Investigative Correspondent, New Mexico

Courier Newsroom, Inc.•Santa Fe, NM

2d•$65,000 - $85,000•Remote

About The Position

Join Courier Newsroom – a fast-growing independent news network that informs and empowers communities across America. At COURIER, we are revitalizing local journalism through a modern model that centers our audiences and their consumption habits in our reporting, content development, and distribution strategies. Our 14 — and counting — state newsrooms make local news more accessible and actionable for Americans left behind by traditional media. Our mission and values-driven approach to reporting is rooted in increasing audiences’ informed civic engagement. We are expanding both our network and reporting teams on the ground in key states and are presently looking for an Investigative Correspondent to join our New Mexico newsroom. This person is both a tenacious researcher and quotable storyteller who can source and break news on a dedicated beat, contextualize complicated issues for everyday readers, and produce their reporting in formats that will reach people on the platforms they frequent (i.e email inboxes, social media feeds, video streaming platforms, etc.,). This person should be based in or around Santa Fe, and this role will require a reliable form of transportation to ensure the Correspondent able to cover stories where and when they happen. Either a personal vehicle or reliable public transportation to The Roundhouse are ok! Summary of the Role The New Mexico investigative correspondent will produce sharp, accessible political journalism on an assigned coverage lane that’s delivered in multiple formats such as on-camera videos, articles, and graphic carousels. You’ll launch, own, and grow an audience-focused product (video series, newsletter, etc.) that builds trust and engagement over time. The beat correspondent will also review insights and learnings from audience data and feedback to inform content strategy. This role will have an emphasis on the state legislature and the criminal justice system. The ideal candidate has experience with, or interest in, finding the impactful information buried in court filings or mentioned in committee meetings, and breaking down the information in a clear, digestible way that resonates with COURIER’s audience. This is a highly entrepreneurial role for someone excited to reach new audiences underserved by legacy media and help strengthen civic engagement in New Mexico. You will: Break and explain political news on a dedicated reporting beat out of the state House Develop and distribute political reporting tailored to a specific audience Build a personal, trusted presence across formats and platforms Use audience insights, data, and experimentation to refine your content and reporting approach Analyze complex court documents and legislative committee meetings and break down relevant information for the general public Create a network of diverse, credible, and influential sources to enrich your reporting

Requirements

5+ years of political reporting or political content creation.
Deep understanding of New Mexico political landscape and community dynamics.
Spanish-language skills and preferably be bilingual
Experience telling and sharing sensitive stories with respect for the impacted communities and individuals
Demonstrated a track record of building an audience through content or product.
Strong writing/reporting skills with an ability to translate complex politics into accessible, values-rooted storytelling with minimal editing oversight.
Experience creating content for social platforms (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube).
Comfort on camera and willingness to appear in videos or host short-form segments.
A grasp of AP Style
Familiarity with tools such as WordPress, Canva, Emplifi, Descript; willingness to learn new tools.
Comfort experimenting with tone, formats, and approaches to meet audience needs.
Ability to work independently in a startup-like, fast-paced environment.
Experience reporting on state government, the criminal justice system, or the financial industry.
Excited to build something from the ground up and own content end-to-end.
Passionate about reaching audiences in more accessible ways and engaging them to act.
Values-driven, mission-centered, and committed to factual, helpful political journalism.
Collaborative, flexible, and comfortable adapting to changing priorities.
Interested in growing a personal brand as a trusted local messenger.

Responsibilities

Report, write, and produce clear, compelling political journalism rooted in local communities.
Break news and deliver fast-turnaround coverage on political developments, hearings, investigations, and related efforts
Build and maintain a strong network of on-the-ground sources: lawmakers, organizers, community leaders, campaign staff, and advocates.
Provide coverage, commentary, and analysis that connects the state-level efforts to national narratives
Provide additional state-level political coverage for the newsroom as needed.
When relevant, work with editors and reporters in other COURIER newsrooms to connect stories to audiences in other states
Find new angles to stories that have been reported on previously i.e. what is the local press corps missing?
Curate and package political reporting in an accessible, values-aligned format tailored to our audience.
Experiment with new storytelling formats (videos, explainers, carousels, text posts, etc.) to expand reach.
Use analytics, platform insights, audience feedback, and A/B-style testing to refine storytelling and content strategy.
Create short-form video content, including on-camera explainers, TikTok/Instagram videos, or voice-overs (comfort producing direct-to-camera videos required)
Collaborate with our social media team to translate reporting into social-ready content (carousels, graphics, and videos) that captures attention in under five seconds.
Build and grow a personal social presence that positions you as a trusted, relatable political communicator in New Mexico and across the assigned coverage lane
Work closely with social, political editorial, newsletter, and marketing teams to ensure consistent messaging and high-quality content.
Share learnings and collaborate with other correspondents and editors across the COURIER network.
Contribute to growth and monetization strategies for state-level media products.