Full Job Description

The Associated Press is the essential global news network, delivering fast, unbiased news from every corner of the world to all media platforms and formats. Founded in 1846, AP today is the largest and most trusted source of independent news and information. On any given day more than half the world’s population sees news from AP.

The Associated Press seeks an experienced journalist and newsroom leader to direct its reporting on sports around the world in all media formats as a deputy sports editor, based in New York.
Reporting to the global sports editor, the deputy sports editor will drive competitive, ambitious and innovative sports journalism in text, photo, video, data and social media, including directing coverage of one of the main sports beats, major breaking news and planned events. The successful candidate will place an emphasis on developing exclusive investigative, accountability and explanatory journalism around sports, as part of coverage priorities focused on breaking news and distinct, richly reported enterprise. The deputy editor will be part of a leadership team that is committed to recruiting and developing a diverse staff, keeping the department’s operations on budget and publishing strong journalism to all of AP’s customers and on all of AP’s digital and social platforms. Alongside the global sports editor and a second deputy sports editor, this deputy will supervise assistant sports editors who direct beat coverage of professional and U.S. college sports and be involved with international events such as the World Cup and Olympics. The successful candidate must have the ability and willingness to work at night and on weekends, or as coverage demands, as AP is a 24/7 operation.

The successful candidate will:

  • lead a team of reporters, producers and editors to deliver event coverage, spot news and enterprise that breaks news, has impact and is exclusive to AP.
  • have strong communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively with the diverse team of journalists at the AP who operate in all formats: text, photo, video, audio, digital/social, interactive and graphics.
  • have a great news sense, with the ability to communicate stories that people will want to share, like and talk about on social media and other digital platforms.
  • work closely with AP and partner SNTV’s video and television journalists to ensure coverage of these beats serves the needs of AP’s global broadcast video customers.
  • communicate with customers and AP Product and Revenue colleagues to ensure sports coverage meets the demands of customers and partners around the world.
  • pursue innovative coverage techniques while maintaining AP’s standards for integrity and objectivity.

Qualifications:

The deputy sports editor must have demonstrated excellence as a journalist and familiarity with sports around the world, with a deep record of guiding reporters, editors and producers to cover breaking news and deliver stories about complex issues in a clear and engaging way. Applicants must be able to lead, guide, motivate and innovate inside a multi-format newsroom, and be able to coordinate and communicate with AP staffers throughout the company and AP customers worldwide. The successful candidate must have history running a team that consistently breaks news in a competitive environment and a history of developing reporting skills in journalists of all experience levels. Applicants must be able to work effectively with colleagues and peers in teams, have experience managing a staff to achieve its peak performance, and should have at least five years of full-time experience leading a beat team, department or newsroom at a daily newspaper, broadcast station, online or digital news outlet, or an AP bureau or regional desk.

Other qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
  • Authorization to work in the U.S. will be mandatory.
  • Advanced-level professional competency in written and spoken English. Professional competency in a language besides English is a plus.
  • Strong organizational skills with the ability to juggle multiple projects across formats.
  • History of leadership of journalists working in more than one format is a decided plus