Reporter / Correspondent - Labor & Workplace

Job Description

OVERVIEW

Across our organization, we’re building a workplace where collaboration is essential, diverse voices are heard, and inclusion is the key to our success.

NPR’s Business Desk is seeking a Labor and Workplace reporter/correspondent. The American workplace has become increasingly more complex in recent years, and the stories around these shifts couldn’t be more interesting in the current moment. From the rise of the gig workforce, an increase in labor activism, the wage gap by gender, race and education, or the ever-growing gulf between CEO vs worker pay and public sector activism…these stories are central to American life.

The fast-growing gig workforce – of Uber and Lyft drivers, Amazon and Whole Foods package and grocery deliverers – has especially mushroomed during the pandemic. This fast-growing category of the American workforce is made up of millions of jobs with little to no benefits, where wages can vary from day to day and month to month and workers have very little say in how business is conducted.

The pandemic is also dramatically reshaping office work, and many employers are starting to envision a workplace where employees may have a choice of where they work from in the future.

All this comes at a time of increased labor activism among minimum wage workers in fast food and retail and also among higher paid tech workers behind the gates of Silicon Valley’s sprawling office campuses. The movements have engendered a varied response – leading to increased minimum wages in dozens of states and cities in recent years and also a crackdown on burgeoning worker activism from large tech companies.

We’re looking for someone who can shine a spotlight on the cultural changes engendered by these shifts, the personalities leading the charge, and how all of these affect people’s personal and working lives, and how they shape society and the identity of a nation.

A love of storytelling is essential. The reporter will be expected to weave narratives based on interviews and anecdotes, economic data and analytics, corporate filings and court cases and documents.

Many stories will come from the coverage of these new labor movements and the response of the companies that control this new workforce.

The work of NPR’s Business Desk is featured on Morning Edition, All Things Considered, NPR.org, Up First, Here & Now, and NPR podcasts such as Planet Money, Planet Money’s Indicator and It’s Been A Minute.

The position is based in Washington, DC, and will involve travel for stories.

RESPONSIBILITIES
• Develops, plans and reports news, feature and major enterprise stories for audio and web.
• Breaks and covers news as it happens, with authority and accuracy.
• Works on other stories assigned by Business Desk editors.
• Gathers materials on tape and otherwise, through interviews, press conferences, and direct coverage of events. Develops news sources.
• Participates in departmental planning for coverage on all programs and platforms.
• In consultation with editors and producers, organizes, edits and produces pieces and news spots.
• Collaborates with editors and show producers to shape two-ways and speaks fluently and conversationally live on the air.

Fulfills administrative obligations arising from assignments, such as filing prompt and accurate expense records and program information/ summaries; maintaining contact with editors and appropriate producers; keeping editors and appropriate producers informed about assignments.

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree or equivalent in experience.

REQUIRED SKILLS
• 5-8 years’ reporting or other journalism experience.
• Strong knowledge of work, workplace and labor and how it relates to culture and politics is a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to develop, report and write stories of interest to a national audience.
• Ability to conceive and execute stories with impact, take initiative, receive constructive feedback.
• Ability to work on pieces and two-ways for radio, digital and social audiences.
• Works quickly under deadline pressure for newscast, major programs and digital.
• Willingness to travel as needed.
• Collaborate and work well with others, demonstrating at all times respect for the diverse constituencies at NPR and within the public radio system.
• Familiarity with NPR member stations and public media system.
• Ability and willingness to relocate. In the future, NPR may choose to transfer employees to other geographic locations. Severance provisions of the AFTRA collective bargaining agreement will apply should you choose not to accept a transfer.

PREFERRED SKILLS
• Demonstrated ability to report on underrepresented communities and bring diverse voices to air.
• Proficiency in a second language highly preferred.

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-d96wb7-18-218-72-253-42 in your application.