How to hire a deputy editor

How to hire a deputy editor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step deputy editor hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a deputy editor job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new deputy editor
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a deputy editor do?

Post a deputy editor job for free, promote it for a fee

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your deputy editor job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a deputy editor for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A deputy editor's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, deputy editors from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of deputy editor salaries for various roles:

   Type of Deputy Editor	Description	Hourly rate
   Deputy Editor	Editors plan, review, and revise content for publication.	$24-89
   Editing Internship	An editorial intern is responsible for assisting the editorial department of an organization with publishing various media and digital content. Editorial interns shadow tenured editorial staff on researching stories, validating information, writing captivating articles, interviewing target audiences, and screening submitted manuscripts... Show more	$12-21
   Editorial Internship	An editorial intern is responsible for assisting the editorial team in publishing digital and media content, writing articles, and managing readers' reviews. Editorial interns must have excellent knowledge of the industry they work for, suggesting the latest trends and featured topics, taking notes of the tenured employees' advice and observations, and actively joining brainstorming sessions... Show more	$12-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • SEO
   • Editorial Calendar
   • Editor-In-Chief
   • Facebook
   • News Stories
   • WordPress
   • Twitter
   • CMS
   • Staff Writers
   • Content Strategy
   • HTML
   • Edit Content
   • Feature Stories
   • Indesign

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage SEO efforts through oversight of headline creation/editing and copy editing.
   • Lead round-the-clock daily editorial operations for outlet with industry-leading track record for accuracy and speed.
   • Oversee layout, content, copy editing, production, photography, editorial calendar, budget and advertising in the magazines.
   • Upload daily stories to Wordpress.
   • Authore HTML and CSS, and administer user experience (UX) initiatives.
   • Oversee SEO best practices and training of editorial team in those practices across all properties.

   More deputy editor duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your deputy editor job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A deputy editor salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, deputy editors' average salary in alaska is 71% less than in connecticut.
   • Seniority. Entry-level deputy editors earn 73% less than senior-level deputy editors.
   • Certifications. A deputy editor with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a deputy editor's salary.

   Average deputy editor salary

   $96,894yearly

   $46.58 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level deputy editor salary

   $50,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

   Average deputy editor salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$125,753	$60
   2	District of Columbia	$114,358	$55
   3	Pennsylvania	$103,302	$50
   4	California	$101,171	$49
   5	Illinois	$89,676	$43
   6	North Carolina	$82,976	$40
   7	Washington	$69,570	$33

   Average deputy editor salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	The Daily Dot	$145,263	$69.84
   2	The Walt Disney Company	$138,787	$66.72	39
   3	The New Republic	$137,364	$66.04
   4	The New York Times Company	$130,471	$62.73	24
   5	American Physical Society	$127,540	$61.32
   6	Fox News	$127,398	$61.25
   7	The Washington Post	$123,687	$59.46	4
   8	Hearst	$123,078	$59.17	122
   9	Npr	$114,400	$55.00
   10	Reuters	$103,181	$49.61
   11	Dow Jones	$102,933	$49.49	6
   12	Brennan Center for Justice	$102,583	$49.32	2
   13	Saint Xavier University	$91,798	$44.13	1
   14	Tapestry Salon & Day Spa	$64,253	$30.89
   15	Rodale	$58,744	$28.24
   16	Her Campus	$56,013	$26.93	1
   17	McClatchy	$36,251	$17.43	20
   18	Lee Enterprises	$31,369	$15.08	5

4. Writing a deputy editor job description

   A deputy editor job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a deputy editor job description:

   Deputy editor job description example

   Application Instructions
   
   Please list all professional experience and explain any gaps in employment history. All of your application materials, which may include PDF files of work samples and/or links to audio, video, photography or graphics, must be uploaded to the field labeled Resume/Cover Letter/Work Samples to be considered for the position.
   
   Job Description
   
   The Washington Post is looking for a nimble, creative journalist with outstanding news judgment to join its Democracy team as a deputy editor.
   
   This editor will be responsible for overseeing a portfolio that includes the Fact Checker, a signature Washington Post franchise that holds the powerful to account and exposes the origins of misinformation. The job will also involve shepherding explanatory pieces that help our readers understand the mechanics of how American democracy works - or should work. And this editor will develop a new line of coverage that will identify solutions to the problems and threats that weigh on our democratic system, harnessing key forms of storytelling in the process.
   
   The ideal candidate is an agile thinker who can help reporters identify consequential developments and refine their ideas, as well as a rigorous line editor with a zeal for fairness and accuracy. This editor must be effective at collaborating with colleagues within the Washington newsroom and across the country. The successful candidate must have strong organizational and planning skills and will be responsible for helping prepare the team for elections and other major news events.
   
   A key aspect of this role will be helping reporters make complex ideas and concepts accessible, with the mission of expanding the reach of our democracy coverage. We are looking for someone who is quick-moving and deeply versed in how news is shared on social media platforms, with the ability to generate sharp ideas about how to connect with a young and diverse audience.
   
   The Democracy team was created this year to centralize and expand our reporting on the battles over voting laws and access to the polls, the pressures on election systems nationwide and efforts to sow doubt about the outcome of the vote. The team is committed to telling incisive, original stories about the erosion of trust in public institutions, as well as giving readers the tools they need to be effective participants in the democratic process.
   
   This position is based in our Washington newsroom.
   
   Interested candidates should upload a cover letter, résumé and five to seven examples of their work (as PDFs) to our jobs portal. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled, but those received by 10/17/2022 will be prioritized. The cover letter should be addressed to National Editor Matea Gold, Deputy National Editor Phil Rucker, Senior National Investigations Editor Peter Wallsten, Democracy Editor Griff Witte and Managing Editors Steven Ginsberg and Krissah Thompson.
   
   The Post strives to provide its readers with high-quality, trustworthy news and information while constantly innovating. That mission is best served by a diverse, multi-generational workforce with varied life experiences and perspectives. All cultures and backgrounds are welcomed.
   
   Ever wondered if what you are doing will Impact Tomorrow? At The Washington Post, every employee shapes the way we deliver the news. Find the career that's right for you
   #washpostlife

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find deputy editors for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your deputy editor job on Zippia to find and attract quality deputy editor candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as problogger, media bistro, journalismjobs.com, content writing jobs.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit deputy editors, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new deputy editor

   Once you've found the deputy editor candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a deputy editor?