Chief Sports Sub-Editor in London

The Observer’s promise is in the name. The Observer bears witness; the best of journalism being curious minds at work. It loves the arts and ideas, both for their own sake and because they can change lives. It’s proudly progressive, but has no party allegiance. It’s open to different arguments and its editorial independence is non-negotiable. We are building a new Observer across print, audio and digital. We’re here to build journalism that lasts.

The Observer is looking for a chief sports sub-editor to lead production of our print and digital sports journalism. Working closely with editors, reporters, and designers, you will oversee the editing and presentation of a broad range of sports journalism, from live events to analysis, features and long-form pieces. Candidates must have exceptional editing skills, a sharp eye for detail and the ability to work confidently under pressure and to tight deadlines.

• Lead the sub-editing and production of sports content across print and digital, ensuring accuracy, clarity and consistency with The Observer’s editorial standards.
• Write sharp, engaging and SEO-conscious headlines, standfirsts and captions that maximise reader engagement across platforms.
• Manage the sports production workflow, prioritising content effectively to meet tight deadlines in a fast-paced newsroom environment.
• Collaborate closely with editors, reporters and correspondents to shape copy, maintain tone of voice and strengthen storytelling.
• Collaborate with editors and designers to create high-quality layouts that best showcase our sports journalism.
• Liaise with audience and digital teams to optimise content for online performance, including homepage, app and social distribution.
• Maintain rigorous editorial standards, ensuring all content complies with media law, ethical guidelines and house style.

The ideal candidate will have substantial experience in sports editing at a national news organisation or magazine and will be comfortable working across print and digital formats, collaborating with reporters, designers and audience teams to deliver ambitious, engaging and accurate journalism.

• Extensive experience editing sport for a national newspaper, magazine or major digital publisher.
• Experience as a chief sub or senior sub at a national newspaper.
• Exceptional copy-editing and headline-writing skills, with meticulous attention to detail and accuracy.
• Strong knowledge of a wide range of sports, including the ability to handle breaking news and live events confidently.
• Proven experience working to tight deadlines in a fast-paced newsroom environment.
• Excellent understanding of media law, editorial standards and journalistic ethics.
• Experience collaborating with reporters, production, design and audience teams to deliver high-quality journalism.
• Strong organisational and leadership skills, with the ability to manage workloads and priorities effectively.

Private healthcare, group income protection & life assurance, pension, cycle to work scheme, interest-free season ticket loan, free snacks and drinks in the newsroom.

We aim to run our interview process at pace and with clarity at every stage, recognising how challenging it can be to balance alongside other commitments or interviews. The number of stages will vary depending on the nature and level of the role, but we see this as a two-way process and hope you’ll enjoy the opportunity to meet a range of potential future colleagues.