Current openings
- General Manager, Berks County bureau
- Lehigh Valley Project Lead (6-month contract)
- City/County Accountability Reporter (Reading/Berks County)
- Quality of Life Reporter (Reading/Berks County)
- Regional Accountability Reporter (Reading/Berks County)
General Manager, Berks County bureau
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Summary: Summary: Spotlight PA is seeking a general manager to lead its local revenue, partnership, and community outreach/engagement initiatives for its new bureau in Berks County. This will be the second regional bureau established by Spotlight PA, an award-winning independent, nonpartisan newsroom founded in 2019 to revitalize investigative and public-service reporting across Pennsylvania. 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 regularly republished across 125+ partner newsrooms, allowing our vital reporting to reach Pennsylvanians in all corners and drive positive change.
The Berks bureau will produce in-depth investigative and public-service reporting on all levels of government in Berks County as well as urgent issues related to the spending of taxpayer dollars, jobs, the economy, quality of life, and more. The bureau’s journalism will be distributed via Spotlight PA and its partner network, including multiple outlets in the county, filling information gaps and elevating stories from Berks to a statewide audience. Through its journalism, events, local newsletter, and more, the bureau will act as a vital public service in Berks County, while also promoting greater collaboration among media and other organizations.
What you’ll do: The general manager will be the local business and community engagement lead for Spotlight PA’s Berks bureau. This position will be responsible for engaging in all aspects of community leadership and participation, and will be the face of Spotlight PA in Berks County. The general manager will attend and participate in the most important events and conversations happening within the community, from the local rotary to the chamber of commerce, to nonprofit gatherings. The general manager will be responsible for building and stewarding relationships and strategic partnerships within the community, as well as a corps of local volunteers to expand our presence and reach. The general manager will be the point person on ensuring the bureau’s three-year runway toward sustainability is on track and meeting targets, with a focus on local business revenue, sponsorships of Spotlight PA products, strategic partnerships, and fundraising events in the county. The general manager will also assist statewide fundraising efforts within the local community, and identify new opportunities for Spotlight PA to grow its community presence and sustainability.
Who we’re looking for: The general manager should be someone who is engaged in civic life in Berks County and has experience with sales and/or fundraising (individual & corporate/business giving, sponsorships, fundraising events), community relations/engagement, and public relationships. The general manager should be a kinetic, community connector who is passionate about revitalizing local journalism and enhancing Spotlight PA’s profile locally. The general manager should have experience working with volunteers for community outreach and engagement (e.g. tabling at community events). The general manager must have a strong working knowledge of Reading and/or Berks County.
This job is full-time and includes benefits. This is a two-year, grant-funded position. The position is remote, though applicants should be based in or near Berks County. This position is budgeted for a salary of $80,000-$90,000, depending on experience.
Applicants should include a resume and a one-page cover letter answering the following questions: 1) How would you grow Spotlight PA’s profile and revenue in Berks County?; and 2) Tell us about your previous successes in sales, fundraising, and/or community engagement.
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.
Lehigh Valley Project Lead (6-month contract)
Apply here
Summary: Spotlight PA is seeking a project lead to oversee a six-month study assessing the potential for a new Spotlight PA community newsroom in the Lehigh Valley. The ongoing and rapid decline of local news and investigative journalism in the Lehigh Valley has prompted Spotlight PA to consider this regional expansion. This would be the third community newsroom 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, and the second is based in Reading and is launching in spring 2025. The mission of Spotlight PA is 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 regularly republished across 125+ partner newsrooms, allowing our vital reporting to reach Pennsylvanians in all corners and drive positive change.
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, businesses, and nonprofits to help guide the creation of a potential local newsroom. Responsibilities will include forming an advisory committee of community stakeholders and leading a needs assessment to gain a better understanding of news and information gaps in the Lehigh Valley, with a focus on the problems residents are facing and how better access to high-quality, non-partisan information could help them solve those problems. This will entail conducting listening sessions and surveys in English and Spanish (additional resources available for candidates who do not speak Spanish). The project lead will also evaluate and develop product and distribution pathways, which will include partnering with local media and creating new products, depending on community feedback. 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, community organizing, or community engagement, as well as those who have relevant experience in another industry or sector who are passionate about this project and believe they could be an effective leader. Fluency in Spanish is a plus, but not required. Applicants should be passionate about revitalizing nonpartisan, independent journalism in the Lehigh Valley and helping a fast-growing organization take the next steps toward expanding locally. We want someone who can bring important stakeholders to the table, who thinks big, and who has the skills and persistence to ensure this project is a success. 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. 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 six-month contract position budgeted at $50,000 total. The position is remote, though applicants should be based in the Lehigh Valley. Applicants should include a resume and one-page cover letter answering the following questions:
- What is your connection to the Lehigh Valley?
- How would your past experience inform your work on this project?
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.
City/County Accountability Reporter (Reading/Berks County)
Apply here
Summary: We are seeking an energetic, self-motivated reporter to provide vital accountability coverage of city and county government in Berks County for Spotlight PA, an award-winning independent, nonprofit, and nonpartisan newsroom in Pennsylvania. The mission of Spotlight PA is to hold powerful private and public forces to account by producing journalism that gets results and serves the public good. This reporter will be an integral part of Spotlight PA’s second local bureau launching this spring in Berks County, Pennsylvania.
What you’ll do: This reporter will focus on holding Reading and Berks County elected officials accountable and explaining how their policies affect the everyday lives of residents. For too long, these governing bodies have gone without sustained scrutiny, providing ample opportunity for candidates eager to build sources and break important stories. In general, the reporter will be expected to produce 1-2 stories per week — sometimes less, sometimes more. This is an enterprise beat, and we’ll balance publishing expectations with the needs of each story. The reporter will be expected to publish stories that uncover and investigate issues that otherwise get little or no attention. This position will primarily allow for the reporter to take the time to go beneath the surface, scrutinize policies and services and their impact on people, and drive the local conversation. This reporter will also have the opportunity to collaborate with partners in Berks County.
Who we’re looking for: Ideal candidates will have experience and clips that showcase the persistence and tenacity needed to get inside a government institution, build a diverse network of sources, aggressively fight for and use public records, and execute accurate, impactful reporting. We want someone who can constantly pitch stories and who has the organizational skills and focus to keep several projects of varying lengths cooking at one time. The best candidates will bring big ideas and a sense of urgency to work each day, and be eager to work with Spotlight PA’s team of like-minded reporters.
Some other ideal traits, though not required:
- Fluency in Spanish;
- Knowledge of Pennsylvania;
- Comfort with requesting, scrutinizing, and using data in the reporting process.
This job is full-time and includes benefits. This reporter is expected to be based in or within commuting distance of Berks County. This hybrid position requires the reporter to be in a Reading-based newsroom at least once a week and to spend time in the communities they cover. The position is budgeted for a salary of $65,000-$75,000, depending on experience. We can provide a moving stipend for out-of-state candidates. Applicants should include a resume, cover letter, and links to journalism they feel best exemplifies what we’re seeking.
We know not everyone reading this will fit exactly what we’ve described. We encourage everyone to apply who shares our passion for accountability journalism and reconstructing the core DNA of local newsrooms. This includes respecting and encouraging reporters who bring their own ideas about journalism to the team, as well as providing the space, time, and resources to help them execute. 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.
Quality of Life Reporter (Reading/Berks County)
Apply here
Summary: We are seeking an energetic, self-motivated reporter to provide vital accountability coverage of the most pressing issues in Reading and Berks County for Spotlight PA, an award-winning independent, nonprofit, and nonpartisan newsroom in Pennsylvania. The mission of Spotlight PA is to hold powerful private and public forces to account by producing journalism that gets results and serves the public good. This reporter will be an integral part of Spotlight PA’s second local bureau launching this spring in Berks County, Pennsylvania.
What you’ll do: This reporter will focus on quality of life issues in Reading and Berks County, including immigration, poverty, homelessness/housing, public health, and public safety. This reporter will hold accountable community institutions such as public health agencies, service agencies, nonprofits, and others that receive taxpayer money. This reporter will also examine the impact that state and federal policies and funding have on the quality of life for Berks County residents. In general, the reporter will be expected to produce 1-2 stories per week — sometimes less, sometimes more. This is an enterprise beat, and we’ll balance publishing expectations with the needs of each story. The reporter will be expected to publish stories that uncover and investigate issues that otherwise get little or no attention. This position will primarily allow for the reporter to take the time to go beneath the surface, scrutinize policies and services and their impact on people, and drive the local conversation. This reporter will also have the opportunity to collaborate with partners in Berks County.
Who we’re looking for: Ideal candidates will have experience and clips that showcase the persistence and tenacity needed to go beyond surface issues in a community, build a diverse network of sources, aggressively fight for and use public records, and execute accurate, impactful reporting. We want someone who can constantly pitch stories and who has the organizational skills and focus to keep several projects of varying lengths cooking at one time. The best candidates will bring big ideas and a sense of urgency to work each day, and be eager to work with Spotlight PA’s team of like-minded reporters.
Some other ideal traits, though not required:
- Fluency in Spanish;
- Knowledge of Pennsylvania;
- Comfort with requesting, scrutinizing, and using data in the reporting process.
This job is full-time and includes benefits. This reporter is expected to be based in or within commuting distance of Berks County. This hybrid position requires the reporter to be in a Reading-based newsroom at least once a week and to spend time in the communities they cover. The position is budgeted for a salary of $62,000-$72,000, depending on experience. We can provide a moving stipend for out-of-state candidates. Applicants should include a resume, cover letter, and links to journalism they feel best exemplifies what we’re seeking.
We know not everyone reading this will fit exactly what we’ve described. We encourage everyone to apply who shares our passion for accountability journalism and reconstructing the core DNA of local newsrooms. This includes respecting and encouraging reporters who bring their own ideas about journalism to the team, as well as providing the space, time, and resources to help them execute. 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.
Regional Accountability Reporter (Reading/Berks County)
Apply here
Summary: We are seeking an energetic, self-motivated reporter to provide vital accountability coverage of the most pressing issues across Berks County for Spotlight PA, an award-winning independent, nonprofit, and nonpartisan newsroom in Pennsylvania. The mission of Spotlight PA is to hold powerful private and public forces to account by producing journalism that gets results and serves the public good. This reporter will be an integral part of Spotlight PA’s second community newsroom launching this spring in Berks County, Pennsylvania.
What you’ll do: This reporter will be a critical check on local and regional elected officials, agencies, and powerful institutions, from borough councils to school boards to universities and businesses, across Berks County. The reporter will focus on how people and institutions with power are serving the community and affecting the lives of those who live here. The reporter will have a broad mandate to hold local governments and institutions across the county accountable, and will establish themselves as the go-to source for help when county residents suspect something is amiss with their local government. This reporter will be expected to spend time in the communities they cover and go wherever a story takes them. In general, this reporter will be expected to produce 1-2 stories per week — sometimes less, sometimes more. This is an enterprise beat, and we’ll balance publishing expectations with the needs of each story. The reporter will be expected to publish stories that uncover and investigate issues that otherwise get little or no attention. This position will primarily allow for the reporter to take the time to go beneath the surface, scrutinize policies and services and their impact on people, and drive the local conversation. This reporter will also have the opportunity to collaborate with partners in Berks County.
Who we’re looking for: Ideal candidates will have experience and clips that showcase the persistence and tenacity needed to get inside local governments, school boards, and influential institutions, build a diverse network of sources, aggressively fight for and use public records, and execute accurate, impactful reporting. We want someone who can constantly pitch stories and who has the organizational skills and focus to keep several projects of varying lengths cooking at one time. The best candidates will bring big ideas and a sense of urgency to work each day, and be eager to work with Spotlight PA’s team of like-minded reporters.
Some other ideal traits, though not required:
- Fluency in Spanish;
- Knowledge of Pennsylvania;
- Comfort with requesting, scrutinizing, and using data in the reporting process.
This job is full-time and includes benefits. This reporter is expected to be based in or within commuting distance of Berks County. This hybrid position requires the reporter to be in a Reading-based newsroom at least once a week and to spend time in the communities they cover. The position is budgeted for a salary of $62,000-$72,000, depending on experience. We can provide a moving stipend for out-of-state candidates. Applicants should include a resume, cover letter, and links to journalism they feel best exemplifies what we’re seeking.
We know not everyone reading this will fit exactly what we’ve described. We encourage everyone to apply who shares our passion for accountability journalism and reconstructing the core DNA of local newsrooms. This includes respecting and encouraging reporters who bring their own ideas about journalism to the team, as well as providing the space, time, and resources to help them execute. 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.