New Jersey Reporter

Description

New Jersey Reporter II

WNYC / Gothamist Newsroom

The WNYC and Gothamist newsroom is looking for an ambitious, talented reporter to cover New Jersey politics and policy. This Reporter II will cover this beat with a focus on affordability and quality of life issues that affect northern New Jerseyans, including within the governor’s race.

This New Jersey reporter will focus on developing story ideas through engagement with communities and telling stories focused on accountability. This reporter will also help cover breaking news and other urgent stories in northern New Jersey.

The WNYC and Gothamist newsroom strives to make the New York/New Jersey region work for the people who live here, and has ambitious goals to reach new, diverse audiences through impactful, audience-focused journalism. Our reporters produce content for live air, on-demand podcasts and our website.

Responsibilities:

• Develop sources that deepen our understanding of New Jersey’s diverse communities and the greater history, context and progress to date around issues they face, with a particular emphasis on the northern part of the state. Draw on these relationships for scoops and insight our audience can’t get elsewhere.

• Work with the New Jersey editor to identify priority topics and a strategy for soliciting input from the communities at their center.

• Conceive, source, pitch and develop stories in text and audio form that give daily utility, answering pressing questions and driving daily audience habits.

• Produce service-focused journalism in text and audio form. This includes journalism that explains and guides communities through resources and assets currently available to them.

• Identify and track relevant data sources that will help inform reporting. Occasionally collaborate with teammates on data-driven projects and investigations.

• Report and produce original news stories in both text and audio form that are clear, thorough, fair, timely and accurate

• Consistently meet daily publishing deadlines

• Occasionally collaborate with the community-engagement editor and team on events and programming

• Participate fully as a member of the New Jersey coverage team by contributing to coverage plans, meetings, brainstorming sessions, and newsroom projects

• Effectively coordinate with other editors and digital journalists for maximum reach across our platforms

• Enthusiastically participate in newsroom-wide efforts to improve workflows, policies, and various practices

Qualifications:

• 3 years professional reporting experience at a reputable daily-news organization

• Experience working on data-based reporting in a newsroom

• Familiarity with New Jersey, its news ecosystem and culture

• Superb communication skills, including public speaking skills, the ability to multitask, and experience covering breaking news

• Aptitude and comfort producing a broad range of content, including audio, text news stories, and social media

• Experience with audience-centered engagement projects strongly preferred

• Competence in SEO and other digital audience skills

• Experience using production systems and software tools required to edit, produce and curate content

• Ability to see the story that is going to engage audiences and to anticipate reader/listener interests

• Demonstrated knowledge of complex social and cultural issues

• Demonstrated commitment and ability to contribute an equity lens to every aspect of reporting

• Deep commitment to accurate, ethical journalism, and impeccable journalistic integrity and judgment

• Self-starter with proven ability to meet deadlines and pay close attention to detail and fact-checking

• The ability to work effectively with the public and colleagues at New York Public Radio

• Fluency in languages spoken by communities in our coverage area (most significantly Spanish) is a strong plus

• Ability to work occasional weekend shifts, in rotation with other reporter colleagues, and one holiday a year. These shifts would be scheduled with advanced notice.

Additional Information

This is a full-time role with a salary of $90,423 per year (plus a full benefits package). Salary offered within this range is determined by skills, experience and organizational pay equity. New York Public Radio offers excellent medical, dental, and vision insurance, vacation, personal and sick time as well as parental leave.

This role is currently operating in a hybrid capacity, with the ability to sometimes work from home, and an expectation that the reporter is frequently in New Jersey to meet with sources and communities. However, this position is part of the NYPR staff and will be expected to work from the NYC office on specified days with regularity.

This position is covered by a collective bargaining agreement between New York Public Radio and SAG-AFTRA.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

New York Public Radio is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We continuously strive to place our employees at the center of our thinking and elevate inclusive practices to develop and support a more engaged and productive workforce. Our journalism and operations in the service of that journalism benefit from a broad range of perspectives, from all backgrounds, at all levels of the organization. Diversity is essential to honest, authentic, accurate storytelling and reportage; creating an institution in which all voices are encouraged, valued, and heard.

Equal Opportunity

New York Public Radio is an equal opportunity employer committed to achieving the goal of equal employment opportunity for all. Applicants and employees are considered and evaluated for positions without regard to mental or physical disability, race, creed, color, religion, gender, national origin, citizenship status, age, genetic information, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status, employment status or any protected federal, state or local status unrelated to the performance of the work involved.