Senior Editor

Habitat Magazine is looking for an experienced, curious and entrepreneurial journalist to help shape the next chapter of an independent New York publication.

This is not primarily a desk-editing job.

We're looking for someone who loves finding stories, reporting them and figuring out the best way to tell them. Someone who can sit down with a source and recognize that the most interesting story may not be the one we originally came to discuss. Someone who enjoys making complicated subjects understandable and useful. And someone who wants to help develop new editorial ideas, products and ways of reaching readers.

Founded in 1982, Habitat serves the people who govern and manage New York City's residential co-ops and condominiums. Our journalism covers an unusually broad range of subjects — governance, law, finance, building operations, energy, architecture, insurance, technology, real estate and the challenges that arise when New Yorkers own and operate buildings together.

We're looking for a journalist who finds that variety exciting.

What You'll Do

You'll work closely with Habitat's founder and editorial team while gradually assuming greater responsibility for Habitat's editorial direction.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Finding and developing original story ideas rather than simply waiting for assignments.
• Building relationships with board members, property managers, attorneys, architects, engineers, contractors and others throughout New York's co-op and condo community.
• Reporting, interviewing and writing features and other editorial content.
• Assigning and editing stories from staff writers, freelancers and expert contributors.
• Helping determine which stories Habitat should pursue and how they should be told.
• Working with our editorial and operations team to plan coverage and keep the editorial pipeline strong.
• Recognizing opportunities to turn a good story into something more — a newsletter, podcast, video, recurring feature, special editorial product or an idea we haven't tried yet.
• Developing new editorial concepts and experimenting with ways Habitat can better serve and grow its audience.
• Over time, assuming increasing responsibility for setting Habitat's editorial agenda and leading its journalism.

Who We're Looking For

You might be a senior reporter who's ready to have a larger role in shaping a publication. Or you might be an experienced editor who misses reporting, developing sources and finding stories yourself.

Either way, you should be a journalist first.

We're particularly interested in someone who:

• Has substantial professional reporting, writing and editing experience.
• Is intensely curious and enjoys learning about unfamiliar subjects.
• Has excellent interviewing skills and knows that the best question is often the follow-up question.
• Can recognize the larger story or practical lesson inside a complicated subject.
• Can translate legal, financial, technical and policy issues into engaging, accessible journalism.
• Has strong editorial judgment and can help other writers make their work better.
• Generates ideas and enjoys developing them with other people.
• Is comfortable experimenting with new formats and platforms.
• Likes meeting sources face-to-face and developing relationships over time.
• Wants to have a meaningful role in shaping the future of an established independent publication.

Experience covering New York City, housing, real estate, business, government, courts, architecture, infrastructure or related subjects would be valuable. Specific experience covering co-ops and condominiums is not required.

Location Matters

Habitat is a fully remote organization, but this position must be based in the New York metropolitan area.

That's intentional.

Some interviews can happen by phone or Zoom, but we believe good journalism also comes from being out in the world — meeting people for coffee, visiting buildings, attending events and developing relationships with sources over time.

Those relationships have been central to Habitat's journalism for more than four decades, and we want our Senior Editor to continue building them.

About Habitat

Habitat Magazine is an independent publication founded in 1982 to serve New York City's residential co-op and condominium community.

Our audience includes the volunteer board directors responsible for governing thousands of New York buildings, as well as the property managers, attorneys, architects, engineers and other professionals who advise them.

Our goal isn't simply to report what happened. We want our journalism to help readers understand why it matters and what they can learn from it.

Today Habitat publishes a magazine as well as newsletters, podcasts, video, digital publications and specialized editorial products. We're continuing to experiment with new ways of turning strong journalism into useful information for our audience.

Why This Role Is Different

This is a hands-on editorial position with a leadership trajectory.

We're not looking for someone simply to fill an existing seat. We're looking for someone who wants to help determine what Habitat covers, how we cover it and what Habitat could become next.

You'll initially work closely with Habitat's founder on reporting, story development, sources and editorial judgment. As you learn Habitat and its audience, we expect you to take increasing ownership of editorial decisions and direction.

For the right journalist, this is an opportunity not simply to join a publication, but to help shape its future.

Send Resume and Cover Letter

Please send a resume and a brief cover letter telling us what interests you about this position and how your reporting and editorial experience could contribute to Habitat. Please include links to three examples of your work that you feel best represent your journalism. 

Email: [email protected]