Senior Reporter & Mentor

Work on a small editorial team to guide the next generation of storytellers and produce powerful, community-centered journalism.

• Deadline: Application closes Tuesday, August 12, 2025, at 11:59 p.m.
  
• Commitment: This contract opportunity is expected to work approximately 10 hours per week from September 2025 – April 2026
• Location: New Orleans, LA; remote work is not available for this role.

About Lede New Orleans

Lede New Orleans is a community media hub transforming how journalism serves the people of our city. We train emerging Black and Brown storytellers, amplify stories that respond to local needs, and foster trusted spaces for civic discussion.

Lede New Orleans a small nonprofit startup, not a big, buttoned-up newsroom. That means we’re often documenting processes as we go, testing new ideas and figuring things out together. We’re looking for someone who is deeply community-oriented and thrives in environments where flexibility, creativity and collaboration are key.

About the Job

Lede New Orleans is looking for a Senior Reporter & Mentor to support our Community Reporting Fellowship team. The Community Reporting Fellowship is a 24-week paid training program for emerging Black and Brown storytellers, ages 18–25. Fellows explore how journalism can be used as a tool for civic power while developing reporting and storytelling skills across mediums.

The Senior Reporter & Mentor will guide fellows in developing their writing and reporting skills, lead team-based storytelling work, and contribute original reporting to the fellowship’s final publishing project, which will focus on the theme of affordable housing in New Orleans. The Senior Reporter & Mentor also will collaborate with the Senior Editor and other editorial leads to develop written story ideas, refine narratives, and ensure high-quality, accurate coverage for print and digital platforms.

This is a hands-on, collaborative role for someone who is passionate about local journalism and excited to coach early-career writers in the craft of community-centered storytelling. We are looking for someone who has experience covering local people and issues, and crafting thorough and thoughtful written journalism that centers local perspectives and local solutions.

The ideal candidate is:

• Skilled at building rapport with community members and knows what it takes to see a journalism project through, from conception to publication;

• Geeks out over the craft of writing stories

• Is collaborative in sharing their knowledge, coaching Fellows through the storytelling process and asking for support in growth areas; and

• Is flexible, proactive and solutions-oriented in working with Fellows to move stories forward.

This is a contract position tied to the Community Reporting Fellowship program cycle. We anticipate the contract to be about 9 months, beginning in late August 2025 and concluding in March 2026. The contract duration includes additional time built in before and after the fellowship for planning, training, and editorial wrap-up.

You Should Apply If:

• You are a people-centered storyteller: You are dedicated to making good journalism that is relevant and responsive to people’s needs, and one of your gifts is bringing accurate and compelling local stories to life. You take time to connect with colleagues and sources alike, and to understand their stories, regardless of whether you’re working on a piece. You work hard to elevate solutions–not just problems–in your reporting.
• You see a need to reimagine how journalism serves people:You understand the power responsive and relevant stories and information have to strengthen and liberate communities, and building deep and strong connections to community members throughout the reporting process is a key part of your practice. You apply an equity lens to your journalism practice, and want to leverage your skills to transform how journalism serves the people of New Orleans.
• You crave collaboration and knowledge-sharing:You are eager to work with a diverse group of storytellers to make journalism that is equitable and responsive to community needs. You are looking for opportunities to leverage your experience to coach and develop those around you, and support the next generation of storytellers in New Orleans.

Contract Details

• This is a contract opportunity at 10 hours per week, from September 2025 to April 2026, with a few weeks of prep and editorial wrap-up built in.
• Pay is a flat $10,000, paid in installments over the work period.
• This is a contract role and does not include employee benefits.
• Time off for program breaks during Thanksgiving, winter holidays and Mardi Gras.
• The role requires in-person work in New Orleans. Remote work is not available.
• Work-From-Home Flexibility: For those based in New Orleans, flexible work from home flexibility options. We have an office where we hold regular in-person meetings and fellowship training sessions.
• Culture of Learning: Access to a culture of intentional professional development and organizational learning. Lede New Orleans staff hold regular reflection meetings to connect, reflect and surface learnings and feedback on policies and practices.

Our Anticipated Timeline

We’re projecting the following timeline for this hiring process. We will notify candidates of any shifts as we move through the process.

• Application closes on August 12, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. CST

• Within 2 weeks of closing applications, you will know if you’ve moved onto the interview stage

• Within 2 weeks of your interview, you’ll know if you moved onto the case exercise stage

• Within 1 week of your case exercise completion, you’ll know if you moved onto the final interview

• We expect to make a final offer in September

• Lede New Orleans is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.