Freelance Development Editor Jobs in Naperville, IL

NEWSWELL Chicago publishes four deeply rooted local news organizations serving Chicago's West Side and near western suburbs: Austin Weekly News, Forest Park Review, Riverside-Brookfield Landmark and Wednesday Journal of Oak Park and River Forest.

In early 2026, NEWSWELL Chicago acquired these storied community newspapers. That transition brought new stability, expanded resources and renewed momentum to a trusted local news operation.

NEWSWELL Chicago seeks an ambitious, community-minded Executive Editor to lead one of the Chicago region's strongest portfolios of local news organizations and help build what comes next.

This leader will oversee editorial strategy and day-to-day newsroom operations across NEWSWELL Chicago's portfolio of trusted local publications, strengthening each title while building a more connected, impactful newsroom. The Executive Editor will be responsible for producing exceptional journalism, growing audience, deepening community engagement and helping shape the next chapter of local news in the communities we serve.

This is a hands-on leadership role for an editor with strong news judgment, excellent editing skills and a genuine belief in the power of community journalism. The Executive Editor will collaborate across teams, coach reporters, guide coverage priorities, edit news copy and serve as a visible ambassador in the communities we cover.

The Executive Editor will also play a meaningful role in audience development, newsletters, digital publishing, fundraising support and expansion initiatives as NEWSWELL Chicago continues to grow.

This is a hybrid position based in Oak Park, IL, combining remote and in-person work. The pay rate for this role is $90-$120k annually.

What you'll do

• Lead day-to-day editorial operations across NEWSWELL Chicago's newsroom, setting priorities, managing workflows and maintaining a strong culture of accountability and excellence

• Direct editorial strategy across print, digital, newsletters and emerging platforms

• Assign, shape and edit stories with an emphasis on quality reporting, strong storytelling, fairness and accuracy

• Edit a significant volume of copy while maintaining high editorial standards and efficient production rhythms

• Recruit, manage, coach and develop newsroom talent, including reporters, editors, audience staff, fellows, interns and freelance contributors

• Oversee and collaborate closely with senior editorial and audience leaders, including the senior adviser/associate editor and senior audience manager

• Use analytics, listening and newsroom instinct to guide coverage decisions and better serve community information needs

• Represent NEWSWELL Chicago publicly at events and community gatherings and through partnerships and media appearances

• Collaborate with leadership on fundraising efforts, donor engagement, editorial impact reporting

• Help identify and develop opportunities to expand NEWSWELL Chicago's reach, impact and editorial footprint

• Champion community journalism, strong newsroom values and an ambitious and collaborative culture

• Foster an inclusive, respectful and collaborative newsroom culture that values diversity, encourages belonging, empowers staff and celebrates both individual and team successes.

• Uphold and model NEWSWELL's values of fairness, inclusion, transparency and trust, and promote civil, solutionsminded public discourse through editorial decisions and leadership.

Relevant qualifications

• An experienced editor and newsroom leader with excellent news judgment

• A strong line editor who makes stories sharper, clearer and more impactful

• A thoughtful people manager who knows how to coach, challenge and support talent

• Audience-minded, digitally fluent and comfortable leading across platforms

• Comfortable balancing daily journalism demands with longer-range editorial strategy

• A visible and credible public representative for a newsroom

Required education and experience

• 10+ years of journalism experience, including meaningful newsroom leadership experience

• Strong editing background with demonstrated excellence in story development and copy editing

• Experience managing reporters, editors, freelancers or cross-functional teams

• Strong understanding of digital publishing, newsletters, audience engagement and modern newsroom tools

• Demonstrated commitment to fairness, accuracy, ethics and inclusion in journalism

• Experience working in a newsroom or print publication environment.

• Knowledge of Chicago and its surrounding communities preferred, but not required

• Familiarity with Chicago neighborhoods and communityfocused journalism.

• Spanish fluency is a plus.

Please put together a single document file that includes the following, in this order:

• Your resume (one to two pages).

• A cover letter that highlights your strengths and explains why you make 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 that reflects your role, decisionmaking and impact. For each sample, include a one to twosentence description of what you did and how you did it.

• Please assemble these materials into a single document and upload them in a PDF format.

• Comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision insurance

• 401(k) plan with matching employer contribution

• 22 days of vacation time

• 11 holidays, including your birthday

• Parental leave

• Significant tuition reductions

• Professional development is highly valued at ASU Enterprise Partners, where employees are encouraged to look across the organization and nurture new areas of interest

• $30 bi-weekly cell phone reimbursement

NEWSWELL is an Equal Opportunity Employer