Production Editor: Business Day
Reporting to: Editor
Position type: Permanent
Location: Parktown, Johannesburg
Arena Holdings is one of Africa’s largest English-language news publishers, owning iconic titles such as Business Day, Sunday Times, Financial Mail, and Sowetan, alongside leading digital platforms including BusinessLIVE and TimesLIVE. It also operates Business Day TV and other media assets across film, television, and music. Business Day is South Africa’s most authoritative daily source of business, political and economic news.
Purpose of the job:
Business Day has a vacancy for a production editor to manage and supervise the daily production of the print edition of the newspaper within strict deadlines and to the highest standards of design and language. Responsibilities include layout and design, rewriting, revise subbing, copytasting, and proofreading. The applicant must be able to design news and companies pages quickly in accordance with Business Day’s layout principles.
The successful candidate will be the liaison between Business Day’s editorial team and Arena’s production hub, ensuring that Business Day’s editorial plans are accurately executed in print.
Main Responsibilities
- Design visually compelling newspaper pages that align with editorial standards and drive reader engagement.
- Manage content timelines proactively to ensure all materials are submitted and published on schedule.
- Contribute actively to afternoon editorial meetings to help shape and prioritise upcoming news coverage.
- Ensure timely delivery of articles that meet quality and editorial standards.
- Edit content thoroughly for clarity, coherence, style, and structure.
- Craft sharp, engaging headlines and captions that accurately reflect article content and capture readers’ attention.
- Identify areas for improvement in articles and provide constructive feedback to elevate overall quality.
Experience and Qualifications
- Relevant tertiary qualification in journalism, design, or a related field.
- Minimum of five years’ experience in layout and design.
- In-depth knowledge of the print production process.
- Skilled in crafting punchy, attention-grabbing headlines and captions.
Skills and Attributes
- Proven speed, tenacity, and accuracy under deadline pressure.
- Strong ability to design and layout visually appealing newspaper pages.
- Excellent command of written and spoken English.
- Exceptional attention to detail and quality control.
- A wide-ranging interest in current affairs.
- An understanding of business and financial matters.
- A broad general knowledge.
- An understanding of and interest in the South African business, political and economic landscape.
- Good interpersonal management skills.
Applications and CVs should be addressed to email: mediarecruitment@arena.africa Please indicate the job title in the subject line of your application.
Closing date: 18 June 2025
Arena Holdings is an Affirmative Action Employer and as such, preference will be given to candidates who will add to the diversity of our organisation. Kindly take note that if we do not respond to you in the next two months, you may regard your application as unsuccessful.