mongabay’s English-language environmental reporting efforts in Latin America. Due to our company culture and global work at-home staff, the most successful employees at Mongabay excel at working independently and producing consistent high-quality journalistic content by taking the initiative and thinking creatively about solutions to problems. In this context, this person:

• Is required to demonstrate talent in writing/editing;
• functions independently and produces high quality work with tight deadlines;
• makes timely decisions and demonstrates good judgment;
• maintains a strong sense of professionalism and reliability;
• 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;
• adjusts approaches according to feedback;
• 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 a diversity of time zones 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

We are no longer accepting applications for this position. 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 documents:

1. 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)
2. Resume – (1-2 pages)
3. 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.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mongabay is an equal employment opportunity (EEO)/affirmative action 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 or Employment Handbook.