Editorial Assistant and Internship Coordinator
The Palo Alto Weekly's editorial assistant wears three main hats: co-editor of special publications, internship-program coordinator and departmental "glue."
The position requires the accomplishment of a wide variety of daily and weekly responsibilities with a high degree of quality. In addition, the editorial assistant is critical to the successful work of interns and the department as well as the planning and production of special publications for three Peninsula newspapers.
The position supports the editorial staff in general and directly reports to the editor-in-chief. Other editors directly supervise the editorial assistant in specific tasks.
Skills that are expected of the position include:
- Ability to work independently, with outstanding organizational skills
- Superior copy editing skills, following the AP Stylebook
- Superior verbal communication skills, combined with a diplomatic nature
- Fluency in Google Docs, Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat; knowledge of Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint
- Flexibility and ability to take direction
- Unflappable nature in a fast-paced environment; ability to switch gears at a moment's notice
- Commitment to the Weekly's journalistic mission and a drive to help the department excel in all areas
- Genuine eagerness to assist others
- Team orientation, with ability to offer story ideas, suggest improvements to the department and contribute to problem-solving as needed
- Background in journalism strongly preferred
- Knowledge of the Palo Alto area
The editorial assistant has responsibility for a variety of tasks, including but not limited to the following:
SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS:
- Edit 10 special publications per year, including assignment and editing of the content and production of the publications.
- Edit six promotional sections per year, such as the Palo Alto Weekly's Short Story Contest cover story.
INTERNSHIP PROGRAM:
- Recruit and hire interns by conducting outreach online and to local colleges.
- Provide the ongoing weekly structure for the internship program.
- Direct interns in the reporting and weekly production of crime statistics, obituaries, birth announcements and Streetwise.
EDITORIAL ADMINISTRATION:
- Communicate in writing and in person with the public on behalf of the editorial department.
- Assist editors with the Weekly's print edition, including writing articles as assigned, proofreading and assisting in the preparation of the opinion page. Edit the Transitions and Pulse sections. Provide weekly calendars of events for the Weekly's sister papers.
- Assist with Palo Alto Online, the Weekly's news website, through writing or editing stories as assigned, managing the community-calendar database, selecting noteworthy arts and community items for the daily Express email, and more.
- Complete weekly administrative tasks, including payment to freelancers, organization of departmental files, and more.
TO APPLY: Email your cover letter, resume and three news clips to jdong(AT)paweekly.com with the subject line: Editorial Assistant.