Faculty, Journalism Funding Ethics

Description:

Would you like to play an important role in helping to increase philanthropic funding to support local news across the United States? The Poynter Institute, a global nonprofit that works to strengthen journalism in service to democracy, is looking for a faculty member to direct a new initiative. This role will develop and lead a comprehensive, multi-stage education program to teach potential donors about the ethics of funding journalism. 

This role will run that effort, in collaboration with experts at Poynter, a leader in journalism ethics. In a multi-phase effort, you will:

• create and deliver in-person and asynchronous ethics training on video for members of Press Forward chapters and others desiring to fund local journalism. This includes helping funders understand the need to guard against influence and ensure independent reporting, as well as the value of supporting local newsrooms in their vital work. 

• consult individually with funders 

• create and deliver a longer, comprehensive course on how modern news organizations work and the ethical rules that guide the organizations and their funders

The successful leader will have demonstrated professional achievement in local news as well as be an enthusiastic coach and dynamic communicator, with strong presentation skills both to individuals and groups. You must understand the ethical principles behind independent journalism and be comfortable advising potential donors on what is and isn’t a part of their relationship with the newsrooms they fund. 

You will travel to present workshops in person before groups of funders, help them identify their motivations for funding local news and develop policies and guardrails that lead to success. You will be a resource for more specialized consulting with some organizations who seek coaching beyond the initial training. And you will help develop a more in-depth six-month curriculum about the inner workings of local journalism including craft, business and audience engagement strategies and news ethics, for funders who desire to significantly increase their knowledge of news organizations and ethical standards. 

You will write about issues relating to the philanthropic funding of journalism, the ethics of journalism funding and the work of this project for our website, poynter.org on a regular basis. 

Our preferred candidate will have some experience in the nonprofit sector or with philanthropic organizations, either having managed or been involved with grant relationships, working for a philanthropy or having experience in other aspects of funding journalistic work. 

This position is tied to a multi-year grant. The effort will offer a quick-to-market series of education programs and a clearinghouse for best practices to create the knowledge base and roadmap needed for philanthropy to develop deep roots as effective financiers of local journalism. The first programs will roll out in the latter part of 2024. 

While building and executing this program will be the main responsibility, we also expect that this position will develop a portfolio of teaching and publishing as a Poynter faculty member based on their personal areas of expertise. 

Required skills/experience:

• At least seven to 10 years experience and demonstrated achievement working as a journalist or journalism educator, or equivalent experience

• Experience working in a local news environment. Leadership experience a plus

• Previous experience applying sound and accepted ethical principles in journalistic decision-making

• Understanding of grant-making, foundations, philanthropic organizations. Experience interacting with philanthropic organizations is preferred.

• Excellent communicator, strong interpersonal skills

• Strong skill as public speaker/presenter or teacher. On camera experience is a plus.

• Self-starter, strong organizational and time management skills.

• Previous experience with instructional design, curriculum development and/or coaching/mentoring programs is a plus

• Able to meet sometimes tight deadlines and work on multiple projects simultaneously

• Strong writing skills. 

• Able to travel frequently throughout the United States, with a minimum of 10 trips per year.

• Able to prepare grant reports and requirements, and present progress on this effort to funders and other stakeholders. 

Other information: 

• This position is eligible for remote work from anywhere in the U.S., or it can be based at our offices in St. Petersburg or Washington, D.C.

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.

In addition to salary, our benefits include: 

• excellent professional development opportunities and the ability to progress in both your craft and career 

• one of the better paid parental leave plans in journalism 

• the last two weeks of the calendar year off (in addition to annual PTO allotment)

In a cover letter, please provide short answers to the following questions and send them, along with your resume to jfejob@poynter.org

1. What makes you the right person to teach potential funders how newsrooms operate, the ethical principles that guide them and what the relationship should be between funder and newsroom?

2. Provide one example of a journalistic decision you faced and describe the process of ethical decision making you used to make your decision. 

Resumés and cover letters will be accepted through: Sept. 13, 2024