Applications for this role have now closed. Please see our jobs page for our open positions.
Minimum salary: $125K/year
Location: Remote (Anywhere in the US)
Reports to: Editor in Chief
The 19th is seeking a skilled leader, talented editor and experienced mentor to run its inaugural Frances Ellen Watkins Harper fellowship program, which aims to further equity in the field of journalism, create career opportunities for women of color and LGBTQ+ people, and ensure a diverse pipeline of next-generation journalists for the nation’s newsrooms.
The fellowships director will play a key role in designing and recruiting for the program, which launches its first class of fellows in September 2022. The director will provide direction, oversight and support for five full-time fellows annually, including serving as the primary newsroom editor for reporting and editing fellows. They will partner with Nikole Hannah-Jones and Howard University’s Center for Journalism and Democracy to provide continuing education and training opportunities for fellows. And they will work closely with our human resources and senior leadership teams to support fellows professionally and personally, helping them land full-time employment at the end of their time with The 19th.
Responsibilities include:
- Working with senior leadership to design the mechanics and curriculum of the fellowship program, from application and selection process to daily operations and mentorship.
- Working with our human resources team and other department heads to recruit, select and nurture our fellows, thinking creatively about fellowship outreach and community engagement with partner organizations.
- Programming professional development and training opportunities to help our fellows (and staff members) excel in their craft, advance in their personal growth and effectively advocate for themselves in this industry
- Helping to assign, shape, edit and produce daily and enterprise journalism with a strong gender lens for two to three reporting fellows and one editing fellow at any given time, in partnership with other newsroom editors. Working closely with our audience, product and technology leads to provide leadership, mentorship and direction for fellows on those teams.
- Collaborating across departments to pursue visuals, data analysis, social media assets and partnerships that complement our fellows’ journalism.
- Envisioning how the fellowship program might grow over time, and working closely with our development team to consider future funding opportunities.
- Serving as the lead evangelist for The 19th’s fellowship program out in the world — with prospective fellows, with universities and with potential funders.
Relevant skills include:
- A track record of managing teams and inspiring, energizing and mentoring early-career journalists across departments; experience managing a fellowship or internship program a plus
- Strong news judgment and story ideas, with experience in politics and policy journalism preferred
- Excellent verbal and written interpersonal communication
- Excellent organizational skills with attention to detail
- Experience writing and editing daily and enterprise journalism, and the ability to quickly turn breaking news when needed
- Collaborative, and has the ability to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds and perspectives
- Empathy and open-mindedness, and the ability to seek creative solutions that help fellows from a wide range of experiences and backgrounds thrive
- 6+ years in a newsroom, with at least two years of editing experience
- Experience with content management systems; WordPress is a plus
We know there are great candidates who might not check all these boxes or who possess important skills we haven’t thought of. If that’s you, don’t hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself. We also encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, including people of color, LGBTQ people and people with disabilities.
Benefits
- Paid Family Leave (100% up to 6 months)
- 401(k) Plan (up to 3.5% matching on 6% contribution)
- Flexible Spending Plan (for qualifying medical or child care expenses)
- Health, vision, and dental insurance (100% for employee / 60% for dependents)
- Long Term and Short Term Disability insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time-off (20 days per year)
- Major Holidays (13 per year)
- Caregiver leave (100% up to 4 months)
How to apply
Interested candidates should apply at the link below by Dec. 13. Have questions about this position? Contact Emily Ramshaw (CEO) at eramshaw@19thnews.org. (Note: We are not accepting résumés or applications via email; apply at the link below)