POSITION DESCRIPTION
Central Texas Media Ecosystem Coordinator
Consultant | Lenfest Expert Network
About the Opportunity
The Lenfest Institute for Journalism is seeking a Central Texas Media Ecosystem Coordinator to support a two-year initiative designed to strengthen local news organizations serving communities across Central Texas.
This role serves as a locally embedded extension of the Lenfest Expert Network, helping participating organizations stay connected, engaged, and informed throughout the program. The coordinator will provide local insight, support relationship-building across the ecosystem, and assist with community-facing events and activities.
This is a relationship-centered position focused on community engagement, ecosystem awareness, and local coordination. The role is ideal for someone already active in the local media, civic, nonprofit, or philanthropic ecosystem who is interested in helping strengthen connections across the region.
Position Details
Location: Central Texas (Austin region preferred)
Time Commitment: Approximately 5-10 hours per week on average
Contract Period: July 2026 - March 2028
Compensation: $2,500 per month, subject to final contract terms and scope of work
Reports To: Cheryl Thompson-Morton, Head of Advisory Programs, Lenfest Institute for Journalism
Responsibilities
Relationship Building & Newsroom Engagement
- Serve as a local point of contact for participating organizations
- Maintain periodic communication with participating newsrooms
- Help surface emerging needs, opportunities, and challenges within the ecosystem
- Support participant engagement in program activities
Ecosystem Intelligence & Trend Spotting
- Share observations about developments within the Central Texas media landscape
- Help identify opportunities for collaboration among participating organizations
- Review periodic editorial monitoring outputs and flag notable trends or themes
- Provide local context and perspective to the Lenfest team
Event & Convening Support
- Assist with planning and coordination of ecosystem gatherings and events
- Recommend venues, speakers, partners, and community stakeholders
- Support participant outreach and engagement
- Provide onsite support during convenings and gatherings as needed
Program Feedback & Learning
- Participate in regular check-ins with the Lenfest team
- Share feedback about participant experiences and ecosystem dynamics
- Help identify opportunities to strengthen the program over time
Ideal Qualifications
We are seeking someone who is:
- Deeply familiar with the Central Texas media landscape
- Well-connected within journalism, civic engagement, nonprofit, or community networks
- Comfortable building relationships across organizations
- Organized and responsive
- Able to work independently while collaborating closely with a remote team
- Passionate about strengthening local journalism and civic information systems
Experience working in journalism, media support organizations, philanthropy, civic engagement, community organizing, or related fields is preferred.
About the Lenfest Institute
The Lenfest Institute for Journalism is a nonprofit organization whose sole mission is to develop and support sustainable business models for great local journalism. The Institute owns and supports The Philadelphia Inquirer and provides grants and programs to local news organizations across the country through initiatives including the Lenfest Expert Network.