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Current openings:
Digital Growth Strategist
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Summary: We are seeking a Digital Growth Strategist to join our team at Spotlight PA, an award-winning independent newsroom covering Pennsylvania’s Capitol and urgent statewide issues. The mission of Spotlight PA is simple: to hold powerful private and public forces to account by producing nonpartisan journalism that gets results and serves the public good. Spotlight PA has the largest collaborative local journalism network of its kind in the United States, with stories shared across more than 90 partner newsrooms, allowing our vital investigative and public-service reporting to reach Pennsylvanians in all corners. Get in on the ground floor of a fast-growing statewide news organization recognized as one of the most promising new models for collaborative local journalism in the United States.
What you’ll do: Reporting directly to the executive director, the Digital Growth Strategist will oversee the alignment of Spotlight PA’s product and editorial touchpoints to create a unified marketing strategy aimed at audience and revenue growth to sustain our award-winning, public-service journalism. The strategist will drive the acquisition, activation, retention, and reactivation of readers and members using new and existing product channels, including our website, email newsletters, social media, virtual and in-person events, partner distribution network, organic and paid search, and display advertising. In addition, they will educate, inform, and collaborate with staff and managers regularly on how metrics and technology can guide and drive the organization to desired business outcomes.
This role is funded through a grant from the American Journalism Project, which seeks to help a select group of the most promising nonprofit newsrooms in the United States hire experienced business and digital leaders to sustain vital public-service journalism.
Who we’re looking for: The growth strategist should have experience developing and implementing successful data-informed marketing strategies aligned with business goals. Those marketing techniques should be aimed at acquiring customers and measuring and driving conversion and/or retention. Other relevant skills or experience include A/B testing, a strong knowledge of SEO best practices, collection and analysis of user feedback, identifying growth opportunities and aligning current products or launching new products, developing digital campaigns to increase web traffic, and using data and analytics to maximize the effectiveness and performance of marketing spend. Applicants should be passionate about revitalizing nonpartisan, independent journalism in Pennsylvania and helping a fast-growing organization take the next steps toward long-term organizational stability and success. We welcome applicants with relevant experience in any industry or sector, regardless of their career path.
The ability to work in a collaborative environment is a must. We’re an agile startup that values camaraderie and equity across all of the work that we do, and everyone on our team pitches in across the organization and brings a sense of urgency and drive to their work every day. We also value innovation, creativity, and originality, and we’re always seeking to explore new and experimental ways of doing our work and connecting it with readers across the state.
This job is full-time and includes benefits. The position is remote from anywhere in the United States. This position is budgeted for a salary from $90,000-$100,000, depending on experience. Applicants should include a resume and cover letter clearly articulating past successes and why they’re a good fit for this role.
Note that the application portal is managed by The Philadelphia Inquirer, but Spotlight PA operates as an independent newsroom.
We know not everyone reading this will fit exactly what we’ve described. We encourage everyone to apply who shares our passion for indispensable journalism and our drive to create a sustainable business model to support it. Spotlight PA is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture, and we especially encourage people from marginalized and underrepresented backgrounds to apply, including people of color, women, people from the LGBTQIA+ community, and people with disabilities.
Newsletter Writer/Reporter
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Summary: We are seeking a passionate, dynamic voice to write our flagship newsletters. The mission of Spotlight PA is simple: to hold powerful private and public forces to account by producing journalism that gets results and serves the public good. Spotlight PA has the largest collaborative local journalism network of its kind in the United States, with stories shared across dozens of partner newsrooms, allowing our vital investigative and public-service reporting to reach Pennsylvanians in all corners.
What you’ll do: The newsletter writer will report to Spotlight PA’s Lead Editor, News Products. Their primary responsibilities will be:
- Writing PA Post — Spotlight PA’s daily newsletter — on Sunday and Thursday.
- Contributing to The Investigator, Spotlight PA’s weekly investigative journalism newsletter.
- Contributing to and reporting original stories for PA Local, Spotlight PA’s lighter-side weekly newsletter.
- Contributing to Spotlight PA’s weekly news quiz.
This person will work a 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday through Thursday schedule.
Who we’re looking for: We’re looking for writers with a consistent and compelling voice, who can provide our readers unique insights about the state. We view our newsletters as another reporting platform, so this position will involve original reporting and writing to advance our mission of holding the powerful to account and illuminating Pennsylvania for all who live here.
Ideal candidates will have a writing, reporting, or journalism background, as well as an interest in developing their voice and engaging with readers of local journalism. An obsession with accuracy and the craft of clean, concise writing is a must. Ideal candidates will be self-motivated and looking for an opportunity that gives them room to experiment and innovate.
This job is full-time, includes benefits, and is remote, though a home base in Pennsylvania is strongly preferred. This position is budgeted for a salary from $65,000-$70,000, depending on experience. Applicants should submit a resume and one-page cover letter that answers the following questions:
- What newsletters do you subscribe to? What do you think makes a newsletter a must read?
- What does your daily news diet look like? Which outlets do you read every day, and why?
- Please link to one news story about Pennsylvania written between December 2022 and March 2023 and explain in two to three sentences why it’s important for people statewide to read it.
Note that the application portal is managed by The Philadelphia Inquirer, but Spotlight PA operates as an independent newsroom.
We know not everyone reading this will fit exactly what we’ve described. We encourage everyone to apply who shares our passion for indispensable journalism and our drive to create a sustainable business model to support it. Spotlight PA is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture, and we especially encourage people from marginalized and underrepresented backgrounds to apply, including people of color, women, people from the LGBTQIA+ community, and people with disabilities.
Berks County Project Lead
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Summary: We are seeking a project lead to oversee the planning process for a potential new Spotlight PA regional bureau based in Berks County. The ongoing and rapid decline of local news and investigative journalism in Berks County has prompted Spotlight PA and its partners to consider this regional expansion. This would be the second regional bureau for Spotlight PA, an award-winning independent newsroom founded in 2019 to cover Pennsylvania’s Capitol and urgent statewide issues. The first is based in State College and launched in 2022 (spotlightpa.org/statecollege). The mission of Spotlight PA is simple: to hold powerful private and public forces to account by producing nonpartisan journalism that gets results and serves the public good. Spotlight PA has the largest collaborative local journalism network of its kind in the United States, with stories shared across more than 90 partner newsrooms, allowing our vital investigative and public-service reporting to reach Pennsylvanians in all corners.
What you’ll do: The project lead will be our local, on-the-ground expert, and will collaborate with community residents, leaders, donors, funders, media partners, and businesses to help guide the creation of the bureau. The role is funded by a one-year planning grant from Berks County Community Foundation. Responsibilities will include leading a needs assessment to gain a better understanding of information gaps in Berks County, what kind of news coverage community members want, and in what form. This will entail conducting listening sessions and surveys in English and Spanish. The project lead will also evaluate and develop product and distribution pathways, which may include partnering with local media and creating new products, depending on community feedback (e.g. a newsletter or texting service). In collaboration with Spotlight PA’s leadership team, the project lead will also help oversee a third-party feasibility study of local philanthropic capacity and develop relationships with local donors and funders to ensure a clear pathway to financial sustainability.
Who we’re looking for: We welcome applications from individuals with experience in any aspect of journalism, as well as those who have non-traditional career paths or relevant experience in another industry or sector. Fluency in Spanish is a major plus. Applicants should be passionate about revitalizing nonpartisan, independent journalism in Berks County and helping a fast-growing organization take the next steps toward expanding locally. We want someone who’s not afraid to bring big ideas to the table with the skills and persistence to pull them off.
The ability to work in a collaborative environment is a must. We’re an agile startup that values camaraderie and equity across all of the work that we do, and everyone on our team pitches in across the organization and brings a sense of urgency and drive to their work every day. We also value innovation, creativity, and originality, and we’re always seeking to explore new and experimental ways of doing our work and connecting it with readers across the state.
This is a one-year position, supported by a grant from Berks County Community Foundation, and is full-time and includes benefits. The position is remote, though applicants should be based in or near Berks County. This position is budgeted for a salary of $90,000-$110,000, depending on experience. Applicants should include a resume and one-page cover letter answering the following questions:
- What is your connection to Berks County?
- How would your past experience inform your work on this project?
Note that the application portal is managed by The Philadelphia Inquirer, but Spotlight PA operates as an independent newsroom.
We know not everyone reading this will fit exactly what we’ve described. We encourage everyone to apply who shares our passion for indispensable journalism and our drive to create a sustainable business model to support it. Spotlight PA is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture, and we especially encourage people from marginalized and underrepresented backgrounds to apply, including people of color, women, people from the LGBTQIA+ community, and people with disabilities.
Membership Manager
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Summary: We are seeking a Membership Manager to join our team at Spotlight PA, an award-winning independent newsroom covering Pennsylvania’s Capitol and urgent statewide issues. The mission of Spotlight PA is simple: to hold powerful private and public forces to account by producing journalism that gets results and serves the public good. Spotlight PA has the largest collaborative local journalism network of its kind in the United States, with stories shared across dozens of partner newsrooms, allowing our vital investigative and public-service reporting to reach Pennsylvanians in all corners. The newsroom is supported by grants and donations from Pennsylvanians who believe in the value of the work and want to sustain it. In partnership with the American Journalism Project, we are building out a best-in-class development team to enable Spotlight PA to sustain and grow its reporting in the long term.
What you’ll do: The Membership Manager will lead aggressive growth of Spotlight PA’s grassroots donation program, a critical revenue stream for the newsroom and a key part of its growth plan. This position will report to the Development Director and will also work closely with the Major Gifts Director and the Executive Director to expand Spotlight PA’s fundraising sophistication and capacity.
Responsibilities will include:
- Manage Spotlight PA’s broad membership program, which includes running seasonal membership campaigns and end-of-month or flash campaigns as needed, to ensure we’re meeting our monthly goals. This includes the data-informed determination of targets, strategy, and themes for each campaign; writing campaign copy and sending it through Mailchimp; keeping track of our progress on a weekly basis and adjusting as needed; and corresponding directly with members.
- Devise and implement creative strategies to build community among Spotlight PA members (e.g. through member-only newsletters; events; swag or other perks).
- Keep all of our membership materials and marketing fresh and up-to-date.
- Develop and maintain creative and innovative partnerships to drive member growth. We are interested, for example, in partnering with a local food bank or another charitable organization during campaigns to incentivize membership and to give back to the communities we cover.
- Manage all operations related to membership efforts, including gift processing, direct mail, and thank-you letters.
- Respond to member questions in a timely and respectful fashion, and keep the “supporters” page on our website up-to-date.
- Advance diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives on our team and through your external membership work.
- Collaborate with the Major Gifts Director and Development Director to identify individuals with the potential to give mid-level or major gifts.
- Help the team with other fundraising tasks as necessary.
Who we’re looking for: The membership director should be very detail-oriented, with strong organizational and communication skills, and passionate about revitalizing non-partisan, independent journalism in Pennsylvania. Previous experience with grassroots fundraising, Mailchimp and Salesforce is a major plus. We welcome applications from individuals with experience in grassroots fundraising, membership programs, and email marketing across a wide spectrum of industries, or from within journalism itself (e.g. community engagement or audience development). We also encourage those with these skills who have taken other career paths to apply.
An ability to work in a collaborative environment is a must. We’re an agile startup that values camaraderie, and everyone on our team pitches in across the organization and brings a sense of urgency and drive to their work every day. We also value innovation, creativity, and originality, and we’re always seeking to explore new and experimental ways of connecting with readers and members.
This job is full-time and includes benefits, and is fully remote, though a home base in Pennsylvania is preferred. This position is budgeted for a salary from $65,000-$75,000, depending on experience. Applicants should include a resume and cover letter explaining why they’re a good fit for this role. Note that the application portal is managed by The Philadelphia Inquirer, but Spotlight PA operates as an independent newsroom.
We know not everyone reading this will fit exactly what we’ve described. We encourage everyone to apply who shares our passion for indispensable journalism and our drive to create a sustainable business model to support it. Spotlight PA is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture, and we especially encourage people from marginalized and underrepresented backgrounds to apply, including people of color, women, people from the LGBTQIA+ community, and people with disabilities.