Vatican Correspondent
@ National Catholic Reporter
Remote
Bachelor's Degree
Senior Level (5-10 years)
75,000-95,000
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.
- 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.
- 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