Kansas City Civic Watchdog Reporter
The Kansas City Star
Kansas City, Kansas
See other jobs from this company| Date Posted | September 30, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Industry | Newspapers |
| Specialty | Other |
| Required Education | Bachelor's Degree |
| Job Status | Full-time |
| Salary | $52,000 to $72,000 |
Description:
This is not your traditional City Hall reporter position. This position is not focused on covering the day-to-day operations of government.
This reporter is expected to be, first and foremost, of service to our local readers in the Kansas City area. We expect this reporter to bring their own energy and expertise to covering, in new ways, the problems and solutions of concern to the people living and working in Kansas City.
Journalism that starts in the streets
Kansas Citians tell us they want journalism that starts with them. This reporter is expected to treat community engagement as central to the job — showing up, listening, and creating coverage that reflects real concerns.
This reporter should be excited to meet readers where they are and be willing to solicit reader feedback regularly. We hope that this reporter will be a “tour guide” of sorts, who is a trusted person in the know for our local readers.
Examples of this work include:
- Using callouts and other engagement tools to hear directly from readers about what they’d like to see covered next.
- Engaging with members of The Star’s subscriber base in virtual and live events.
- Writing a regular newsletter to readers as a means of increasing connectivity with existing and new audiences, promoting the latest examples of special work produced by The Star’s journalists.
- Appearing in and shooting some video to be used across The Star’s social media accounts.
Every story, TikTok, newsletter, explainer, or public event should be framed through the lens of what it means for residents’ daily lives and futures.
Accountability journalism that holds truth to power
The Star has a responsibility and a mandate from our readers to produce journalism that holds power to account. This reporter should approach reporting on the city with an accountability lens that details wrongdoing and abuses of power and explains the impact of those actions on our local readers.
The ideal candidate will do this through engaging, expert journalism that produces and provides regular news breaks and insider stories of regional and national importance in an extremely competitive setting.
We expect this reporter to embrace a wide variety of formats: quick accountability hits, explanatory features, neighborhood polls, vertical videos, newsletters, live chats and community gatherings. You will be a visible presence in Kansas City, known not only for your byline but also for your voice on social media and your willingness to meet readers where they are.
We are looking for candidates with strong interpersonal skills who can collaborate with editors, reporters, other staff members and, most importantly, the public. The ideal candidate will work closely with editors and our audience team to make sure our coverage is reaching the people who need it most.
All McClatchy Media journalists are expected to take advantage of opportunities to ethically harness and leverage artificial intelligence and other automation to enhance and elevate their work and to find efficiencies that free them to focus on source building and high-quality, deeply reported journalism.
To apply, include a persuasive cover letter, your resume and four to six examples of your best work.
What you'll bring:
Must have
- Strong writing skills and excellent news judgment.
- Deep knowledge of politics and government, and how they connect to Kansas City in particular.
- An unwavering commitment to accurate, ethical journalism.
- An understanding of public records laws and how to use them.
- Willingness to collaborate frequently as part of a team.
- Initiative to develop a strong network of sources to find and pursue stories that will reach a broad audience.
- An interest in telling stories using a variety of media and engagement tools, and an enthusiasm for learning new skills and technologies.
Nice to have
- Fluency in the science of readership and engagement, including an understanding of metrics/analytics and an understanding of SEO and other audience optimization tactics.
- Strong interpersonal skills, including empathy and the ability to take and give constructive criticism.
- Ability to work comfortably and nimbly in a job that will be fast-paced and data-driven, shaped constantly by feedback and experimentation and always evolving.
- Bachelor's degree (B.A. or B.S.) from an accredited college or university preferred; ideally in journalism, or the equivalent education, experience, skills and knowledge needed to perform the tasks and responsibilities of the position.
- A track record for innovation, learning and using new skills and technologies, especially AI.
- At least two years related experience and/or training, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
What we'll bring:
As a journalist at McClatchy, you will join a supportive, flexible, collaborative team. McClatchy strives to be an employer of choice, and our benefits package is made with this goal in mind. With a focus on health, well-being, wealth and daily life, our package options include health care coverage for employees and their families, financial protection from expected and unexpected expenses, multiple no-cost wellness resources and even coverage for four-legged friends.
Our overall benefits package also includes a 401(k) with employer match, competitive paid time off and corporate holidays, and a variety of mental health benefits. With an excellent support team and with a focus on your well-being as a top corporate strategy, McClatchy provides benefits to support you and your family in achieving your health and wellness goals. For more information on McClatchy's benefit plan, please visit McClatchyLivewell.com.
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