Wyandotte County Watchdog Reporter Job at McClatchy in Kansas City

The Kansas City Star is looking for an experienced, high-energy, self-starting and community-minded reporter to cover Kansas City, Kansas, and Wyandotte County.

This reporter will be tasked with covering local governments, school districts, the utility board and other influential institutions with a strong focus on accountability, in a way that reflects and reaches Wyandotte County residents, especially in areas of the county that may have been ignored or undercovered in the past.

They will find the topics that our Wyandotte County readers care about and will dig in, turning both quick stories each week and pursuing more enterprising angles. Story ideas will come from neighborhoods, not just meeting agendas. The reporter will be open to using callouts and other engagement tools to hear directly from residents about what they'd like to see covered and will utilize multiple story formats including service journalism-style explainers and fact checks.

This reporter will also work closely with our Kansas statehouse and other politics reporters to keep an eye on how those in Topeka and Washington are delivering to Wyandotte County.

Back when Wyandotte County developed along the Kansas River, jobs in its packinghouses and railroads helped shape the area into a diverse working class hub and a place to land for many immigrants coming to KC - a legacy and character that remains today in the metro's most racially and ethnically diverse county. More than half of the county's population identifies as Black and/or Hispanic, and nearly a third of households speak a language other than English at home. Fluency in Spanish would be a great asset for this reporter.

This beat will have a particular emphasis on community engagement and building trust among readers and potential readers. This reporter will show up with doggedness and humility to demonstrate that The Star is committed to consistent coverage that is useful to residents.

The ideal candidate will have an understanding of how local governments and institutions work. They will know how to develop a network of trusted sources and will be confident in their ability to pitch ideas to drive the beat.

We are looking for stories that connect the decisions of those in power to the everyday quality of life of Wyandotte County residents in sharp, fresh ways. We want stories that check forces of power when they don't follow through, as well as stories about the next generation of cultural influencers shaping the county outside the halls of government.

We are looking for candidates with strong interpersonal skills who can collaborate with editors, reporters, other staff members and residents. This reporter will work closely with editors and our audience development team to make sure we are reaching readers who have shown a thirst for this coverage.

What you'll bring:

• At least two years of reporting experience, ideally with examples of work related to local governments and/or accountability reporting.
• Strong writing skills and excellent news judgment.
• An unwavering commitment to accurate, ethical journalism.
• Comfort consistently pitching stories with sharp angles and articulating why a story connects to residents' daily lives.
• An ability to stay organized and manage time while monitoring multiple government bodies.
• An understanding of public records laws and how to use them.
• A collaborator who works well as part of a team.
• A self-starter who will develop a strong network of sources to find and pursue stories that will resonate with a local audience.
• An interest in telling stories using a variety of media and engagement tools, and an enthusiasm for learning new skills and technologies.
• Competency in and curiosity about how metrics, analytics and an understanding of SEO and other audience optimization tactics can help stories connect with more local readers.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including empathy with both colleagues and sources.
• Humility, a willingness to ask questions, receive constructive feedback, seek support, try new things and always keep learning.

What we'll bring:

As a journalist at McClatchy, you will join a supportive, flexible, collaborative team. McClatchy strives to be an employer of choice, and our benefits package is made with this goal in mind. With a focus on health, well-being, wealth and daily life, our package options include healthcare coverage for employees and their families, financial protection from expected and unexpected expenses, multiple no-cost wellness resources and even coverage for four-legged friends.

Our overall benefits package also includes a 401(k) with employer match, competitive paid time off and corporate holidays, and a variety of mental health benefits. With an excellent support team and with focus on your well-being as a top corporate strategy, McClatchy provides benefits to support you and your family in achieving your health and wellness goals. For more information on McClatchy's benefit plan, please visit McClatchyLivewell.com.