Managing Editor
Impact: Content quality, audience engagement, brand reputation
Oversees the editorial process from conception to publication, ensuring content quality, adherence to deadlines, and strategic alignment.
In their words
As a Managing Editor, every day is a balancing act. You're juggling deadlines, guiding your team, and ensuring every piece of content meets our high standards. It's demanding, but incredibly rewarding to see a project come to life from concept to publication.
What the day looks like
- People interaction
- Extensive
- Team vs solo
- 80% Team / 20% Solo
- Client facing
- Sometimes
- Impact visibility
- High
- Travel
- Minimal
- Schedule flexibility
- Flexible
- Remote work
- Hybrid
- Typical work hours
- 45-55 hours/week
- Stress level
- High
At a glance
- Median salary
- $95,000
- Entry-level
- $55,000 - $75,000
- Senior
- $120,000+
- Growth by 2033
- 4% (average)
- Demand
- Stable
- Freelance potential
- Moderate
- Salary growth potential
- High 80-120% growth from entry to senior
- Typical student debt
- $30,000 - $60,000
Skills you'll use
Hard skills
- Editorial Planning
- Content Strategy
- Copyediting
- Proofreading
- Journalism Ethics
- Project Management
- SEO Best Practices
Soft skills
- Communication
- Leadership
- Time Management
- Problem Solving
- Attention to Detail
Technical complexity: Moderate
Tools you'll work with
Core tools
- Microsoft Word (software): Document creation and editing
- Google Docs (software): Collaborative document editing
- AP Stylebook (standard): Editorial style and grammar guide
Common tools
- Asana (platform): Project management and task tracking
- Grammarly (software): Advanced grammar and spell checking
- Slack (platform): Team communication
Niche tools
- Adobe InDesign (software): Layout and desktop publishing
How to get there
- Minimum education
- Bachelor's Degree
- Licensing
- No
- Years to mid-career
- 4-6 years
- Years to senior
- 8-12 years
- Career switching
- Moderate
Where this career leads
How people arrive here
- Senior Editor: A natural progression from a senior editorial role, taking on broader team and project oversight.
- Content Strategist: Leveraging content planning and strategic skills to manage editorial operations.
- Project Manager (Publishing): Transitioning project management expertise to the editorial workflow.
Where you can go from here
- Editorial Director: Advancing to a higher-level leadership role overseeing multiple editorial teams or publications.
- Head of Content: Moving into a broader content leadership role across various media types.
- Publishing Consultant: Applying extensive industry knowledge to advise other organizations on publishing strategies.
Typical progression
- Assistant Editor > Editor > Senior Editor > Managing Editor > Editorial Director
Future outlook
- Automation probability
- 25% low risk
- AI disruption risk
- Moderate
- Demand trend
- Stable
How people feel about it
- Overall satisfaction
- 7.8/10
- Meaning
- 8.5/10
- Work-life balance
- 6.5/10
- Prestige
- 7.5/10
- Social perception
- High
Find your community
Professional organisations
- Editors Canada: Professional organization for editors in Canada, offering resources and networking.
- Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA): Supports freelance editorial professionals with resources, job listings, and community.
Podcasts and media
- Publishers Weekly: Leading news magazine for the book publishing industry.
Reddit communities
- r/editors: A Reddit community for editors to discuss craft, careers, and industry news.