Job Description

The Digital News Editor is responsible for planning, editing, and curating accurate, timely, and engaging news and current affairs content across digital platforms. This role leads the digital editorial team, ensuring consistent publication across web, app, mobile, and social platforms. A key focus is leveraging off broadcast workflows to implement a digital first content strategy to produce quality content, driving audience growth and engagement.

Content Assignment & Workflow Coordination

Excellent knowledge of South African and Global news.



Responsible to commission, edit, and publish news and current affairs digital content, on all eNCA digital platforms, on a daily, weekly, and monthly schedule as per digital strategy.



Implement optimal workflow and operations to ensure timely delivery of high-quality content.



Prioritise top-stories and assign resources accordingly.



Decide on the content type, style, and format for digital content - optimised per platform.



Decide and instruct on tone, sources, media format and audience.



Track and monitor stories to make decisions on story development.



Enable and help teams to produce content - remove and clear obstacles.



Manage digital news calendar and copy-editing process.



Maintain a digital first content approach.



Work with channel editorial to establish content diary of the day, including but not limited to prioritisation of top stories for publication.



Conduct daily editorial meetings and set the digital content agenda.

Editorial Review & Content Management

Ensure factual accuracy, balance, and alignment with editorial standards before any publication.



Enforce journalistic standards, legal compliance, and ethical practices.



Edit all published content on digital platforms.



Ensure proper spelling and pronunciation for names, locations, and institutions.



Plan coverage for key news events and editorial campaigns.



Lead editorial direction in alignment with the channel's news agenda.



Create or refine strong, SEO- and social-friendly headlines, subheads, standfirsts, and push notification copy.



Update breaking stories as new information comes in; coordinate updates across formats and platforms.

Platform-Specific Publishing

Responsible for the publishing of news and current affairs content.



Format and publish stories in CMS, assign correct categories, tags, keywords, and SEO metadata.



Optimise content and publishing frequency per platform.



Ensure content is in line with platform audience in terms of content expectations and timing.



Stay abreast of digital platform trends to create and adapt content accordingly.



Use industry best practices to optimize content for SEO, mobile, and social consumption, and sharing.



Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to enhance content performance.



Monitor analytics and adjust content tactics for better performance.

Format Adaptation & Multimedia

Integration

Assign stories to specific team members to be produced in the right format.



Oversee specific content formats to ensure the audio and video are of required standard and optimised for platform.

Shift Management & Editorial Accountability

Lead the Digital News Team during shift.



Provide clarity, direction and decision making during the shift - the accountable person for Digital News.



Make decisions in-line with a newsroom, in alignment with the Director of News



At the end of the shift, prepare a clear and comprehensive handover for the incoming editor/team, including ongoing stories, pending assets, and priorities.

Communication & Team Support

Ensure Cross-Department Collaboration



Work closely with video producers, designers, social editors, and product teams to ensure smooth publishing workflows.



Mentor and Support Junior Staff



Provide quick feedback on drafts, headlines, or social posts during the shift.



Help troubleshoot or clarify editorial standards and newsroom priorities.

Team Management

Lead, mentor, and manage the digital content team.



Accountable to team's delivery of content.



Ensure timely delivery, adherence to brand and editorial standards.



Implement and assess team development and learning plans.

Analytics & Reporting

Analyse audience data to guide content strategy in real time, as well as planning.



Use data insights to develop and improve editorial decisions and strategy on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.



Track and respond to performance trends.



Help the channel make content decisions based on data and insights.



Collaborate with design, development, and social media teams to enhance presentation.



Use analytics to retain and grow digital audiences.

Content and

Platforms

Produce a daily dairy with successful handover to next shift.



Produce a weekly and monthly calendar in line with forward planning.



Produce a minimum of 25 news stories per day.



Produce a minimum of 3 current affairs stories per day.



Maintain 100% compliance with all legal and editorial requirements.



Ensure that all content produced adheres to quality and style guide requirements.



Manage content publishing on all platforms in line with strategy.

Audience

Monitor audience in collaboration with the Data and Insights Specialist to identify opportunities in the form of trends.



Monitor and interpret audience feedback to implement improvements.



Improve audience engagement.



Achieve audience growth per platform as per strategy.

Human Resources

Lead the digital editorial team to produce high quality content, daily, weekly, and monthly.



Implement and improve workflows to achieve the highest output possible.



Mentor junior team members.



Train the team to achieve a high performing culture.



Manage conflict, complaints, and suggestions as to not hinder productivity.



Develop and implement personal development plans for the team.



Conduct performance reviews as per company procedure.



Manage all Human Resources requests, such as but not limited to leave requests within the team.

Budget Compliance

Managing and maintaining costs below the applicable budget.



Collaborating with the commercial / sales team to identify and create sales opportunities while maintaining editorial integrity.



Meeting and complying with work practices, standards and methods and ensuring application of financial parameters.



Optimize resources and demonstrate a cost-effective approach in all tasks.

Stakeholder Relationships

Collaborate with all relevant teams to produce content for digital.



Provide content and support to broadcast teams.



Build and maintain networks with industry experts, analysts, and commentators.



Represent the channel at public events, industry forums, and in media engagements.



Maintain strong relationships with media partners and community.



Ensure compliance with broadcasting regulations and ethical standards.



Collaborate with commercial teams to balance editorial integrity and business objectives.



Provide commercial teams proactive sales opportunities in line with the content calendar.



Stay abreast of industry standards through network with relevant internal and external stakeholders.




Qualifications



?National Senior Certificate is Essential



?National Diploma in Digital is Essential



Bachelors Degree in Journalism is Recommended



Experience



7 years in Journalism, Media, or Digital Newsroom and/or related field is Essential



3 years as a Supervisor in Journalism, Media, or DigitalNewsroom and/or related field is Essential



Drivers Licence - Recommended



Language Proficiency



English - Advanced



Technology Proficiency



Advanced knowledge in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), Adobe Creative Cloud, Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, Adobe Photoshop Illustrator, Google Analytics, Crown Tangle, audio editing and production



Technical / Job Specific Competencies



Accuracy / Attention to Detail



Building Strategic Working Relationships



?Decision Making



?Monitoring / Follow Up



?Stress Tolerance