Free Press Indiana – Statewide Reporting Team

Free Press Indiana is launching a new statewide reporting team focused on community service journalism and storytelling that serves all 92 counties. This expansion builds on the proven success of Indianapolis-based news site, Mirror Indy. It also responds directly to what Hoosiers have told us in interviews and surveys they need most: clear, fact-based, nonpartisan reporting that explains how decisions made in government and other institutions shape life in their communities.

Now we’re hiring civic policy reporter positions, roles built to meet the needs across Indiana.

This is a rare opportunity to build something from the ground up. Our civic accountability reporters will focus on the impact of decisions being made and rigorously examine who benefits, who doesn’t and why. Answering the questions, “Did the policy or program work or will it work?” are central to the job. 

Few roles offer this kind of runway: The chance to build deep expertise, develop authoritative sourcing with real people (not just policy wonks), and shape how we do civic journalism. This is for a motivated, scrappy builder who wants to break meaningful stories, explain complex policy in human terms and produce engaging journalism that drives understanding and sometimes change.

The two civic accountability reporter positions we are hiring are key members of Free Press Indiana’s soon-to-be-named statewide news organization and are half of four reporting positions working with the recently hired statewide editor.

The positions will focus on accountability and explanatory journalism centered on civic institutions and public policy. 

But you’re not focused on talking to lawmakers and lobbyists. You will connect policy debates to real-world consequences. You’re interviewing local business owners in Kokomo, Crawfordsville and Bedford about recent health care policy changes; you’re getting to know union workers fighting for higher wages; you’re spending time at public colleges and universities to learn about how students and faculty are adjusting to the latest statewide mandates. 

You’ll break news when warranted, but you’ll also slow down when needed — producing deeply reported enterprise journalism that helps people understand what’s happening, why it matters and what’s at stake.

You’ll want your stories to resonate across the state regardless if the dateline is 5 hours from where someone is reading them. 

We want these positions to embrace digital-first storytelling. That means policy coverage that travels across the best medium to impact and connect with the most people, ensuring civic issues reach audiences beyond traditional political readers.

• Produce high-impact accountability and explanatory reporting focused on state and civic policy, including the outcomes of legislation, regulation and public systems
• Identify early signals of policy shifts or institutional failures and breakthroughs
• Serve everyday Hoosiers by translating complex systems into clear, accessible journalism and focusing the content from their perspective
• Show how and why those living in diverse communities throughout Indiana are affected by the outcomes of decisions made
• Collaborate with teammates to integrate civic reporting into broader storytelling projects, including rural, demographic and community-focused coverage
• Collaborate with the statewide editor and teammates to build a steady pipeline of impactful reporting, including quick-turn content and longer-term projects
• Work closely with the audience development team to package civic reporting in ways that expand reach and engagement across platforms
• Embrace varied storytelling formats, including newsletters, visual explainers, social-first reporting and other forms that increase reach and impact
• Partner with Free Press Indiana’s strategic partnerships director and distribution partners to extend the reach of civic accountability journalism statewide
• Maintain the highest standards of journalistic ethics, fairness, accuracy and accountability
• Travel as needed for reporting, community listening and relationship-building

Who we're looking for

We’re looking for a reporter who is relentless about building relationships built on equal trust, curious about the forces shaping life and energized by the opportunity to help build something new. We have a simple rule when it comes to identifying someone who is the right fit: Smart. Works hard. Ambitious. Nice.

The ideal candidate also brings:

• A demonstrated commitment to public service journalism and accountability reporting
• Strong reporting instincts and the ability to develop original story ideas rooted in community needs
• Experience producing stories that elevate people’s lived experiences
• The ability to translate complex topics into clear, engaging journalism
• A willingness to travel and report across Indiana, often independently and remotely
• Comfort working in a startup environment where you’ll help shape systems and routines
• An openness to experimenting with storytelling formats
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple deadlines and projects
• Comfort working flexible hours, including occasional evenings and weekends as news demands

Salary: Up to $80,000 based on experience and skills.

Benefits:

• Full health benefits with 100% of employee medical premium covered
• Paid leave, including the final week of the year and the week of July 4 for all staff
• 401(k) with a 4% employer match
• Eligibility for annual organization-wide salary increases and performance-based bonuses
• Professional Development: $2,000 annual stipend for training and professional growth
• Location: Flexible within Indiana. WIth some preference given to candidates who live outside Indianapolis.

Free Press Indiana is committed to building an inclusive organization that reflects the people and communities we serve. We strongly encourage applications from candidates from historically underrepresented communities, including women, people of color, veterans, LGBTQ+ people and people with disabilities. We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applicants of all backgrounds.

About Free Press Indiana

Free Press Indiana is a nonprofit organization creating a statewide network of news teams working to strengthen Indiana’s communities, increase civic engagement and preserve its democracy. We produce original, community-centered journalism that is free to read and designed to meet people where they are. Our first newsroom, Mirror Indy, launched in December 2023 to serve Indianapolis-area residents. In a short period of time, Mirror Indy has established itself as a model local newsroom.

Free Press Indiana is financially stable and well-supported, with nearly $20 million raised from dozens of philanthropies and more than 1,500 individual supporters of our mission.

What to expect in the hiring process

We aim to fill this role as soon as possible. Candidates who advance can expect multiple interviews and finalists will complete a written assignment designed to show your thinking and approach. We aim to truly get to know you and to help you fully understand the role for which you’re applying.