Project Editor, New York & Michigan Solutions Journalism Collaborative
Project Editor, New York & Michigan Solutions Journalism Collaborative
WebsiteNYMIsojoNew York & Michigan Solutions Journalism Collaborative
Focused on solutions to the challenges faced by caregivers of older adults
Local Media Foundation serves as fiscal and administrative agent for the New York & Michigan Solutions Journalism Collaborative (NYMI SOJO). LMF is coordinating recruitment and will be the contracting agent for the following position for NYMI SOJO.
Title: New York & Michigan Solutions Journalism Collaborative: Caregiving Project Editor
Reports to: Karen Magnuson, Project Director, NYMI SOJO
Position type: Independent contractor up to 20 hours per week. Minimum one-year contract, renewable subject to funding.
Location: NYMI SOJO prefers the Project Editor be located in Southeast Michigan (Detroit metro); however, candidates from either Western New York or Southeast Michigan will be considered. Both NYMI SOJO and LMF, which will contract this position on behalf of NYMI SOJO, are virtual organizations, so this position will be work-from-anywhere.
Compensation: $38.46 per hour ($40,000 per year at 20 hours per week)
Applications due: June 10, 2022
Interviews planned: June 13-24, 2022
Start Date: On or before July 8, 2022
Background
The Solutions Journalism Network, a growing national nonprofit organization, is catalyzing critical reporting about responses to social problems. Solutions journalism provides a framework, grounded in journalistic ethics and informed by today’s professional challenges, that enables journalists to cover society more comprehensively, revealing possibilities for civic agency and connection.
In SJN’s eight years, solutions journalism has become a credible reporting practice recognized for driving meaningful impact in society. Over 18,000 journalists have been exposed to our curriculum. More than 300 news organizations have engaged SJN to produce staff workshops, develop reporting projects, and consult on audience or community engagement activities.
This role will support the New York & Michigan Solutions Journalism Collaborative, supported by the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and the Health Foundation of Western & Central New York. The New York & Michigan Solutions Journalism Collaborative is Solutions Journalism Network’s first interstate collaborative — a diverse group representing at least 26 news organizations, three universities, a talk show, and a book publisher.
By agreement with the collaborative and SJN, Local Media Foundation is the fiscal and administrative agent for NYMI SOJO, and will execute the contract and issue payment to the contractor for this Project Editor position.
Role Description
We’re looking for an entrepreneurial journalist to work with the New York & Michigan Solutions Journalism Collaborative. The group’s current focus is on solutions to challenges faced by caregivers of older adults.
NYMI SOJO needs a part-time project editor to assist with day-to-day support for the 33 partners/participating media organizations as they report, edit, and publish and/or broadcast news coverage about caregiving and caregivers. More news organizations have indicated an interest in joining the collaborative, and it is likely to grow as more coverage surfaces and partnerships gain traction.
As Caregiving Project Editor, you will:
- Manage relationships between collaborative partners.
- Be responsible for accountability toward goals and strategies set by collaborative members.
- Convene and lead consistent meetings for collaborative partners.
- Reinforce the solutions journalism approach by offering guidance on potential story ideas, reporting strategies and research resources.
- Provide quality control on the project as a whole – identifying gaps in coverage and flagging inconsistencies, including making sure the project website reflects the collaborative’s mission.
- Act as the central keeper of story pitches and plans of each participating outlet. In the case of conflicting or overlapping story plans, the Caregiving Project Editor will look for ways to meld reporting so that the efforts and integrity of each newsroom’s work is maintained.
- Encourage cross-newsroom coverage as much as possible.
- Manage the project’s website and social media platforms.
- Manage collaborative budget and spending with fiscal/administrative agent.
This position is part of a bigger puzzle: transforming the way journalists engage and cover caregivers of older adults to offer stronger, community-centric information and storytelling rooted in what caregivers say the main issues are.
Does this sound like your calling? We hope so: We’re an energetic, ambitious and fun bunch, and we want great people to join us. We need folks who know how to solve problems, with an appetite for experimentation and an appreciation for ambiguity.
What we’re looking for
- Excellent oral and written communication skills, strong editorial mindset.
- Proven organizational experience and leadership on large projects.
- Experience working with a diverse array of media outlets.
- Familiarity with solutions journalism.
- Demonstration of effective judgment, critical thinking skills and problem-solving abilities.
- Knowledge of AP style.
- Available to work evenings/weekends as needed.
- Willingness to experiment.
- At least three years of experience in journalism.
Send application, including resume, to jobs@localmedia.org . Do you have skills or experiences that we haven’t thought of that you can bring to this job? Tell us how you can see this role benefit from your own individual experiences.