Senior Reporter, State Issues

Overview

NC Local is a nonpartisan, nonprofit news organization focused on two aims: delivering public-service journalism about statewide issues and strengthening North Carolina’s news ecosystem.

After years supporting journalists across the state, NC Local identified a clear need from people across North Carolina: they want to understand how statewide issues—especially decisions made in Raleigh—affect their communities. Our state is growing and changing rapidly, but the decline of local newsrooms and journalists has resulted in significant losses in statehouse coverage. 

That’s why we’ve launched a nonprofit news organization that serves as a hub for new, original journalism, services and products in partnership with newsrooms and trusted messengers across the state. 

Our mission is simple: to help all North Carolinians stay informed, understand local impacts, and engage in the decisions shaping their futures. 

The Role

As a member of the NC Local newsroom, the Senior Reporter will serve as the lead journalist for our work to localize state issues in plain language for communities across North Carolina.

While this work requires journalism skills and experience, we’re going beyond articles to engage communities through digital channels, new products and services and in person at community events.

As the lead producer, the role will identify local issues of regional and statewide importance. Subjects may include politics, education, immigration, health care, environment and other issues that impact residents across the state. The Senior Reporter will oversee the production of content and projects, including different formats of easily understood, accessible service journalism for a variety of audiences. 

The senior reporter also will work in close collaboration with other staff to develop and create compelling products like a newsletter, podcast and social media posts.

The senior reporter will also spearhead partnerships with other media and community groups across the state, providing content they can use or working collaboratively with our partners. 

What you’ll do:

• Identify news and information needs across the state and devise ways to localize content to meet those needs for specific audiences
• Launch and lead the reporting, writing and collaborative work on statewide issues for NC Local products and channels, such as a newsletter, text message services and/or social media platforms
• Explain complex legislative issues in accessible, easy-to-understand formats, breaking down issues to help people understand how they're impacted where they live
• Manage freelance contributors and eventually other reporting staff on NC Local content and projects
• Join other NC Local staff and partners in bringing communities together for ongoing community listening, engagement opportunities and events.
• Create, design and implement engaging online and in-person opportunities and products for news and information
• Collaborate with media partners and community organizations on reporting and community engagement projects

Who you are and what you bring: 

The ideal candidate should be able to demonstrate a range of skills though we do not expect the same level of strength across all categories. We’re looking for candidates with much of the following: 

• Proven journalism experience, preferably 5 years or more professional experience
• Strong research, writing, copyediting and editing abilities
• A collaborative spirit and a desire to coach and mentor other journalists
• Ability to synthesize and explain complex topics in a clear and accessible way
• Familiarity with state-level policy and current affairs, particularly the inner workings of the NC General Assembly
• Ability to meet deadlines and ability to adhere to editorial guidelines
• Interested in varied work and comfortable with managing multiple projects and working with different constituencies at the same time
• Strong interest in connecting with diverse and underserved communities across NC
• Curiosity, generosity and coachability
• Analytical skills or the willingness and ability to learn analysis of digital metrics
• An experimental mindset and an appreciation for new and creative ways to provide news and information

Compensation and Benefits:

NC Local offers competitive salaries and benefits that focus on the well-being of its employees. This role’s salary range begins at $68,000 with compensation dependent on experience and skills.

NC Local offers generous health, dental and vision insurance, as well as other benefits, including paid holidays, vacation and personal time off and a tech stipend. NC Local is a remote-first organization, and the senior reporter will work in the Triangle.