Talented writer/reporter wanted to report, write and produce a weekly town newsletter for the town of Norfolk, Connecticut. Freelance position.
The mission of the Norfolk, Conn., weekly newsletter is to keep the citizens of the community well informed about significant events, the workings of town government, and any larger issues that town citizens may wish to follow.
Job Description
The Newsletter Editor is responsible for identifying relevant news items, attending and reporting on occasional town meetings and events, and writing succinct, accurate descriptions for the weekly newsletter and the town website, norfolkct.org. The Editor also produces the newsletter by adding the week’s content to the website and sending it every Friday to subscribers (currently 550) via MailChimp.
The average newsletter contains a mix of about 10 articles along these lines:
3 to 4 event descriptions (selected from those written by the Events Editor)
3 to 4 community news articles
1 or 2 occasional reported pieces in the series “How Our Town Works”
A list of the forthcoming week’s municipal meetings
A photograph may accompany one or more of the issue’s articles
The Newsletter Editor works with the town Website Committee to set strategy for the newsletter. The newsletter is the communication of the town’s official website and, as such, articles must be unbiased, without identifying any one point of view; accuracy is vital.
Requirements:
Excellent writing skills
Demonstrated interest in investigative journalism, reporting
Attention to detail, copy editing skills
Reliable; able to meet deadlines consistently
The following are a plus:
Norfolk resident, familiar with Town Hall
Previous experience with WordPress and/or Mail Chimp
Ability to take photos to illustrate news stories
The Position:
This is a freelance position, requiring approximately 10 hours per week of time. Compensation is a monthly fee; the amount depends on skills and experience.
Interested? If you’d like to see samples of past newsletters, please contact the webmaster here. To apply for the position, please email cover letter, resume and writing samples to the same address.