Summary

Boulder Reporting Lab (BRL) is seeking a Managing Editor of Newsletters and Breaking News to lead our newsletter products and oversee fast-moving news coverage in Boulder. This role is essential to making BRL an even more indispensable news source for our community. We’re looking for a journalist with strong editorial judgment, audience-first instincts and a knack for writing in a voice that resonates with Boulder readers.

Description

Managing Editor, Newsletters & Breaking News

Boulder Reporting Lab (BRL) is seeking a Managing Editor of Newsletters and Breaking News to lead our newsletter products and oversee fast-moving news coverage in Boulder. This role is essential to making BRL an even more indispensable news source for our community. We’re looking for a journalist with strong editorial judgment, audience-first instincts and a knack for writing in a voice that resonates with Boulder readers.

The ideal candidate will be a sharp, creative editor who thrives in a fast-paced digital news environment and understands how to engage audiences through email newsletters and breaking news coverage. This person will be instrumental in shaping BRL’s voice, keeping our community informed and ensuring our work reaches — and grows — our audience.

This is a unique opportunity to join a growing, influential and innovative local newsroom at a pivotal moment — and help shape its future. We’re building on our early success to establish a permanent news institution that will cover every aspect of importance to our community and expand into others.

About Boulder Reporting Lab

Founded in 2021, BRL is a nonprofit, digital-only, award-winning newsroom dedicated to serving Boulder residents with trustworthy, timely and contextual reporting. We help our community make sense of local issues, hold institutions accountable and highlight the voices and stories that matter. Our journalism is distributed primarily through our flagship morning newsletter, BRL Today — Boulder’s go-to source for morning news.

What You’ll Do

Oversee and edit BRL Today, our morning newsletter reaching 20,000+ subscribers three days a week, ensuring it’s engaging, informative and essential.
Expand BRL Today to more publishing days and help launch additional newsletter products.
Curate and shape the newsletter’s editorial voice, balancing news, analysis and service journalism.
Lead BRL’s breaking news strategy — including alerts and real-time updates across platforms.
Collaborate with BRL’s publisher and reporters to refine our approach to newsletters and breaking news.
Optimize stories for SEO and social platforms to increase reach and visibility.
Use analytics to track performance and guide newsletter strategy (open rates, click-throughs, conversions).
Ensure accuracy, clarity and timeliness in all newsletter and breaking news coverage.
Support other daily newsroom operations as needed — including editing features or contributing to special projects.
Contribute to BRL’s fundraising efforts, particularly email campaigns, as needed.

Who You Are

A fast, sharp writer who can deliver news in an engaging, conversational voice.
A strong editor with excellent news judgment and a deep understanding of digital storytelling.
A journalist with newsletter, breaking news or audience engagement experience who thrives in a fast-moving news cycle.
Passionate about community-driven journalism and keeping Boulder residents informed.
A self-starter, highly organized, adaptable and comfortable in a startup newsroom.
Comfortable using analytics to inform editorial decisions and audience strategy.
A collaborator who enjoys working across teams to amplify BRL’s impact.

Preferred Qualifications

At least 5+ years of journalism experience, preferably in newsletters, digital news or breaking news. Editing and management experience is a plus.
Familiarity with newsletter production tools (Mailchimp, etc.).
Experience with SEO best practices and audience engagement strategies.
Strong ability to manage fast-moving news coverage and work under deadline pressure.
Knowledge of Boulder and its key issues is a plus but not required.

The Role & Work Environment

Full-time, salaried position based in Boulder, Colorado.
We don’t have a physical newsroom, but we work closely together and expect this person to live in Boulder or move to Boulder.
The salary range for this position is $70,000–$80,000, but it will be commensurate with experience.

How to Apply

Send your resume, cover letter and 3–5 writing samples (including at least one newsletter, if available) to Stacy Feldman, publisher, at stacy@boulderreportinglab.org.

In your cover letter, tell us:

Why you’re excited about this role
How your experience makes you a great fit
Your approach to newsletters and breaking news

We encourage applications from candidates of diverse backgrounds and experiences. Even if you don’t meet every qualification, we’d love to hear from you.