Video Correspondent

Manhattan Institute; New York (NY); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work environment

Four weeks paid vacation

Flexible Fridays program

paid paternity/maternity leave

medical and dental coverage

medical and dependent care FSA

mental health benefits

remote medicine

paid company cell phone

life insurance

401(k) with a company-funded match

Job summary

Manhattan Institute seeks a charismatic Video Correspondent to become a visible digital personality, explaining ideas and policy with engaging video content in a camera-first role.

The candidate should perform, interview, improvise, and speak directly to online audiences, collaborating with scholars and a production team while producing content independently.

Qualifications

• Exceptional fluency, confidence, and presence on camera.
• Outstanding verbal communication and storytelling skills.
• A distinctive personality and a natural ability to hold an audience’s attention.
• Intellectual curiosity and the ability to become conversant in unfamiliar policy subjects quickly.
• Strong knowledge of social media culture, political discourse, and current online trends.
• Creativity, initiative, and a demonstrated ability to generate and execute original ideas.
• Comfort working independently and producing content on a rapid schedule.
• Basic proficiency with tools such as CapCut, Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro, or similar software—or a strong willingness to learn.
• Sound editorial judgment and enthusiasm for MI’s mission.
• Experience in acting, broadcasting, journalism, comedy, podcasting, public speaking, or digital media is welcome but not required.
• Experience building a personal audience through original, personality-driven social content is a significant plus

Responsibilities

• Serve as an on-camera host and correspondent for MI’s original digital programming.
• Create short-form videos explaining policy ideas and responding to current political, cultural, and economic debates.
• Develop a recognizable on-camera voice and help expand MI’s audience across social platforms.
• Pitch original concepts, recurring formats, interviews, field pieces, and timely responses to breaking conversations.
• Translate complex research and policy arguments into clear, accessible, and entertaining content.
• Collaborate with MI scholars and producers to develop scripts, questions, treatments, and story ideas.
• Conduct interviews and appear in studio, field, podcast, and event programming.
• Independently record and edit timely content when appropriate.
• Follow emerging online discussions, creators, formats, memes, and cultural trends.
• Engage with audience feedback and use performance data to improve future content.
• Represent MI’s brand and ideas with confidence, warmth, intelligence, and good judgment

Skills

Fluency on camera

Verbal storytelling

Audience engagement

Curiosity and quick learning

Social media awareness

Creativity and initiative

Independent work

CapCut proficiency

Final Cut Pro proficiency

Premiere Pro proficiency

Editorial judgment

Public speaking or broadcasting

Tools

CapCut

Final Cut Pro

Adobe Premiere Pro

Job description

MI is seeking a charismatic, creative, and highly entrepreneurial Video Correspondent to become one of the organization’s most visible digital personalities. The correspondent will appear in original videos explaining and commenting on the ideas, policies, and cultural debates shaping American life.

This is a camera-first role. The ideal candidate is a compelling communicator who is comfortable performing, interviewing, improvising, and speaking directly to an online audience. Extensive policy experience is not required, but intellectual curiosity, sound judgment, and the ability to master new subjects quickly are essential.

The correspondent will work with MI’s scholars and production team while also independently conceiving, recording, and publishing original content. We are looking for a self-starter who follows political and cultural conversations closely, recognizes promising ideas before they become conventional, and has the confidence to turn those ideas into distinctive content.

Production support will be available, but the correspondent should be comfortable working independently—including shooting and editing videos in CapCut, Final Cut Pro, or similar software. Successful candidates will have the energy and ambition of an in-house creator, not simply waiting for scripts and assignments.

Qualifications

• Exceptional fluency, confidence, and presence on camera
• Outstanding verbal communication and storytelling skills
• A distinctive personality and a natural ability to hold an audience’s attention
• Intellectual curiosity and the ability to become conversant in unfamiliar policy subjects quickly
• Strong knowledge of social media culture, political discourse, and current online trends
• Creativity, initiative, and a demonstrated ability to generate and execute original ideas
• Comfort working independently and producing content on a rapid schedule
• Basic proficiency with tools such as CapCut, Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro, or similar software—or a strong willingness to learn
• Sound editorial judgment and enthusiasm for MI’s mission
• Experience in acting, broadcasting, journalism, comedy, podcasting, public speaking, or digital media is welcome but not required
• Experience building a personal audience through original, personality-driven social content is a significant plus

Responsibilities

• Serve as an on-camera host and correspondent for MI’s original digital programming
• Create short-form videos explaining policy ideas and responding to current political, cultural, and economic debates
• Develop a recognizable on-camera voice and help expand MI’s audience across social platforms
• Pitch original concepts, recurring formats, interviews, field pieces, and timely responses to breaking conversations
• Translate complex research and policy arguments into clear, accessible, and entertaining content
• Collaborate with MI scholars and producers to develop scripts, questions, treatments, and story ideas
• Conduct interviews and appear in studio, field, podcast, and event programming
• Independently record and edit timely content when appropriate
• Follow emerging online discussions, creators, formats, memes, and cultural trends
• Engage with audience feedback and use performance data to improve future content
• Represent MI’s brand and ideas with confidence, warmth, intelligence, and good judgment

$70,000 - $110,000 per year

Benefits

• hybrid work environment
• four weeks paid vacation
• Flexible Fridays program
• paid paternity/maternity leave
• medical and dental coverage
• medical and dependent care FSA
• mental health benefits
• remote medicine
• paid company cell phone
• life insurance
• 401(k) with a company-funded match

MI staff also benefit from the opportunity to collaborate and socialize with prominent scholars in our policy space.