Vatican Correspondent

Job Description

As the Roman Catholic Church is about to get a new pope, the National Catholic Reporter is seeking a Rome-based Vatican Correspondent. The position reports to the Executive Editor and works with other editors and members of the editorial team to cover the global church at a critical time in the history of the church, the country and the world. This is a full-time position.

The NCR Vatican Correspondent will be expected to:

Cover the Vatican beat, including the papacy, Vatican offices and commissions, events in Rome, papal travel, as well as Catholicism around the world;
Envision and execute breaking news, in-depth analysis, engaging enterprise and exclusive investigative stories for print, online publication and social media, through written content, video, audio, multimedia, data journalism and alternative storytelling;
Bring and continue to cultivate a network of sources, especially within the Vatican, Holy See, Catholic hierarchy and the College of Cardinals, but also among academics, advocacy groups and other organizations;
Interact regularly on social media platforms that grow traffic and reach across generations;
Represent the publication through a variety of speaking engagements, at conferences and through media appearances;
Collaborate with EarthBeat and Global Sisters Report editors and teams;
Occasionally post breaking news and/or wire stories, using Drupal;
Work from a home base, an office space at the Holy See Press Office and through pre-approved travel;
Maintain high standards of accuracy, accountability and integrity.

The suitable candidate will be expected to have:

Bachelor's degree or higher.
Minimum of five years' reporting experience.
The ability to write with authority, authenticity and accuracy.
Demonstrable knowledge of the global Catholic Church, history and culture.
Excellent communication skills, including experience with interviewing sources.
Comfort and proficiency reading and speaking Italian required; other languages (Spanish, French and German) helpful but not required.
Familiarity or ability to learn a CMS system, particularly Drupal.
Proficiency in Google Workspace (Gmail, Drive, Calendar, etc.), Microsoft Office and familiarity with Slack or similar technology and communication tools.
Team-oriented, flexible, positive outlook and willingness to learn.
Proven ability to self-motivate and work both independently and as part of a team.
Willingness to relocate to/live in Rome full-time.

Compensation and benefits:

Salary is commensurate with experience and other relevant factors, in the range of $75,000 to $95,000 annually. NCR offers the following benefits for full-time employees (employees working 24 hours or more per week):

Health Insurance plan options (90% employer paid premium)
Dental and Vision plan coverage (90% / 75% employer paid premium)
Life Insurance and Long Term Disability
Group Annuity Program (403B) with company match
Supplemental Insurance option (Aflac)
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Paid parental leave (up to 12 weeks)
Generous paid vacation (up to 20 days per year)/sick/personal time, plus 11 paid holidays

To apply:

Interested parties must submit application materials here: bit.ly/NCRVaticanapp by May 16. Further information/instructions are included in the provided link. Inquiries may be directed to jobs@ncronline.org.

All communications will be treated confidentially. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, on a rolling basis. For selected candidates, steps in the hiring process may entail a series of Zoom interviews with the hiring manager and/or a hiring committee composed of NCR staff.

ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW

The National Catholic Reporter Publishing Company (NCR) is a non-profit, independent, lay-led news organization that reports on the Catholic Church and wider moral issues facing the human family. It publishes the National Catholic Reporter bi-monthly in print and daily at ncronline.org. It also publishes Global Sisters Report and EarthBeat online. These publications are committed to shaping a world that recognizes the sacredness and dignity of every human being, regardless of religious belief, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation. Throughout our history, NCR has been a voice for the voiceless, disadvantaged and marginalized. It has held authority, secular or religious, accountable.

The National Catholic Reporter Publishing Company is an equal opportunity employer, and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

About the Employer

NCR connects Catholics to church, faith and the common good with independent news, analysis and spiritual reflection.

NCR is a religious news source with worldly interests, and though a large amount of its reporting deals with issues of the Catholic church, an equal amount of its coverage is a marriage of the religious, political and social forces shaping public policies and institutions. We are concerned for all people and we are committed to shaping a world that recognizes the dignity of every human being, regardless of religious belief, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or other characteristics. Throughout our history, we have been a voice for the disadvantaged and the marginalized, and we have told the stories of injustice that others simply will not print.