The Water Education Foundation has a full-time opening for an experienced, energetic and motivated editor with a journalism background who can elevate our online and print publications with sharp editing, innovative storytelling and a passion for clearly explaining the complexities and nuances of water resources in the West.

The Foundation is an impartial nonprofit in Sacramento that has been a trusted source of water news and programming in California and across the West for 45 years. We are looking for a veteran journalist who is an experienced editor with strong knowlege of Western water issues and fluency in digital media (including website management and social media). This position oversees our staff writer and is responsible for producing articles examining water issues in California and the Colorado River Basin, managing our weekday water news feed curated by a freelance journalist and posting the occasional breaking news on our website and social media channels.

This position serves as editor to our Layperson’s Guides series on key water issues and our online water encyclopedia, as well as our annual report and any grant-related projects involving writing, editing and our website. In addition, this position assists with crafting our news announcements about upcoming programs and recently published guides and news articles. This position reports to the Executive Director and works on a hybrid schedule with Tuesdays through Thursdays in our Sacramento office and Mondays and Fridays from home.

This role ensures that workflows are efficient, resources are managed effectively, and that the editorial output is delivered on time and to the highest quality.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities, Include But Are Not Limited To:

Editing

• Serves as editor of our Western Water online newsroom, which features six to eight articles annually that examine key water topics, and posts the articles online with photos, maps and other graphic elements.
• Oversees the Aquafornia water news roundup each weekday morning that is put together by a freelancer. Occasionally updates with outside articles when major breaking news occurs.
• Supervises a staff writer and a freelancer who cobbles together our weekday water newsfeed known as Aquafornia.
• Edits updates to our Layperson’s Guides on key water topics.
• Edits new and updated entries on Aquapedia, the Foundation’s online water encyclopedia.
• Edits and sometimes writes announcements about newly published maps, guides and articles.
• Edits other special projects such as printed water maps and online projects.
• Works with a freelance graphic artist and printer when needed.

Other Duties

• Keeps up-to-date on current water issues across the West and develops contacts.
• Works with the Deputy Executive Director and Executive Director on proposals for new projects.
• Works with Operations Manager to manage online store and respond to customer queries.
• Tracks and analyzes website traffic and email campaigns.
• Attends Board of Directors meetings as needed and serves as a staff liaison to the Board of Directors’ Programs and Publications Committee.
• Attends occasional conferences and at least one multi-day water tour per year to assist Programs  Director and tp develop new story ideas.
• Other duties as assigned.
• Ability and willingness to travel.
• Takes photographs of our events for annual report and other purposes.
• Occasionally moderates panels at conferences.

Skills:

• Ability to plan and manage a variety of projects – short-term and long-term – simultaneously and meet deadlines.
• Social media experience, specifically with LinkedIn and X. Facebook and Instagram helpful.
• Experience shooting newsworthy photographs and developing maps, simple graphics and data charts to enhance storytelling.
• Willingness to work as part of a team, be flexible and maintain a can-do attitude.
• Knowledge of AP style.
• Experience with website posting, Microsoft Word (including using track changes), Outlook, Excel, Google docs, Adobe Pro and Photoshop Elements.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism preferred; will consider other related fields.
• Strong knowledge of water, politics and environmental issues in the the Colorado River Basin and across California.
• Minimum 10 years’ experience, with at least five years as an editor, at a major newspaper, news website or magazine.

Salary/Benefits:

$85,000 – $90,000 annually for this salaried position, depending on experience. Various factors, including the complexity and significance of the role, job duties/requirements, relevant experience and abilities, determine individual compensation.

Job includes excellent benefits – 100 percent medical, dental, vision for employee; paid vacation, sick time and holidays; 403(b) retirement plan with generous employer contributions starting at 7 percent of salary.

To Apply:

Email resume, clips and letter of interest to Jenn Bowles, the Foundation’s Executive Director, at jbowles@watereducation.org by Jan. 6, 2025, however this position will remain open until filled. We are aiming to fill the position by the end of January. 

The Water Education Foundation is an impartial, nonprofit 501(c)3 whose mission is to inspire understanding of water and catalyze critical conversations to build bridges and inform collaborative decision-making. Learn more at www.watereducation.org