HR Associate – Editorial (Volunteer)

WhoWhatWhy; United States; Remote; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Part time

Job summary

Join a nonprofit investigative news organization as an HR Associate in the Editorial department. This remote, part-time volunteer role offers the chance to support fearless journalism while helping to build a collaborative and inclusive editorial team. Ideal for those with HR experience or an interest in journalism, it involves recruitment tasks and coordination with editorial leadership.

Benefits

Flexible, remote schedule

Exposure to editorial operations

Collaboration with professionals

Qualifications

• Some HR/recruiting experience preferred, but early-career candidates welcome.
• Clear communicator and confident interviewer.
• Organized and reliable in a remote work setting.

Responsibilities

• Manage recruitment efforts, screening, and interviewing candidates.
• Collaborate with editorial leadership to identify staffing needs.
• Coordinate onboarding of new volunteers.

Skills

HR experience

Recruiting

Communication

Organized

Problem-solving

Interest in journalism

Tools

Google Workspace

Slack

Trello

Job description

HR Associate – Editorial (Volunteer)

Note: This is a remote, part-time volunteer position. Please do not apply if you are only seeking paid employment.

Support fearless journalism by helping build a mission-aligned editorial team.

We’re looking for an HR Associate to support our Editorial department by managing recruitment efforts, screening and interviewing candidates, and helping create a collaborative, inclusive team environment. If you’re proactive, people-oriented, and excited about working in a fast-paced, mission-driven newsroom — this role is for you.

Who We Are

WhoWhatWhy is a nonprofit investigative news organization producing deep-dive journalism on the most pressing issues of our time. We’re powered by skilled volunteers and a small core staff — from students to seasoned pros — who believe in ethical, independent journalism free from corporate or political influence.

About the Role

As the HR Associate for our Editorial department, you’ll:

• Represent HR in weekly editorial meetings (Mondays at 11:00 AM ET)
• Collaborate with editorial leadership to identify staffing needs
• Contribute to job description development and finalize approved versions
• Post roles and manage application intake
• Review candidate applications, conduct screenings, and participate in interviews
• Coordinate onboarding of new volunteers (in partnership with the central HR team)
• Track open roles, maintain candidate pipelines, and manage updates in shared systems
• Act as an ongoing point of contact for the editorial team’s HR-related needs
• Help foster an inclusive, mission-aligned volunteer environment

What We’re Looking For

• Some experience in HR, recruiting, or team operations (early-career welcome!)
• Clear communicator and confident interviewer
• Organized and reliable in a remote work setting
• Proactive problem-solver who can follow through independently
• Interest in journalism, editorial operations, and nonprofit service
• Comfortable using cloud tools (e.g., Google Workspace, Slack, Trello, spreadsheets)

What You’ll Gain

• Direct exposure to editorial operations and volunteer team-building
• Collaboration with professionals across journalism, HR, and leadership
• Flexible, remote schedule (apart from required meeting)

Commitment

We ask for a commitment of 5–7 hours per week and a minimum of 6 months. This includes regular team meetings, occasional follow-ups, and collaboration with our HR team.

How to Apply

Please send:

• Your resume
• A thoughtful cover letter telling us why this role speaks to you

To confirm that you’ve read this description, include the phrase “Committed to the Mission” and the result of 12 ÷ 3 somewhere in your letter.

If there’s no place to attach a cover letter, email it to [e-mail]. Check your spam folder for responses — they sometimes land there.

Reminder

We do not consider generic or AI-generated applications. Your submission should reflect your voice and alignment with our mission.

Join Us

This is your opportunity to directly support fearless journalism by helping build a strong, mission-driven editorial team.