Editor-in-chief

The Monitor, a growing weekly paper and online news site, is looking for an energetic and ambitious journalist who is passionate about local news to lead the expansion of our Montana newsroom.

This full-time position is an opportunity to produce innovative, high-impact local journalism that builds engagement and drives change in energetic and complex communities. 

The Monitor has served Jefferson County, a string of small cities and unincorporated places south of Helena, for more than a century. We’re now expanding our geography, and targeting early 2025 for the launch of coverage in East Helena.

The editor-in-chief will go deep into these communities, exploring networks and building trusted relationships, and providing authoritative coverage of the institutions that ground civic life: Schools, businesses, and public safety. 

The editor also will plumb the distinctively Western questions that promise to shape life in these places for generations to come: How, for one, will infrastructure and services keep pace with population growth? How will government and developers respond to the need for affordable housing? How does the desire for open space map against the demands of economic growth? And how should our communities' history inform the future? These are rich stories that matter to our audience.

Under new ownership since 2018, The Monitor has made made several strategic shifts to better serve our audience and community while ensuring financial sustainability:

• A gradual shift to a digital-first publication strategy.
• Deep investment in "tentpole" issues — economic development; aging and the elderly; mental health; and housing — that drive great enterprise reporting.
• Market expansion: The Monitor's paid circulation is up 50% over the last three years. 
• Online and offline engagement activities that catalyze constructive and inclusive public discourse.

We invest in coverage of the many challenges facing our community, explaining what’s wrong and why — and the Monitor enjoys a heritage of critical and independent reporting. We believe that understanding what’s broken is the first step toward fixing it, and that our leaders must be transparent and accountable. 

But we also know that, if people only read about what’s broken, citizenship suffers. That’s why the Monitor also reports on efforts to fix those problems, here and elsewhere. We hope that solutions-focused coverage helps bridge divisions, providing a platform for constructive discussions about the county’s present and future that can, in turn, advance thoughtful decision-making and investment.

This is who we’re looking for:

• An ambitious and energetic journalist who is passionate about local news and eager to explore rural communities.
• Someone who lives (or wants to) in Jefferson County, Helena, or nearby. This job is all about being there. 
• Understanding of and enthusiasm for a solutions-based approach to reporting (and/or an eagerness to learn).
• An entrepreneurial and collaborative mindset. We’re looking for someone who’s comfortable and confident charting their own course, a true partner who is excited to co-lead this growing enterprise.

What we offer:

• Salary of $55,000-$60,000.
• A commitment to quality journalism: The Monitor has won the general excellence award among small papers in Montana for the last four years.
• An opportunity to experiment, take risks, and pursue big ideas.
• Flexibility and support for combining weekly news reporting with longer-term enterprise projects
• An unrivaled view into rural America

We also offer pretty great quality of life. The Monitor is nestled just south of Helena, the state capitol; it's 30 minutes from Butte, an hour from Bozeman, and two hours from Missoula. It is ringed by the Elkhorn Mountains and offers many recreation opportunities. Hiking, skiing, hunting, fishing, biking — if you're into the outdoors, this area is (quietly) calling your name.

Diversity of perspective, identity, and experience is important to us. We encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to seek employment, and we make all employment decisions without regard to race, age, gender, sexual orientation, or any other factors protected by federal, state or local law. 

Send your CV, a letter of interest, and/or questions to Keith Hammonds, publisher, at keith@boulder-monitor.com