Job Description

Guardian Australia is part of Guardian News & Media (GNM), publisher of theguardian.com. As a leading global media organisation, we are renowned for our pioneering independent journalism and our award-winning digital products.

We are seeking an associate editor, features to join our Editorial team, to lead Guardian Australia’s features agenda, conceiving, commissioning and editing impactful and innovative feature journalism. This role will manage the features, lifestyle and culture teams.

This role is being offered on a full-time fixed term basis (12 months). This role is open to candidates based in either Sydney or Melbourne.

In this role you will…

• Lead Guardian Australia’s features agenda by proposing considered, original and topical ideas
• Work with senior editors and reporters to plan, commission and edit feature stories and series
• Oversee planning for short and long-term projects, in liaison with senior editors and departments, including audience and multimedia teams
• Manage features, culture and lifestyle teams, including carrying out appraisals and regular one-to-one meetings, and mentor them
• Act as a key member of Guardian Australia’s senior editorial team, attending monthly management meetings, and other meetings as required
• Think beyond the daily news cycle to identify trends and themes of interest to the Guardian audience
• Devise innovative and interesting ways of telling stories and ensure all legal issues are resolved prior to publication
• Find and cultivate a diverse range of freelance writers and contacts
• Manage and allocate the features’ commissioning budget
• Deliver feedback to reporters and freelance writers
• Work with Guardian Australia’s global editor in conceiving and commissioning projects

You’ll bring….

Knowledge and experience

• At least eight years’ experience in commissioning and editing long-form features, ideally in a national news organisation
• Excellent grasp of the Guardian’s commitment to deep and nuanced reporting
• Excellent writing, commissioning and editing skills as well as news judgment
• Significant experience of staff management, including delivering constructive criticism/feedback
• Knowledge/awareness of the demands of digital journalism
• Understanding the importance of diversity and inclusion
• Excellent understanding of Guardian values
• Excellent understanding of media law

Skills / behaviours

• A passion for independent journalism and an understanding of our editorial code and values
• Accuracy, with high attention to detail
• Good interpersonal skills; persuasive and decisive
• Efficient team player who is flexible and adaptable and used to a fast-paced environment
• Confident, assertive and diplomatic
• Open to challenge and correction

About working at Guardian Australia…

• Hybrid working
• Employee assistance program (EAP) to support employee wellbeing
• Paid volunteer leave
• Dedicated diversity and inclusion employee groups, action plans (including our Reconciliation Action Plan) and cultural competency training
• Guardian digital subscription

For more information please view the full job description here

This role is being offered on a full-time fixed term basis (12 months).

To apply for this position, please apply online and upload your résumé (maximum three pages) plus covering letter. In your covering letter please outline your motivation for applying for the role and why you think you are suitable.

Closing date for applications Tuesday 24 March 2026

If you have application questions or if you require an adjustment to be made during the recruitment process, please email australia.hr@theguardian.com

We believe that our role in the Australian media is to give a voice to the most marginalised people in society and value and respect all differences in all people — including people of colour, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from different social classes, people with diverse gender and sexual identities, and people with disabilities (seen and unseen). We believe that these communities must be centred in the work we do, bringing a new perspective and a diversity of thought. We also encourage flexible working and aim to create a work environment where all employees feel respected.