Community Journalist

Discourse Community Publishing (DCP) is seeking a qualified candidate to fill a full-time, permanent Community Journalist position based in Sun Peaks, B.C., the traditional territory the Secwepemc Peoples, at Sun Peaks Independent News.

DCP is a growing network of independent community news outlets dedicated to contributing to a more sustainable and equitable news ecosystem. This position lends the opportunity to learn from, contribute to and be supported by our shared digital newsroom including The Discourse Cowichan, Nanaimo and Comox; IndigiNews; The Wren; and The Revelstoke Mountaineer. DCP focuses on in-depth, community-driven solutions stories and are guided by these 10 principles.

DCP aims to build an inclusive and equitable workplace that reflects the communities we serve, and is working to attract and support candidates from diverse communities and backgrounds. Women, Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC), LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with disabilities are highly encouraged to apply.

Compensation is expected to be a $50,000 annual salary. DCP currently operates on a four day work week (32 hours from Monday to Thursday), offers extended health and dental benefits, and three weeks paid vacation, in addition to bonus paid time off over the winter holiday period. This position also includes a dedicated office space in Sun Peaks' village.

The Community Journalist role focuses on producing quality local journalism for the community through a monthly print publication, as well as through our weekly e-newsletter and council highlights newsletter. General working hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Thursday, however covering community events, such as council meetings, will require flexibility. One of the fastest growing municipalities in the province, Sun Peaks provides the opportunity to write about a diverse range of topics while experiencing everything the community has to offer, such as skiing, snowshoeing, Nordic skiing, mountain biking and hiking. The position is best suited to a person with a passion for both independent community news and the mountain lifestyle.

The flexible start date for this position is April 15, 2024, with the potential for a remote start if the successful candidate is relocating from another city or province. A relocation bonus to assistant with moving costs may also be negotiated depending on the candidate's individual circumstances. The application closing date for this position is March 29, with interviews conducted on a rolling basis concluding no later than April 5, 2024.

We are a looking for:

• A passion to provide readers and communities with meaningful, original and in-depth reporting on issues that matter to residents
• The desire to be part of an independent media organization dedicated to helping to shape the future of community news
• A connection to Sun Peaks' community, organizations and residents
• An understanding of how to respectfully create new connections with community members and organizations and a dedication to serving underrepresented communities and peoples in our region.
• A demonstrated ability to produce accurate and engaging news articles for online and print mediums
• A history of working independently with strong time management and prioritization skills and the ability to meet deadlines
• The desire to contribute to a positive newsroom environment and collaborative work culture
• A commitment to the TRC’s Call to Action for the media and experience producing stories that centre Indigenous Peoples’ perspectives and the issues impacting them
• Additional assets include:
• Experience in research, freedom-of-information requests, interviewing, writing, copy-editing, fact-checking, social media, newsletters, photography and videography.
• Digital skills and experience in Wordpress, Active Campaign, Adobe Photoshop and InDesign, Canva, GSuite, Slack, Asana, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
• Experience in audience development, community engagement and event planning

Please complete the linked application here, including resume by March 29, 2024. Please state that you found this job on Jeff Gaulin's Journalism Job Board.

If you worry you’re not qualified, take the leap and apply anyway! If anything in this hiring process presents a barrier to your application, please let us know.