Senior Reporter

Date Posted	November 06, 2026
Industry	Communications
Specialty	Not Specified
Job Status	Full-time
Salary	Not Specified

Description:

Arkansas Today is a nonprofit news organization founded upon the idea that every Arkansan is entitled to have their voice heard. Central to this is a focus on in-depth accountability and investigative journalism prioritizing historically undercovered geographic areas that have been swept up in the ever-increasing proliferation of news deserts. By partnering with existing media organizations — ranging from national outlets to hyper-local websites — Arkansas Today seeks to elevate those voices that too often go unheard, and to address the systemic issues that have long gone unchallenged in the Natural State.

As part of its upcoming launch in fall 2026, Arkansas Today is seeking two Senior Reporters who will work with the Managing Editors and Editor-in-Chief to begin its accountability and investigative-focused coverage of the state. These efforts will shed new light on systems and policies that have often fallen outside the realm of traditional coverage areas, both in terms of geography and subject matter.

The ideal journalist will be someone with five or more years of reporting or related experience who can thoughtfully create multifaceted content through daily/breaking news stories, deeper-dive investigative features, and deeply researched packages and projects. 

Expectations:

• Work with a small team of journalists to identify and investigate systemic issues that are of statewide interest and resonance

• Get people to talk, find willing sources and protect them while telling sensitive and timely stories

• Be able to identify longer-term investigative projects that go beyond daily headlines and understand what steps are needed to develop those ideas

• Build trust: Many people who have been impacted by inequities in Arkansas have been victims of predatory practices and forces. This will require empathy, patience and savvy

• Collaborate with our audience team and data and visual journalists to create compelling story presentations with statewide appeal and impact

• Represent Arkansas Today in public speaking engagements, listening sessions, panels, and community events

Qualified candidates should have:

• A bachelor’s degree in journalism or communications, or equivalent professional experience

• At least 5 years of journalism experience

• The ability to work quickly under tight deadlines, but with accuracy and good news judgment

• Ability to independently develop and cultivate sources

• Ability to use social media for research and to engage readers

• Digital storytelling skills and open mind to trying new approaches

• Experience using data and public records.

• A commitment to accuracy, fairness, and ethical journalism

It’s a plus if you have:

• Reporting experience in Arkansas

• Experience writing a combination of both longform stories and investigations

• A knowledge and understanding of nonprofit journalism

• Experience working in a collaborative newsroom environment

• Comfort in speaking about your work in public settings

• Familiarity with audio and video storytelling production  

• Language skills beyond English

What you’ll get:

• The opportunity to work alongside award-winning journalists and make impactful contributions to Arkansas’ media landscape

• Highly competitive salary with medical insurance, and options for vision and dental insurance

• 29 days paid time off

• Up to 12 weeks of parental family leave, with return-to-work flexibility

• Simple IRA with 3 percent company matching. Group-term life insurance provided to employees ($15,000 policy)

• Support for professional training and attending industry conferences

Location

This position can be based out of either Little Rock or Bentonville

How to Apply:

We’re committed to building an inclusive newsroom that represents the people and communities we serve. We especially encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply for this position, including women, people of color, LGBTQ people and people who are differently abled.

Apply

https://forms.monday.com/forms/c84c5e4da1c182a7a14cedd1da77e2d6?r=use1