Investigative Reporter

The Houston Landing is growing our team of passionate people on a mission to advance democracy in our communities and strengthen the lives of all Houstonians one story at a time. Houston Landing is an independent, nonprofit digital news operation that will cover a broad range of topics serving the Greater Houston community. Houston Landing is initially supported by a coalition of three of Houston’s leading philanthropies including Arnold Ventures, The Houston Endowment and the Kinder Foundation.

At Houston Landing, we are expanding our newsroom team to include an investigative reporter responsible for telling important, timely and engaging stories about the Houston region.

What you’ll do

• You’ll dig up quick-turn investigative stories that hold people accountable and make an impact.
• You’ll be on the lookout for breaking news stories that lend themselves to deeper follow-ups.
• You’ll aggressively use public records laws to obtain documents and data to uncover stories that would otherwise go untold.
• You’ll work with members of the newsroom to adeptly tell these stories in a variety of ways — traditional articles, videos, photo slideshows and online interactives. You and your supervisors will decide which format fits each story best.
• You will ensure your reporting prioritizes community information needs and includes diverse perspectives.
• You’ll work with your editor and the audience team to promote a social media strategy and figure out how best to reach our key audiences.

Requirements

Who you are

• You have a strong track record of investigative reporting and writing clean, accurate copy on tight deadlines.
• You are adept at using the Texas Public Information Act and the Freedom of Information Act to pry documents and data from public agencies.
• You are comfortable crunching data using spreadsheets and database managers.
• You have experience using multiple digital platforms to tell a story.
• You have a flexible attitude that allows you to thrive at a digital startup and think creatively.
• You are a curious, organized person who is always on the lookout for good story ideas and who knows how to stay on task to make those stories a reality.
• You are committed to our mission of finding a new path for quality journalism.
• You have a collaborative spirit, strong communication skills and a willingness to listen to diverse perspectives

Benefits

Our Values

EXCELLENCE: We wake up every day with the intent to be the best at what we do. We hustle. We have grit. When we make mistakes, we’ll learn from them.

INCLUSION: We aren’t all the same, and those differences are what make us better. We’ll respect each person’s uniqueness. Perspective, context and life experiences help us to tell the story.

AMBITION: We will be bold and creative, open to all ideas big or small. We really mean it.

FUN: We are not making widgets, although there is nothing wrong with widgets. We tell stories and stories are often fun, so we believe in having lots of fun.

‍COLLABORATION: We are all in this together. We may not always agree, but we will listen to each other and communicate candidly and respectfully.

Benefits

• Compensation commensurate with experience, minimum of $80,000
• 401(k)
• Healthcare 100% premium paid for employee and 50% for dependents
• 20 vacation days
• Ten personal/sick days
• Generous paid parental leave
• Hybrid work policy (initially we all work together to build culture)
• Stipend for development / learning

We’re committed to building an inclusive organization that represents the people and communities we serve. We encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, including women, people of color, veterans, LGBTQ+ people and people with disabilities.