Watchdog/ Investigative Reporter

Location: Sarasota, Florida 

About Us: Suncoast Searchlight is a new nonprofit newsroom dedicated to delivering in-depth, accountability journalism to Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto counties. Located along southwest Florida’s picturesque Gulf Coast, the Suncoast region boasts some of the nation’s best beaches and a wealth of investigative opportunities – from unchecked development and environmental crises to political clashes that make national headlines. 

These are issues that demand impactful journalism at a time when traditional newsrooms’ resources are dwindling. We believe our democracy depends on the watchful eye of a robust fourth estate, which is why we were created. Our mission is to serve the public interest by investigating critical issues, exposing wrongdoing and holding power to account through compelling stories produced both independently and in collaboration with our media partners. 

We are assembling a team of watchdog and investigative journalists able to deliver depth – not by generating daily headlines but by strategically focusing our resources where they’re needed most. We will do this in partnership with local print, television and radio newsrooms, teaming up with them whenever possible to maximize reporting power and reach the widest possible audience.

About You: You are an experienced watchdog/accountability or investigative journalist with a proven track record of producing original, impactful stories that uncover hidden truths and shine a light on issues of public concern. You’ve done this either as a full-time watchdog/accountability or investigative reporter or simply by investigating your beat. Nothing excites you more than latching onto a good story and willing it into existence through tenacious digging and fearless reporting. 

You employ a number of skills to do this work, including good, old-fashioned shoe-leather reporting, fighting for public records and diving into data. You also understand the value of compelling narratives and how to bring to life the data and documents you find. And you relish solid input from editors and peers who have your back and want your work to shine.

You know how to balance urgency with depth. You’re comfortable writing quick-turn accountability stories and enterprise pieces while also working toward larger investigations. And you enjoy working with others. Collaboration is at the heart of what we do.

What You'll Do:

• Find, develop, report and write quick-turn watchdog/accountability and enterprise pieces, as well as longer investigative pieces, all of which serve the public interest.
• Team up with colleagues – from within our newsroom and from our partner newsrooms – to produce and support in-depth, accountability journalism.
• Lead and participate in ongoing journalism training sessions.
• Engage with community members throughout Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto counties to find untold stories and deepen our understanding of the issues affecting our area.
• Use data, public records, and on-the-ground reporting to uncover and explain complex issues in accessible and engaging ways.

Qualifications:

• At least two years of experience producing watchdog/accountability and/or investigative stories that have made a tangible impact.
• A collaborative spirit and a desire to work in a team-oriented environment.
• Excellent storytelling skills, with the ability to connect with readers on both intellectual and emotional levels.
• Proven commitment to inclusive reporting in sourcing and coverage.
• Comfort with digital tools, data journalism, and working with the public to source and shape stories.
• Familiarity with using social media tools to share stories and engage with the public.
• Expertise in one or more of these beat areas: government/politics; real estate development; environment/climate; education/higher ed; criminal justice.

Nice, But Not Necessary:

• Experience taking and editing photos and video
• Familiarity using data visualization tools like Flourish, Infogram and Tableau
• Comfort with content management systems and posting stories to websites
• Ability to speak a second language, preferably Spanish

Why Join Us? This is an opportunity to do impactful journalism in a region where this kind of work is urgently needed. As a member of our growing team, you’ll play a critical role in shaping the direction and future of our newsroom. You’ll work with passionate colleagues dedicated to producing top-notch journalism that drives change. You’ll earn between $60,000 to $100,000 (depending on your experience and skill set), with a health plan and 401K.

Hybrid Job: You must be willing to live in this region (Sarasota, Manatee, DeSoto counties) to cover the community. Exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis for candidates living just outside these counties. Although some work from home will be permitted, we are a highly collaborative team and will meet at – and work frequently from – our Sarasota-based newsroom.

How to Apply: Send a resume, cover letter and 3-5 samples of your best work to executive editor-in-chief Emily Le Coz at emily@suncoastsearchlight.org. Work samples can be links to online stories; if they’re behind a paywall, please include PDFs of clips instead. Be sure to include a brief description of each clip and mention any impact from your reporting.

Suncoast Searchlight is a project of the newly reconstituted Community News Collaborative, a nonprofit, Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, sex, gender, gender identity or expression.