Job Abstract

Visuals Editor

The San Francisco Chronicle newsroom has an immediate opening for a collaborative, creative, and detail-oriented editor to lead our video coverage. The Visual Editor for Video Storytelling will be a multi-faceted role that includes being the liaison with a new Hearst TV unit embedded in the Chronicle newsroom that will produce social and on-platform videos. This person is also responsible for working with Chronicle staff on compelling breaking news and quick-turn videos while balancing longer-term projects. This position focuses primarily on video production and editing but is also responsible for some still photo editing, as well as photo team coaching and management.

What you will do:

1. Coordinate video coverage for projects, major events and breaking news.
2. Collaborate with Hearst TV multimedia journalists.
3. Establish, maintain and teach video best practices/workflows to the newsroom.
4. Lead newsroom video strategy.
5. Edit video from the visuals team and other sources.
6. Film and edit your own videos.
7. Video lead for visual investigations and explainers.
8. Track emerging video technology and lead implementation.
9. Manage and coach visual journalists.
10. Generate daily and long-term story ideas.
11. Build visual essays and other visual first narratives.
12. Facilitate video licensing requests.
13. Maintain staff camera equipment: repairs, inventory, budget requisitions.

What it will take to be successful:

1. A strong online portfolio that showcases motion, demonstrates narrative and visual sophistication and excellence in digital presentation.
2. FAA Certified Drone Pilot preferred.
3. Smart news judgment and story pitches.
4. Sense of urgency and the ambition to win the 24/7 news cycle.
5. Ability to work effectively under deadline pressure.
6. Knowledge of the Bay Area is preferred.
7. Understanding of social media to effectively create and promote work of colleagues.
8. Leading the evaluation and acquisition of user-generated news and trending video.
9. Adherence to journalistic ethics.
10. The ability to write clean, accurate captions
11. Knowledge of communication law as it applies to videography.
12. Ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with all levels of the newsroom.
13. Working knowledge of photo software programs such as Photoshop, Premiere, After Effects and Photo Mechanic.
14. A passion for journalism that elevates and motives others.

Requirements:

1. This position will be scheduled 40 hours per week.
2. Occasional weekend, evening and holiday work will be required.
3. A minimum of 5 years of video experience with news organizations preferred.
4. Previous supervisory experience is preferred.
5. Bachelor’s degree in journalism, photography, video or a related field. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted.
6. Must have a current driver's license.

In accordance with applicable law, Hearst is required to include a reasonable estimate of the compensation for this role if hired in California. The reasonable estimate is between $90,000 and $110,000. Please note this information is specific to those hired in San Francisco. If this role is open to candidates outside of San Francisco, the salary range would be aligned to that specific location. A final decision on the successful candidate’s starting salary will be based on a number of permissible, non-discriminatory factors, including but not limited to skills and experience, training, certifications, and education.

About The San Francisco Chronicle:

The San Francisco Chronicle’s visuals team has won several top honors from POYi, the Best of Photojournalism, as well as the Scripps Howard Award for Human Interest Photography last year. Individually, our photojournalists have been named finalists for the Pulitzer Prize in Feature Photography in 2022 and 2023 and garnered several Emmy awards. We’re committed to bringing unparalleled, world-class visual journalism that reflects the diverse communities of the Bay Area.