Job Description

Managing Editor Evanston Now Evanston, Illinois Remote (in Evanston area)
About Evanston Now Evanston Now is an independent, locally-owned news organization covering government, schools, housing, business and community life in Evanston, Illinois. Founded by veteran reporter Bill Smith, Evanston Now recently marked its 20th anniversary. It has a full-time equivalent staff of three reporters covering the community of 75,000 residents on Chicago’s North Shore that is the home of Northwestern University. We also recently hired our first full-time development manager to accelerate the growth of our financial support and enable further expansion. Evanston Now is a member of Local Independent Online News Publishers (LION) and is fiscally sponsored by Report Local. Evanston is a diverse and highly engaged community with a strong tradition of civic participation, precisely the environment in which independent local journalism can thrive. Evanston Now has become a trusted civic institution, and this role offers the opportunity to help define what its next twenty years will look like. The opportunity
We seek a news product innovator ready to work with great colleagues to take Evanston Now to the next level of journalism, community service and revenue generation. What you’ll do

• Editorial direction

• With the publisher, direct the newsroom and work with reporters in planning, reporting and editing stories.

• Ensure we produce high-quality, trustworthy, non-partisan stories and community information.

• Community engagement

• Look for ways, in digital form and in person, to gain reader insights and feedback.

• Represent Evanston Now at community events, strengthening its role as a trusted local institution.

• Innovation and growth

• Apply the full toolbox of modern digital creation and distribution tools, working closely with colleagues.

• Help identify and develop opportunities to expand Evanston Now’s reach, impact and editorial footprint.

Who you are You should have at least seven years of journalism experience, with at least three as a newsroom manager and editor. You are comfortable working remotely, but must live in northern Cook County, preferably in Evanston. You will participate in meetings and community events in Evanston. You have:

• Rock-solid journalistic judgment, intuition and taste.

• Proven ability to edit with clarity, on deadline, to give readers the context they need.

• Strong people-management skills to coach, challenge and support talent.

• Comfort using Newspack or other modern content management systems and tools and learning new ones.

• Desire to work in an entrepreneurial digital journalism environment.

• Ability to engage diverse local communities in our work.

Additional desirable qualifications – bilingual abilities, data analysis and audio/video skills. Compensation & Additional Details

• Salary: $65,000-$75,000.

• 12 days PTO, 5 holidays. 

• No additional benefits at this time. Evanston Now is a small, independent newsroom, and we are working to build our benefits offerings as we grow.

• Reports to Bill Smith.

• Target hire date: November 1, 2026.

How to Apply To apply for the Managing Editor position, please assemble a single .pdf document file that includes, in order:

• Your one-page resume.

• A cover letter highlighting your strengths and explaining why you’re a strong candidate for the position.

• Three to five samples that demonstrate your editorial leadership. These may include project overviews, edited packages, newsroom initiatives, audience or workflow improvements or other work reflecting your role, decision-making and impact. For each sample, include a one- to two-sentence description of what you did and how you did it.

Submit your application package using the online form at

Job Tags

Full time, Live in, Local area

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