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