Charlotte Documenters Program Manager

Charlotte Documenters Program Manager

The Charlotte Journalism Collaborative is hiring a Charlotte-based program manager to lead the local development of the award-winning Documenters program by City Bureau, which trains and pays people to produce information in the public interest. With local media in crisis in Charlotte and across the country, Documenters is reimagining how we access and share information about our communities. The Documenters model has been successfully implemented across urban metros, mid-sized cities, and rural communities at 20+ sites nationwide. For our program, Documenters will cover city and county level public meetings in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. We're also planning a first-in-the-network focus on Immigration Court Hearings.

We're looking for an effective team manager with experience in journalism, community organizing, grassroots political campaigning or other fields that involve mobilizing people and information for the public good. Your role will be to cultivate partnerships that build an engaged audience around Documenters work in Charlotte, to work closely with program participants to help them learn and become more civically engaged and to take a creative, iterative approach to program design. You will report to Charlotte Journalism Collaborative's Director who will set strategy for the program and work closely with you to execute it. If you have a track record of cultivating deep community relationships and a passion for organizing people to address big problems from the ground up, this role is for you.

Since 2019, the Charlotte Journalism Collaborative has been dedicated to providing a platform and structured community journalism partnership that supports the future of Charlotte in its work, serves as a trusted source of information and news, and addresses the problems that are the most important to our city's residents. With six local newsrooms and three nonprofit community institutions, our work creates a more informed and engaged Charlotte.

Housed in the James L. Knight School of Communication at Queens University of Charlotte, the Charlotte Journalism Collaborative is part of a learning environment where the classroom meets the real world. By bridging community engagement and new media innovation, the Knight School's programs are unique among its peer institutions.

This is a full-time, benefits-eligible position reporting to the Director of the Charlotte Journalism Collaborative.

This position is exempt from provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and is not eligible to earn overtime pay or compensatory time off for additional hours worked. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

Responsibilities

Manage the Charlotte Documenters' site and oversee our network of program participants

Coordinate assignment logistics, own the workflow, and be in clear and consistent communication with Documenters on assignment with relevant updates

Review, fact check, and copy edit submitted notes for grammatical and factual errors and share constructive feedback directly with Documenters in a standardized system

Roll out and conduct trainings for current and prospective program participants

Cultivate a network of local partners in media, community organizing, education, academia and government who are consistently using the work of Charlotte Documenters.

Develop and manage special projects that engage Documenters to promote local knowledge of Charlotte and its civic processes

Work with Charlotte Journalism Collaborative's leadership and members to tell the story of the Charlotte Documenters program and make sure Documenters' work reaches the people who can use it, facilitating reporting based on Documenters' notes among our collaborative reporting partners

Write and publish regular newsletters based on Documenters' meeting notes

Maintain accurate records of program activity, partner engagement, participant feedback, and program performance, supporting the development of updates and reports for stakeholders, funders and for internal use

Apply an equity framework to programmatic decisions to ensure the Charlotte Documenters site reflects the greatest need as it applies to race, gender and other demographics.

Requirements

At least 3 years experience in engagement journalism, community organizing, grassroots political campaigning or a related field

Bachelor's degree in journalism, communications, public policy, nonprofit management, or related discipline or a combination of education and relevant experience will be considered

Experience managing a team and/or leading projects where people with diverse backgrounds, perspectives and abilities feel they can do their best work

A demonstrated commitment to equipping and organizing people toward collective action

Impeccable and inclusive project planning and prioritization skills

Proficiency in various computer applications including Microsoft Office Suite and Google Suite

Strong verbal and written communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to engage in journalistic writing

Work effectively independently and as a member of a team

Ability to rally stakeholders and solve problems creatively and collaboratively

Experience cultivating deep relationships, trust and solutions with a community (we know this can mean many things and want to hear how it manifests in your work)

Don't meet every qualification listed? We encourage you to apply anyway! Research shows that marginalized communities – such as women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people of color – are less likely to apply for roles unless they meet every single requirement. At the Charlotte Journalism Collaborative, we are committed to fostering an inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible environment where everyone feels a sense of belonging. If you're passionate about our mission but your experience doesn't perfectly align with every qualification in the job description, we still encourage you to submit an application. You might be the perfect fit for this role!

Compensation and Benefits

$60,000 Annually

Queens offers comprehensive benefits to eligible employees, including: medical, dental and vision insurance, domestic partner benefits, a 403b retirement plan, with two options (pre-tax or post-tax (Roth) contributions) with a match, vacation and generous paid holidays, tuition remission and tuition exchange, Queens-paid life insurance, supplemental life insurance, dependent life insurance, accidental leave when eligible, reduced cost meals at Morrison Dining Hall, employee assistance program (EAP), free access to the Levine Center, wellness programs. In addition, employees may choose benefits such as pet insurance, critical care insurance and legal assistance.

Professional development opportunities

Flexible work schedule - some night/weekend hours may be required

Application Timeline

Applications due by July 20

Applicants will be notified if they have proceeded to the next stage—an online or in-person interview—within 2 weeks

About City Bureau

City Bureau is a journalism lab reimagining local media. Its programs inform, engage and equip people to strengthen information systems in communities underserved by existing media. Since 2016, Documenters have trained more than 4,000 people, covered more than 8,000 public meetings, hosted more than 600 free public workshops, trainings and discussions, and are actively tracking 860 government bodies.

About Queens University of Charlotte

Located in the heart of the nation's second fastest growing metropolitan area, Queens University of Charlotte leverages the city's diverse and thriving environment as an extended classroom. Nationally recognized for undergraduate programs in international and interdisciplinary education, Queens blends the best of liberal arts learning with professional preparation and community engagement. Focused on supporting success for diverse learners, faculty build close and collaborative relationships with students and help them build intentional and individualized roadmaps for flourishing at Queens and beyond. At the graduate program level, the University offers innovative educational experiences that help learners advance professionally and retool for new opportunities.

Our environs afford faculty myriad opportunities to advance their own professional growth and teaching and research interests by collaborating with vibrant industry, non-profit, and community organization sectors.

Because of our history of innovation and our legacy of strong leadership, Queens is positioned to be among the new forerunners of American higher education. This is a defining moment for Queens. While other institutions are focused on sustaining and surviving, we are thinking much bigger.

Institutions that understand what is needed and are willing to reimagine what is possible can position themselves to thrive and strengthen their market position after the pandemic with innovative approaches that are deeply connected to the world and its greatest challenges.

By 2030, Queens aspires to become the leading, private, national university of Charlotte with deep, meaningful, and reciprocal connections to the needs of our local community and economy; inventive and multidisciplinary academic programs that are connected to the world's most pressing challenges and biggest areas of opportunity; a fully connected, integrated, and innovative set of experiences that support holistic wellness and wellbeing; a culture of continuous improvement and investment that enables faculty and staff to flourish and achieve their full potential; and a comprehensive approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion that begins on campus and radiates throughout the community.

Queens University of Charlotte aims to be a leading comprehensive university, distinguished by its commitment to transforming the lives of its students and enhancing the intellectual and cultural fabric of its community. Queens is a campus where diversity, equity