Position Vacant: Acting Editor - Gilgandra Newspapers Pty Ltd
The Gilgandra Weekly, Warren and Nyngan Weekly, digital platforms, and commercial print services
Location: Gilgandra, NSW (on-site)
Position Type: Full-time (fixed-term contract - seven months)
Commencement: September 2026
Gilgandra Newspapers is a locally owned, independent regional media and commercial print business. Operating in the heart of Western NSW, our mastheads deliver essential news, agricultural reporting, council affairs, local sports, and community coverage across the Castlereagh, Bogan, and Macquarie valleys. We are committed to high-integrity, independent journalism, strong community storytelling, and supporting regional growth.
The Acting Editor will take operational leadership of the editorial direction, content generation, newsroom workflow, and print layout for Gilgandra Newspapers’ publication portfolio.
Working closely with local journalists, production staff, and regional contributors, the Acting Editor ensures that all weekly print deadlines are met smoothly, digital platforms remain up to date, and the publication maintains strict editorial standards, legal compliance, and strong community trust.
Key Responsibilities/Duties
Editorial Leadership and Content Strategy
- Story Planning and Assignment: Plan, assign, and oversee weekly editorial schedules across The Gilgandra Weekly and Warren and Nyngan Weekly.
- Core Regional Coverage: Ensure comprehensive coverage of local council meetings, agriculture, local court/police affairs, community events, health, and regional sports.
- Editorial Integrity: Maintain strict adherence to ethical journalism, defamation laws, and the Australian Press Council standards.
- Opinion and Editorial Writing: Write editorials, local feature articles, and front-page lead stories as required.
Production, Layout, and Sub-Editing
- Sub-Editing and Proofreading: Copy-edit all submitted articles, letters, press releases, and contributor columns for accuracy, grammar, style, and legal safety.
- Page Layout and Pagination: Oversee or perform weekly page layout (using Adobe InDesign/Creative Suite) to ensure pages are print-ready prior to production press deadlines.
- Digital and Social Management: Coordinate digital cross-posting of articles, photos, and news updates across publication websites and social media channels.
Newsroom and Team Management
- Staff Supervision: Mentor and supervise junior journalists, cadets, and photographers based across Gilgandra, Nyngan, and surrounding districts.
- Contributor Network: Liaise with freelance writers, sports correspondents, local council communications officers, and local community contributors.
- Workflow Management: Enforce strict production timelines to ensure smooth handovers between news gathering, page layout, and commercial print execution.
Essential Criteria:
- Journalistic Experience: Demonstrated background in journalism, editing, or sub-editing, ideally within regional, community, or agricultural media. Tertiary qualification in journalism, communications, media, or a related discipline.
- Editorial and Sub-Editing Skills: Exceptional written English, sub-editing speed, headline writing, and proofreading capability.
- Legal and Ethical Knowledge: Deep understanding of defamation law, court reporting guidelines, copyright, and journalistic ethics.
- Desktop Publishing Proficiency: Hands-on experience with Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, and content management systems (CMS) for web publishing.
- Time Management under Pressure: Proven ability to manage tight weekly print deadlines while maintaining high accuracy.
- Regional Insight: Understanding of, and passion for, rural communities, agricultural issues, and local government.
- Valid driver’s license and willingness to travel within the regional district with own vehicle.
- Working with Children Check
What We Offer
- Leadership Opportunity: Autonomy to lead respected, community mastheads.
- Strong Operational Support: Working with an established local production team and a dedicated community base.
- Remuneration negotiable based on experience, with flexible working arrangements available.
Pay: $1,400.00 – $1,600.00 per week
Benefits:
Work Location: In person
