Staff Reporter

The National Catholic Reporter -- the country's premier, fully independent, lay-run Catholic news organization -- is hiring a staff reporter (Bertelsen fellowship). The staff reporter reports to the news editor and works with other editors and members of the editorial team to cover the U.S. Catholic community and make an impact at a critical time in the history of the church, the country and the world. This is a full-time position, funded by the Bertelsen endowment fund. The staff reporter may work remotely, or from NCR offices in Kansas City or Washington, D.C.

The NCR staff reporter will be expected to:

Cover news and feature stories as assigned by editors in a timely fashion, utilizing journalistic skills to bring nuance to difficult issues and to highlight unusual, thought-provoking angles on issues surrounding the U.S. Catholic community.
Suggest and execute longer-term stories, especially those at the nexus of church, politics, and social trends.
Produce enterprise coverage of traditionally under-covered areas of the church, including Latino Catholics and other Catholics of color.
Bring and continue to cultivate a network of sources, especially within institutions such as national and state bishops' conferences, Catholic colleges and universities, parishes, Catholic think tanks and advocacy groups.
Interact regularly on social media platforms that grow traffic and reach across generations.
Occasionally represent the publication through speaking engagements, at conferences and through media appearances.
Work from a home base and through pre-approved travel.
Maintain high standards of accuracy, accountability and integrity.

The suitable candidate will be expected to have:

Bachelor's degree or higher.
Minimum of three years of reporting experience.
The ability to write clearly, accurately and quickly.
Demonstrable knowledge of the Catholic Church, history and culture.
Excellent communication skills, including experience with interviewing sources.
Team-oriented, flexible, positive outlook and willingness to learn.
Proven ability to self-motivate and work both independently and as part of a team.
Fluency in additional languages, especially Spanish, is a plus.

Compensation and benefits:

This remote position will be full-time, with the opportunity to work in person at NCR headquarters in Kansas City, MO or our Washington DC office. Salary is commensurate with experience and other relevant factors, in the range of 45,000-55,000 annually. NCR offers the following benefits for full-time employees (employees working 24 hours or more per week):

Health Insurance plan options (90% employer paid premium)
Dental and Vision plan coverage (90% / 75% employer paid premium)
Life Insurance and Long Term Disability
Group Annuity Program (403B) with company match
Supplemental Insurance option (Aflac)
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Paid parental leave (up to 12 weeks)
Generous paid vacation (up to 20 days per year)/sick/personal time, plus 11 paid holidays
Flexibility for work/life integration; summer hours (between Memorial and Labor Days)

To apply:

Interested parties should submit a resume with career history, along with a cover letter explaining their interest and describing their qualifications. All nominations, applications and inquiries should be directed electronically to jobs@ncronline.org (with the subject line: Staff Reporter position). Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, until February 12, 2024.

All communications will be treated confidentially. Application materials will be reviewed as they are received and subsequent steps in the hiring process will take place following the application deadline.

National Catholic Reporter Publishing Company has a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy for its employees. Reasonable accommodations or exemption will be considered for medical-related or sincerely held religious objections.

The National Catholic Reporter Publishing Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer and will not discriminate in the hiring process on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, color, age, national origin/ethnicity or religion.

Organizational overview:

The National Catholic Reporter Publishing Company is a non-profit, independent, lay-led news organization that reports on the Catholic Church and wider moral issues facing the human family. It publishes the National Catholic Reporter bi-monthly in print and daily at NCRonline.org. It also publishes Global Sisters Report and EarthBeat online. These publications are committed to shaping a world that recognizes the sacredness and dignity of every human being, regardless of religious belief, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation. Throughout our history, NCR has been a voice for the voiceless, disadvantaged and marginalized. It has held authority, secular or religious, accountable.