Job Posting: 2020-21 Opinion Editor

Opinion Editor

Reports to: Editor-in-Chief

Terms of Contract: Part-time position from May 1, 2020 to April 30, 2021

Expected Hours: May – 10-15hrs/week, June and July – 5-10hrs/week, August – 10-15hrs/week, Sept.-Apr. – 20-25 hrs/week

*note: these hours may fluctuate from week to week.

Salary: $10,350 (monthly distribution to be negotiated)

Job Summary: The Opinion Editor shall be responsible for teaching interested persons about the operations of The Gateway in relation to editorial and commentary-related matters. The Opinion Editor must operate in accordance with the Gateway Student Journalism Society bylaws at all times.

 Duties and Responsibilities:

• Ensure that matters of interest to university students are covered in the Opinion Section.
• Write and edit copy for the Opinion section, producing no less than 10 stories per week.
• Ensure, in conjunction with the EIC and other line editors, that there are 1-2 editorials written for each issue and assist editors with developing editorial ideas.
• Request and select appropriate photos and/or graphics for sections, in consultation with the Photo Editor and Art Director.
• Maintain a consistent letters policy in conjunction with the EIC.
• In conjunction with the Managing Editor, endeavour to generate and/or solicit from volunteers story ideas that may be worthy of in-depth coverage in the features section.
• Coordinate at least one section workshop per semester, two if possible, for training purposes.
• Update the Opinion Training Manual through the summer with necessary improvements or changes to help facilitate volunteer development.
• Perform other job-related duties as required by the Editor-in-Chief.

Qualifications:

1) Must be registered in the equivalent of at least one (1) course for credit at the University of Alberta during each term of the Fall and Winter sessions of their term in this position.

2) Must be available to work varying hours.

3) Must have basic computer skills.

4) Must be able to deal effectively with Society and University staff, students and the general public.

Please submit a cover letter, resume and portfolio of up to five pieces to current Editor-in-Chief Andrew McWhinney at [email protected]. Applications are due on March 30, 2020 at 10:00pm. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

Interviews will be scheduled for the following weekend. The interview process consists of a 30-minute editorial test and a 30-minute interview, five minutes of which are dedicated to a job pitch by candidates.