The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas is the Catholic Church in Northeast Kansas: Growing as Disciples of Jesus; Making Disciples for Jesus. The Leaven, the official newspaper of the archdiocese, is seeking to hire a full-time Catholic Journalist, who is responsible for researching, interviewing and writing news and feature articles on assigned topics and generating new story ideas through a network of contacts continually being developed. This position is full-time, will average 40 hours per week, with the opportunity for a flexible work schedule. This position is hybrid with work completed in the Chancery office and remotely.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Organize, interview, and write up news or feature stories as assigned.
- Arrange for graphics, illustrations, or photographs to run with assigned stories and conduct photo shoots as assigned.
- Draft and prep social media content under the supervision of the digital media manager and update it as requested.
- Assist with the routine tasks of the paper’s production process, including proofreading, headline and caption writing, etc.
- Develop a network of contacts throughout the archdiocese to serve as sources for parish and ministry news and pitches story ideas at weekly staff meetings.
- Perform other writing/photography/video assignments for paper, web site, or social media as directed.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Detail-oriented with excellent writing and storytelling skills.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
- Ability to link The Leaven’s mission, vision, values, goals and strategies to his or her everyday work.
- Demonstrate excellent communication, collaboration, and interpersonal skills.
- As a public-facing representative of both The Leaven and the archbishop, demonstrate excellent judgment in dealing with the public, and make a priority of excellent customer service.
- Manage time effectively to meet deadlines.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Marketing, Communications or related field is preferred.
- Minimum three (3) years of experience as a journalist with a daily or weekly newspaper is preferred.
- Portfolio showcasing diverse writing styles is required; some experience with photography with examples to show is preferred.
- Proficiency with technology including the Microsoft Office Suite of products and other communication technology is required as is the ability to learn new technology as needed.
- Familiarity with Canva, InDesign, WordPress or similar layout, website and social media programs is preferred.
- Spanish-speaking/bilingual is a plus.
- Flexibility to work evenings and weekends is required.
- Practicing Catholic in good standing, with strong working knowledge of the church is preferred.
Note: All employees are required to consent to a background check, commit to our Code of Conduct and Statement of Foundational Principles as they Relate to Employment policies and complete Safe Environment training before hiring.
The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas offers a comprehensive health and welfare benefits plan including medical, dental and vision, a 401k plan that includes matching contributions, as well as generous paid time off policies such as vacation, sick leave and paid holidays.