Accountability Reporter

Montclair Local Nonprofit News is hiring a full-time accountability reporter dedicated to covering Essex County and the issues facing its communities. The accountability reporter will produce daily and enterprise stories that shed light on how decisions are made at the county level and how they impact individuals and communities in Essex County.

The accountability reporter will generate ideas for and report on high impact issues including public spending, county government, housing and development, environmental concerns, education, transportation, public safety, and local institutions and businesses. The accountability reporter will approach reporting through investigative work, solutions journalism, explainers and community listening. The accountability reporter’s work will expand the public’s access to information and help Essex County residents better engage with their county government and better understand issues in their own communities and neighboring ones.

The person in this role will produce shorter stories on issues that impact Essex County residents in multiple communities as well as longer enterprise stories related to accountability and transparency. This is not a reporting-on-meetings position, but one that anticipates and addresses questions and issues on the minds of readers in Essex County who are affected by polices and decisions made at the county level.

Ideal candidates will have experience reporting on the interplay between local, regional and state governments. Ideal candidates will be experienced in use of public records reporting and data journalism. Experience reporting in New Jersey is a plus. Fluency in other languages is a plus.

The accountability reporter may also play a role with some community-facing events and engagement efforts on behalf of the news organization.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a watchdog for Essex County residents, making government more transparent and holding power to account — questioning assumptions and demystifying county level governance.
• Communicate effectively about technical topics, or those steeped in the procedure, process and bureaucracy.
• Conceive, source and pitch stories that will engage readers across Essex County.
• Develop and cultivate sources and engage in investigative reporting.
• Commit to principles of diversity, equity and inclusion, with practical application to day-in, day-out community journalism.
• Take ownership of the presentation of material online — writing strong headlines, seeking out or creating accompanying art and multimedia.
• Collaborate with Montclair Local team for maximum reach across our platforms.

Requirements

The ideal candidate will have:

• A minimum of five years journalism reporting experience.
• Experience in accountability reporting.
• Experience acquiring and analyzing data that informs reporting.
• A sound understanding of news writing, journalistic ethics and story structure.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, juggling multiple projects and deadlines.
• Demonstrated commitment to an equity lens in every aspect of reporting
• Self-starter with proven ability to meet deadlines and pay close attention to detail and fact-checking.
• Experience with content management systems and social media channels.
• Good time management and organizational skills.
• An understanding of principles of community organizing, and their application to community partnership, engagement and story development.
• An appreciation for civic engagement and a passion to better inform the Essex County residents we serve.

Montclair Local Nonprofit News, Inc. (Montclair Local) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment opportunities at Montclair Local are based upon one’s qualifications and capabilities to perform the essential functions of a particular job. All employment opportunities are provided without regard to race, religion, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.