Remote jobs, Full-time, Part-time work: direct contacts

Are you a passionate and entrepreneurial online journalist? Want to be part of a dynamic and innovative team of journalists, engineers, designers and business pros who are creating a bold new solution for our industry? Do you think that traditional news media just don’t get it anymore?  Would you like to run your own local news Web site, where you'll tap the multimedia and social media skills you've mastered to transform community journalism and connect with communities? If you answered “yes” to any of those questions, keep reading…

We’re Patch.com, a start-up that’s radically reinventing community journalism. We launched in February 2009 and we now operate hundreds of local news sites in towns with populations under 70,000, and we continue to expand!  Patch is founded on two core principles: that news matters in towns across the country and that we can create a successful business model to sustain it. Even as many newsrooms have been downsized or shut down, Patch is investing millions to create a nationwide network of news sites using our dynamic platform to produce meaningful daily and enterprise journalism and pioneer new forms of storytelling to serve communities. We have won acclaim in the industry and coverage in The New York Times, Forbes Magazine, Bloomberg, NPR's "Talk of the Nation," "The News Hour with Jim Lehrer," and numerous industry blogs and Web sites. We've recently also announced Patch.org, a new initiative that will allow us to collaborate with local foundations and journalism schools to cover under-served communities.

Patch.com is looking for smart, innovative journalists to join our team as full-time site editors. We see this as nothing less than the future of online journalism. Visit patch.com to learn more about our mission and to visit our news sites.

Job responsibilities (to include, but not limited to):
Run a local news site – reporting, writing, taking pictures and video; finding, assigning and editing freelancers and local columnists, and connecting with the community to attract user-generated content
Provide an invaluable source of trusted news and information that will improve people’s lives
Drive your site to become a landmark in the community
Work collaboratively with colleagues in a region to produce impactful breaking news, features and enterprise journalism and storytelling, and create new ways to connect with  and engage communities
Collaborate with  the business team to build and maintain  your town's directory of key officials,  organizations and business listings

*Competitive salary and benefits package, including 401-K match and performance bonus. Patch Media is an AOL company.

Experience:

Required skills:
Recent community journalism experience
Ability to manage, direct, and motivate a team of freelancers
Ability to manage a budget
“Bull-doggish” reporting instincts and willingness to ask tough questions of important people
Experience in online journalism
Experience editing video, producing a Web site and/or excellent photography skills
Must have a firm grasp of AP style
Great news judgment
Adept with a variety of social media tools
Unparalleled organizational, time management, and interpersonal skills

Desired skills:
Passionate about the web, social networking, and of course community journalism
Be able to quickly grasp the interests, rhythms and identity of a community
Thrive in a fast-paced environment
Entrepreneurial spirit and drive; start up experience a plus

Education/ Industry background:
Ideal candidate will have at least two years of professional reporting experience, as well as college media and internship experience
Degree in journalism, new media, or similar discipline (graduate degree a plus)

Unique requirements:
Must be a flexible, independent, self-starter – you’ll work from home, the coffee shop, your car, the high school football game
Tools for the job – best of all we will provide them: including a laptop, smart phone, camera, police scanner, etc.
Must own a car
Must be willing to relocate if there isn't a site near you
Ability and willingness to work various hours outside of the typical M-F and 9-5, including evenings and weekends