Editorial Writer

The Dallas Morning News is seeking a gifted journalist to join our award-winning Editorial Board in a role with dual responsibilities that include writing and taking a central role in building reader trust.

The primary function of this role is editorial writing, this journalist will serve as a member of the board, helping to shape the institutional opinion of The Dallas Morning News. The successful candidate will be an excellent journalist first, with strong writing and reporting talents, the ability to write quickly and accurately and with a breadth of understanding of matters of importance matters of local, regional and statewide importance.

An editorial writer should be prepared to develop expertise and sources in important areas of coverage, from local government to foreign affairs, with the ability to analyze trends and draw conclusions.  The writer will regularly meet with leaders of business, government, nonprofits and other arenas and should be ready to represent The Dallas Morning News.

The successful candidate will be eager to dig in with original reporting on a variety of topics. Our board prides itself on opinions that are based on our own reporting as well as the work of our newsroom colleagues and other sources. We also invite Editorial Board members to submit columns for consideration under their own bylines. Finally, we expect a board member to be prepared to solicit op-eds from community leaders, expert sources and others.  

The secondary essential function of this role will be serving in a critical role helping to ensure that readers’ concerns reach the appropriate journalists around the organization. The paper has worked hard to build credibility by making sure readers’ concerns are heard and addressed. That means giving readers a central point to raise concerns about everything from coverage to consumer matters. We do not expect this journalist to be the first point of response, but rather to be able to direct concerns to those most able to address them. We also want the journalist to help leaders understand what readers are telling us broadly. That involves drafting a monthly report around reader concerns for the publisher, executive editor, editorial page editor and other members of the management committee. 

The Dallas Morning News has a distinguished history of journalistic excellence, having won 10 Pulitzer Prizes. For more than 140 years, The News has been committed to high standards as it covers one of the most important and vibrant markets in the country. North Texas often leads the country in population growth and is frequently on the short list for some of the largest world headquarters relocations.

Job Responsibilities

• Pitch and write multiple editorials a week that are timely and relevant to North Texas readers, with an emphasis on local and state government.
• Develop sources to bolster original reporting for editorials.
• Prepare for and participate in Editorial Board meetings, which can include elected officials at every level, corporate leaders, foreign diplomats and others seeking to share their perspective with The News.
• Monitor incoming concerns regarding coverage and consumer matters to a reader response email address and concerns sent to letters to the editor.
• Ensure immediate concerns (inaccuracies, unfairness, missed standards) reach the editor overseeing that coverage and the managing editor.
• Provide a monthly report to leadership with insights on major concerns raised by readers. 

Job Skills

• Ability to write quickly and accurately about a variety of topics.
• Excellent news judgment and reporting skills.
• Ability to juggle multiple tasks at once.
• Familiarity with digital media and headline writing and interest in expanding readership of opinion content.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate effectively with fellow Editorial Board members and other departments at The News.

Job Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree. 
• Two years of professional writing experience.  
• Opinion journalism experience preferred.
• Knowledge of the Dallas-Fort Worth area is a plus.
• Spanish language proficiency is valued.