Storytelling Editor (Podcast & Documentaries)

About Mentor A Promise

Mentor A Promise is a New York City nonprofit organization supporting children and youth aged 5 to 18 experiencing housing instability. The organization fosters growth through mentorship, literacy, social-emotional learning, and creative expression programs delivered in shelters, schools, and community centers. Their initiatives, including The Imagination Studio, The Kitchen Table, The Sound Lab, and The Story Space, promote academic progress, emotional health, and creative voices within a trauma-informed, culturally sensitive, and accessibility-focused framework. The organization is deeply committed to dignified, consent-driven storytelling and community partnership to foster pathways toward confidence, belonging, and future opportunities for every child.

Position Overview

The Storytelling Video Editor plays a pivotal role in the creative production of Mentor A Promise's storytelling platforms, such as The Bells I Hear and Threads of Voices, which feature long- and short-form media exploring youth resilience, housing justice, culture, and human connection. This position entails transforming podcast recordings into polished video content designed for YouTube and various social media channels. The editor must responsibly and thoughtfully craft stories that maintain the original tone, context, and purpose, emphasizing ethical storytelling rather than rapid production.

Key Duties

• Construct engaging video podcast episodes and brief documentaries by combining interviews, B-roll, archival footage, images, and graphics.
• Identify compelling moments in interviews and build cohesive narratives that connect emotionally with viewers.
• Utilize pacing, music, visuals, and smooth transitions to sustain audience interest.
• Add captions, titles, lower thirds, and motion graphics aligned with the brand identity of Mentor A Promise.
• Conduct color correction and perform essential post-production enhancements.
• Produce platform-tailored content versions optimized for YouTube, podcast platforms, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn.
• Research, procure, and catalog high-quality royalty-free music, sound effects, and archival materials, ensuring meticulous record-keeping of rights, licenses, and attributions.
• Edit podcast audio focusing on pacing, clarity, and ease of listening, with smooth transitions between segments, sponsors, intros, and outros.
• Enhance dialogue by eliminating filler words and background noise while preserving natural conversational rhythm.
• Incorporate music and sound design elements to enrich the storytelling experience.
• Deliver balanced, polished final audio ready for release, adhering to industry loudness standards (e.g., -16 LUFS).

Required Qualifications and Skills

• Demonstrated ability to discover and craft compelling stories rather than merely compiling clips; knows how to control pacing, use silence, music, and visuals for emotional effect.
• At least one year of proven experience editing narrative audio podcasts and documentary-style videos.
• Proficiency with professional video editing tools such as Adobe Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve.
• Strong editorial judgment and visual storytelling skills to maximize emotional impact and maintain audience engagement.
• Excellent organizational skills for handling extensive media files, synchronizing multi-camera footage, and managing multi-track audio.
• Ability to take creative direction, implement feedback constructively, and meet tight deadlines efficiently.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Riverside recording platform.
• Background working with nonprofit, journalism, or documentary content preferred.

Benefits

• Gain meaningful experience in impactful storytelling that supports community voices.
• Develop a portfolio with polished podcast and digital media pieces.
• Collaborate closely with producers, hosts, and creative teams.
• Obtain professional references and letters of recommendation.
• Contribute to showcasing stories with respect and deliberate care.

Additional Information

Applicants must be based in the United States due to legal, safeguarding, data privacy, and program requirements. Interested candidates can reach out with questions via hr@mentorapromise.org.

Please note that this is a paid full-time position based onsite in New York, NY. Salary details were not provided.