Job Description
Job DescriptionDescription:
The Salt Lake Tribune made history five years ago as the first legacy newspaper in the U.S. to transform from a for-profit company to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. That innovative step was just one part of changing how we reach all Utahns. Now you can join our mission to tell interesting, important and inclusive stories by expanding our relationships with communities across Utah—especially those often left out of traditional media: youth, Spanish speakers, and people in rural areas.
This person will have these key characteristics:
- Understand how to build lasting trust with a range of communities.
- Know how to engage with people across cultural, geographic and language differences.
- Be committed to journalistic values, transparency and listening.
This person will have three primary roles:
- Be the face and voice of The Tribune in communities across Utah by attending events, building partnerships, and maintaining open lines of communication—especially in Utah and Washington counties.
- Be the advocate within the newsroom for underserved communities by bringing their stories, concerns and ideas into editorial discussions.
- Be a collaborator with local organizations, influencers and community leaders to co-create meaningful engagement and storytelling initiatives.
Our ideal candidate is passionate about connecting with people, building trust and serving the public. You’ll spend time in places like schools, rural towns, cultural festivals, community centers, and online spaces like WhatsApp. You’ll help ensure The Tribune is not only informing the public—but also reflecting it. You’ll need to be just as comfortable in a small-town church hall as you are in a newsroom meeting or a group chat.
To Apply
In place of a traditional cover letter, please send a 1-3 minute video introduction of yourself speaking to your community engagement experience, and a resume to dwhite@sltrib.com.
Benefits
- Health, dental and vision insurance
- Cellphone stipend
- 401(k) with matching
- Flexible work hours
- Paid family leave
- Paid time off and sick leave
- Mileage reimbursement
About The Tribune
The Salt Lake Tribune is a community-owned nonprofit, having become the nation’s first legacy newspaper to make this transition. Based in Salt Lake City, The Tribune is a two-time Pulitzer winner that prides itself on aggressive watchdog reporting.
Utah offers unparalleled outdoor recreation opportunities in the Wasatch Mountains and the redrock national parks such as Zion and Arches. Salt Lake City is home to a vibrant arts scene, a growing group of quality restaurants and the Utah Jazz.
We are proud of the work we do and we are proud of our newsroom culture. This is a collaborative, energetic organization constantly seeking ways to improve. The Tribune is an inclusive employer and we encourage people of all backgrounds to apply.
Requirements:
- Strategic community engagement: Design and execute a long-term engagement strategy that strengthens trust and relationships with community members across Utah, particularly focusing on youth, Spanish speakers, and rural residents. This strategy should prioritize transparency, listening, and mutual respect, ensuring outreach is culturally relevant and geographically inclusive, particularly in Utah and Washington counties.
- Community Outreach: Develop and implement a community outreach program focused on building and maintaining relationships with local leaders, organizations, and residents, especially in Utah and Washington Counties, as well as rural regions of the state. Cultivate a presence at local events, engage with school systems and youth organizations, and ensure regular, open communication with Spanish-speaking residents. Pitch expertise of newsroom talent to appropriate podcasts, webinars and other events.
- Digital Engagement: Work with the audience and multimedia teams to reach new and diverse audiences across platforms. Develop a local “influencer” program, identifying mission-aligned content creators with whom we can partner to inform, engage and support Utahns. Reach Spanish-speaking communities by creating a What’sApp presence.
- Trust-Building Initiatives: Develop and implement best practices for fostering trust, such as open forums, transparent reporting practices, and community-driven content creation. Ensure that feedback from the community—especially from youth, Spanish-speaking communities, and rural areas—is not only heard but acted upon. Foster a culture of humility and responsiveness that reflects the diverse needs of these communities.
- Inclusive Storytelling: Collaborate with editorial teams to ensure content is representative of Utah’s diverse population, with a special emphasis on youth, Spanish speakers, and those living in rural areas. Serve as the voice of the community in editorial planning and leadership meetings. Adapt our coverage to better meet the needs of these groups, ensuring their perspectives are included in every story we tell. This includes producing bilingual content and highlighting stories that resonate in communities often underrepresented in mainstream media.
- Conflict Resolution and Mediation: Handle community feedback, complaints, and concerns in a professional, empathetic manner. Act as a liaison and trader advocate between the community and the organization to ensure that issues are addressed in a way that fosters understanding and resolution. Ensure rural and Spanish-speaking communities feel heard and respected, especially when dealing with concerns that disproportionately impact them.
- Collaborative Community Projects: Work with external partners, such as local non-profits, schools, churches, and businesses, to co-create content and initiatives that reflect and address the needs of the community. Support collaborative, community-driven storytelling projects that strengthen bonds and amplify local voices, particularly among youth and Spanish-speaking populations in rural areas. Work in close collaboration with our head of collaboratives on these efforts.
- Data-Driven Engagement: Use engagement metrics, surveys, and direct feedback to continuously evaluate the effectiveness of community engagement efforts. Set and achieve measurable outcome goals. Regularly assess trust levels within the community through targeted outreach and feedback surveys, with particular attention to youth, Spanish-speaking residents, and rural communities in Utah and Washington Counties. Adjust strategies based on this feedback to ensure ongoing responsiveness.
Required skills and experience
- 5+ years in community engagement, public relations or related roles
- Experience working with Spanish-speaking communities, youth and rural populations
- Strong communication and conflict resolution skills
- Ability to travel around the state and work flexible hours when needed
- Knowledge of Utah’s unique cultural and geographic communities
- Experience building programs, partnerships or outreach initiatives
- Familiarity with digital tools for outreach and engagement (email, WhatsApp, surveys, social media)
- Strong sense of and adherence to ethics and fairness
Desired skills or experience
- Bilingual (English/Spanish)
- Experience working in or with newsrooms
- Experience with collaborative or community-based storytelling
- Understanding of engagement metrics and how to act on feedback
- Comfortable pitching ideas for podcasts, events or collaborative projects
- Experience supporting editorial efforts around inclusive storytelling