Podcast Producer, The Indicator From Planet Money

Job Description

OVERVIEW

Across our organization, we're building a workplace where collaboration is essential, diverse voices are heard, and inclusion is the key to our success.

SUMMARY

The Indicator is one of the biggest daily podcasts around, reaching more than a million people each week through podcasts and radio and we're expanding our staff to be more ambitious in our coverage of the economy right now. There's a lot to cover.

We're hiring several producer positions, including Associate Producer and Producer. Please indicate which title(s) you're interested in in your cover letter.

At all levels, producing The Indicator entails working collaboratively in a small, tight-knit team that moves fast. Producers have the chance to pitch and report stories and occasionally voice them on air. Everyone is also expected to pitch stories for the host(s) execute. Producers will book guests, conduct interviews, gather tape, assist in field reporting, plan logistics of projects, collaborations, trips and generally whatever needs doing as well as mix episodes on very tight deadlines. There is a lot of mixing in these jobs. Candidates should not apply if they do not want to be mixing audio on a regular basis.

We are open to candidates from non-traditional backgrounds within journalism, business, finance, education or anywhere else, but audio editing skills are a must. Please read on for details.

We have several Producer roles at several levels available on our team. Depending on your experience and our needs, you may be interviewed for one of the three roles noted.

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITIES
• All the duties of above and …
• Cut, edit and mix episodes independently with low or moderate guidance from reporters or editor.
• Independently manage editorial choices for booking, mixing, and editing episodes as needed.
• Maintain a high level awareness of the news and what needs coverage to contribute to our editorial and planning agenda
• Project manage journalistic series and other projects essential to the show's success.
• Assist in the coordination of news coverage with Editor and others at NPR

PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITIES
• All of the duties above and …
• Independently edit, cut, mix and produce episodes from raw materials gathered by host/reporters, with only minimal guidance.
• Find stories and original angles on tight deadlines, even just a few hours, and be able to turn them into episodes as needed.
• Coordinate production of other producers.
• Edit episodes occasionally.
• Push the team to be more ambitious in all areas.
• Mentor and otherwise contribute to the development of junior staff.
• Coordinate coverage choices with editor and others at NPR

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION: We don't care about formal education, but we would like to hear about your knowledge level and enthusiasm with the subject matter we cover.

REQUIRED SKILLS
• Experience in a news environment or working experience in the field of economics, finance or business.
• Experience in podcasting and/or radio broadcasting.
• Ability to edit audio decisively, on deadline, ideally in Pro Tools
• Strong storytelling sensibilities, an ability to identify anecdotes that can bring a larger idea or research finding to life, able to re-structure a story to enhance clarity and flow.
• Experience and demonstrated commitment to fact checking.
• Demonstrated ability to work quickly and efficiently under deadline pressure.
• Ability to handle more than one assignment at a time; ability to prioritize, anticipate and communicate effectively.
• Ability and willingness to work varied shifts.
• Proven ability to consistently work well with others, demonstrating, at all times, respect for the diverse constituencies at NPR and within the public radio system.
• Ability and willingness to relocate. In the future, NPR may choose to transfer employees to other geographic locations. Severance provisions of the AFTRA collective bargaining agreement will apply should you choose not to accept a transfer.

PREFERRED SKILLS
• Ability to use recording equipment to gather field sound.
• A natural interest in news.
• An economics background.
• A practiced instinct for social media.
• Ambition and interest in improving our web and social media presence.
• Digital media skills, including proficiency in social media as a news gathering technique

HOW TO APPLY

All applications must include a resume and cover letter to be considered.
• It's OK to be casual and conversational in your cover letter, that's how we are on the show, that's how we are with each other. Overall, your application should answer the question: how will hiring you change Planet Money for the better.
• Please tell us what you think we should stop doing, and what you think we should start doing, or do more of and how you would help us do that.
• Please choose a recent episode you might have approached differently and tell us how you would have improved it. Be concise, and brutally honest. We appreciate that. And please do it as you might if you were on the team giving feedback to a colleague. I.e. constructively with kindness, empathy and precision.

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-gx144z-3-135-202-224-42 in your application.