Staff Writer, Pitchfork

Pitchfork is the most trusted voice in music. Over the last 25 years, Pitchfork has defined how music is covered, leading The New York Times to call it “the most prominent brand in online music journalism” and TIME Magazine to recognize it as one of the world’s 50 best websites. In addition to being an ASME-winning publication, Pitchfork has developed a reputation for its live music activations, including the long-running Chicago’s Pitchfork Music Festival and Pitchfork Music Festival Paris. In 2015, Pitchfork was acquired by Condé Nast.

Job Description

The unit job description listed below includes job duties and responsibilities that are illustrative, not exhaustive, and is designed primarily to ensure proper classification for purposes of this Agreement. The parties acknowledge that the job description does not include every job duty and responsibility of the role, that the job description shall not restrict management’s right to assign new duties or responsibilities to the role, and that any duties or responsibilities listed in the job classification also may be performed by employees in other job classifications, at management’s discretion. The parties also acknowledge that employees in the role may be asked to perform certain operational tasks such as evaluating and/or meeting with candidates for open positions and/or assisting in the training or mentoring of colleagues.

Staff Writers work between Pitchfork’s News department and other editorial sections. On designated news days, Staff Writer responsibilities include writing, copyediting, fact-checking, scheduling, and posting news stories. On their writing days, staff writers are expected to pitch and contribute stories across sections. Media appearances may be requested due to the nature of work.

Responsibilities:

• Researching, reporting, writing, and fact-checking news stories
• Building and publishing posts in the content management system
• Optimizing news posts for SEO
• Posting on social media
• Gathering and editing images
• Handling corrections
• Helping to manage the placement of stories on the homepage
• Voting and writing for staff lists
• Writing album reviews, track reviews, Pitch and Features stories
• Monitoring the newsfeed
• Occasional artist interviews or appearances for video or podcast projects as needed
• This position may include night and weekend shifts

Skills and Qualifications:

• Experience writing news, criticism, and longform pieces on quick-turnaround deadline
• Active follower of current music news
• Ability to work independently
• Experience working with a content management system for publishing web content
• Ability to sustain a high level of care and meticulous attention to detail in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to self-motivate, meet deadlines, and take initiative to complete tasks both within and beyond the scope of duties
• Capacity to manage multiple projects simultaneously and maintain flexibility with shifting responsibilities
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, and the ability to give and receive honest and direct feedback
• Willingness to be part of a close-knit team and thrive in a collaborative environment
• A knowledge of and interest in the history, style, and voice of Pitchfork

The expected base salary range for this position is from $75,000-$80,000. Salary offers are based on a wide range of factors including but not limited to relevant skills, training, experience, and education.

This is a guild position.

What happens next?

If you are interested in this opportunity, please apply below, and we will review your application as soon as possible. You can update your resume or upload a cover letter at any time by accessing your candidate profile.