Description:

Growing Community Media is looking for its next full-time, general assignment reporter.

We're looking for a fearless journalist who aims to hold the powerful accountable, who loves local news and who can tease out the best story, whether it's a brief, daily, investigation or feature. Original hard news and enterprise reporting are essential to the beat. The reporter must be audience-centric but comfortable working in print. We publish weekly in print but daily online. Be ready to roll up your sleeves. Laughing on the job is recommended.

We're a newish nonprofit, which means the Oak Park reporter will be joining us at an exciting time when we are doing the heavy yet creative work of reimaging what community news is. If you're looking to experiment, if you're looking to publish news that authentically reflects the community, if you're looking to grow in new roles we haven't thought of yet, then this job is for you.

You must live in Illinois. We do not pay relocation fees.

Qualifications

• A journalism degree or equivalent
• 1 to 3 years of reporting experience after college graduation
• Ability to use software such as WordPress, Word, Google Docs and Dropbox
• Strong, published writing samples in a news publication or equivalent

Responsibilities

In no particular order, you will:

• Cover night meetings as necessary
• Develop strong sources with local roots
• Report on standard municipal issues, including local politics, policy, contracts, business and economics
• Publish daily online and for print
• Shoot photos on occasion
• Work closely with the EIC
• Work closely with designers and digital managers, as needed

Key Considerations

• Strong writing skills and a command of grammar and AP style.
• A self-starter who owns the beat yet works collaboratively with others locally to meet common goals.
• A journalist committed to values of fairness, diversity, inclusion and professionalism.

Nice to have, but not dealbreakers:

• Experience with social media, including Instagram Stories, as a tool to build audience and as a source for beat development.
• Experience with and interest in multimedia, including video and podcasting.

If you have skills or talents that don't quite fit the above yet you feel like you can still perform the duties as described, please apply and make your case. We'd like to hear from you.

Women and journalists in communities of color and those in LGBTQ+ communities are encouraged to apply.

The salary range for this reporting post will be between $42,000 and $45,000.

This is a hybrid job. Reporters are expected to work in our newsroom as a base three days each week. We do not pay relocation fees.

To apply, send a resume, three writing samples and a cover letter explaining why you think you're the best fit for the job and why community news interests you. Email them to erika@growingcommunitymedia.org. We will take applications on a rolling basis, so apply sooner rather than later.