Local News Reporter & Aspiring Editor Leader

Express Employment Professionals - Cincinnati East; Olympia (WA); Hybrid; USD 34,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Monthly Health Insurance Stipend for  

Job summary

Express Employment Professionals - Cincinnati East partners with The JOLT News Organization to hire a Reporter / Assistant Editor. The role focuses on local Thurston County reporting, in-person meetings, and community engagement, with a path to lead Editor within 6–9 months based on performance.

The position emphasizes strong reporting, editing, and AP style, with possibilities for enterprise pieces and collaboration across the newsroom.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of professional reporting experience
• 1+ year of editing responsibilities including directing stories or overseeing publication
• Strong reporting, interviewing, writing, editing, and fact-checking skills
• Strong command of grammar, spelling, and AP style
• Willingness to live in Thurston County and report in person
• Experience with local government, education, courts, housing, or nonprofits is a plus
• Enterprise or investigative reporting experience is a plus
• Leadership, mentoring, or story assignment experience preferred

Responsibilities

• Report daily and breaking news, community stories, enterprise pieces, and occasional in-depth or investigative stories
• Attend local meetings and community events and conduct in-person and phone interviews
• Develop original story ideas beyond press releases and official announcements
• Build relationships and reliable sources throughout Thurston County
• Edit and fact-check stories for accuracy, fairness, clarity, and AP style
• Help plan and assign coverage and provide reporting direction
• Review headlines, captions, summaries, and social media copy
• Collaborate with The JOLT's local team and contract reporters
• Develop future beats, reporting methods, and editorial practices
• Participate in newsroom coordination while continuing to report and write

Skills

Reporting

Editing

Interviewing

AP style

Newsroom leadership

Source protection

Tools

Photography

Video

Audio

Mapping

Social media

Data visualization

Online publishing

Job description

Express Employment Professionals - Cincinnati East partners with The JOLT News Organization to hire a Reporter / Assistant Editor. The role focuses on local Thurston County reporting, in-person meetings, and community engagement, with a path to lead Editor within 6–9 months based on performance.

The position emphasizes strong reporting, editing, and AP style, with possibilities for enterprise pieces and collaboration across the newsroom.