Policy Reporter Jobs in Indiana (NOW HIRING)

ABOUT WFYI 

WFYI is a nonprofit organization providing trusted journalism, inspiring stories, and lifelong learning to Central Indiana and beyond for over 50 years. Through local content, PBS and NPR programming, WFYI connects audiences to trusted news, educational programming, and meaningful storytelling for an informed, inspired, and inclusive Indiana.

JOB SUMMARY 

WFYI's education reporter contributes to WFYI's mission by producing accurate, fair, independent, and accessible journalism that helps audiences understand the education issues shaping students, families, schools, and communities across Indiana. Through daily, enterprise, and investigative stories centered on students and families, this position strengthens public understanding, supports informed civic participation, and connects local audiences to journalism that is relevant, useful, and accountable. 

WFYI's education reporter will cover how decisions made at the statehouse, in school board meetings, and in district offices shape the lives of students and families. This reporter will also examine whether public commitments to students, families, and communities are being met. Coverage may include issues such as persistent achievement and access gaps, the growth of charter schools and the private school voucher program, and the reshaping of the Indianapolis public education landscape.  

Ideal candidates will be comfortable moving between a breaking story and a months-long investigation. As needed and assigned, this journalist will report in-depth digital investigations, sound-rich audio features, daily news for web and newscasts, and video for social and television platforms. Strong candidates know how to find the human story inside a budget line or a legislative hearing and can make the stakes of education policy clear to families.  

As WFYI's journalism priorities and audience needs evolve, WFYI may adjust the assigned beat, coverage priorities, or reporting focus from time to time based on editorial priorities, staffing or organizational needs. 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

The essential functions and responsibilities listed below describe the primary duties of this position. Duties may be adjusted based on staffing, workload, and organizational needs. As WFYI's journalism priorities and audience needs evolve, WFYI may adjust duties, work assignments, assigned beat, coverage priorities, or reporting focus from time to time based on editorial priorities, staffing, workload or organizational needs. 

Reporting and Story Development

• Identify and pitch stories while working with the editorial leadership team to develop and report original stories that feature individuals with lived experience. 
• Use clear and concise writing to explain complex topics and their significance. 
• Report, write, and present breaking news, features, enterprise, and investigative stories as assigned.  
• Adapt reporting focus, source development, and story planning as assigned when WFYI adjusts beats or coverage priorities to meet audience, editorial, staffing or organizational needs. 

News gathering and Production

• Build and maintain a large network of sources. 
• Conduct thorough research and newsgathering, including capturing audio, video, photos, and supporting materials to enhance the depth and quality of coverage. 
• Collaborate with the digital team to produce engaging content tailored for broadcast, digital, and social media platforms. 
• Meet deadlines and follow WFYI's editorial standards for accuracy, fairness, independence, clarity, and ethical journalism. 

Audience Engagement and Platform Presence

• Make regular appearances across media platforms, including broadcasts, social media, podcasts, and community events. 
• Work with staff throughout WFYI to discover new stories and angles that ensure we are reporting for communities, not on communities. 
• Develop reporting that can serve audiences locally, statewide, and, when appropriate, through regional or national public media distribution. 

Editorial Collaboration and Special Coverage

• Actively participate in editorial meetings and planning sessions, collaborating with editors and content teams to shape story direction, strengthen reporting, and uphold journalistic standards. 
• Contribute to the planning and execution of special coverage, including legislative sessions, elections, breaking news, and public forums. 
• Collaborate with editors, producers, reporters, and other colleagues to adapt reporting for multiple platforms and support coordinated coverage priorities. 

Other Duties as Assigned

• Perform other duties as assigned. 
• WFYI team members, including this position, must demonstrate an ongoing commitment to WFYI's mission and to public media, journalism, education, and community engagement. 
• WFYI team members, including this position, may provide back-up support across functions or positions as needed based on staffing, workload, expertise, and organizational needs.

WORK LOCATION, TRAVEL AND SCHEDULING 

This position is based primarily at WFYI's main office in Indianapolis, Indiana. 

Occasional travel may be required to support organizational needs. 

The schedule for this position generally aligns with WFYI's regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern. Because news does not always follow a regular schedule, evening, weekend, or holiday work may be needed. 

QUALIFICATIONS 

The successful candidate should possess the qualifications described below. 

Education 

• Minimum: Bachelor's degree in journalism, communications, or a closely related field; equivalent relevant experience may substitute for some or all of the formal education requirement. 

Experience 

• Minimum:  
  • At least three years of reporting or other relevant journalism experience. 
  • Experience applying AP Style in journalism or newsroom writing. 
  • Experience using sound news judgment to cover breaking stories while managing longer-term projects, including in-depth continuing coverage or investigations. 
  • Experience translating complex policy, legislation, financial data, or other technical information into clear, accessible reporting. 
  • Experience developing sources, building a reporting specialization, and identifying meaningful story ideas. 
  • Experience working collaboratively in a newsroom or similar editorial environment while managing assignments with a high level of personal motivation. 
  • Experience incorporating data and public records into reporting. 

• Preferred:  
  • Experience covering education policy reporting. 
  • Experience reporting for both broadcast and digital news platforms. 
  • Experience producing journalism for digital, audio, broadcast, social media, video, photography, or other public media platforms. 
  • Experience using a range of sources, contacts, data, public records, audience insights, and community perspectives to inform reporting and strengthen audience connection. 
  • Experience collaborating with editors, producers, reporters, partner organizations, or other public media collaborators. 

Technical Skills 

• Minimum: Working knowledge of office, communication, and digital production tools sufficient to support reporting, collaboration, research, writing, editing, and content production. 

• Preferred: Experience with digital reporting, content management, audio editing, video, photography, data reporting, or social media production tools. 

Additional Qualifications 

• Minimum:  

  • Ability to work evening, weekend or holiday hours and travel as needed to support organizational priorities. 
  • Ability to adapt as WFYI's journalism priorities and audience needs evolve, including changes to assigned beat, coverage priorities, or reporting focus from time to time based on editorial priorities, staffing or organizational needs.

• Preferred: Experience building trusted relationships with sources, community members, partner organizations, or public media collaborators. 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS 

The physical demands described here are representative of those an individual must meet to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. 

• Ability to communicate effectively in person, by telephone, and in writing. 
• Ability to lift, kneel, carry, and position equipment or other items weighing up to 25 pounds on an occasional basis. 
• Ability to operate standard office equipment, including computers, phones, printers, and copiers. 
• Ability to remain in a stationary position for extended periods and move throughout the workday as needed. 

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER 

To provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals, employment decisions at WFYI will be based on merit, qualifications, and abilities. WFYI does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender/gender expression or identity, national origin, sexual orientation, age, disability, citizenship status, military status, or other characteristics protected by law. 

WFYI will provide reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities or religious needs unless doing so would result in undue financial or operational hardship. This policy governs all aspects of employment, including recruitment, application, interview, selection, job assignments, compensation, discipline, termination, travel, and access to benefits and training. Applicants and employees may request accommodation before, during, or after the recruiting process, including at the application or interview stage, by contacting Human Resources at hr@wfyi.com. WFYI will review the request and engage in an appropriate process to determine whether reasonable accommodation can be provided. 

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