Join Our Team
Current openings:
- Membership Manager
- Newsletter Writer/Reporter
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.
Membership Manager
Apply here
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.