CAREERS AT POYNTER
Poynter improves and promotes journalism to strengthen democracy.
At a time when citizens are overloaded with misinformation and when neighbors are primed to focus on differences, the nonprofit Poynter Institute seeks to champion the values of a free press and its vitality in healthy democracies. Whether it’s teaching journalists and leaders new ways to achieve sustainability, holding media organizations accountable to the highest ethical standards through reporting and analysis, or empowering news consumers of all ages to sort fact from fiction, Poynter employees are part of a diverse, growing team dedicated to taking on some of society’s most difficult problems.
About Poynter
The Poynter Institute is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that has long represented the gold standard for the professional development of journalists. We help journalists improve their craft, commit to the highest ethical practices, hone career ambitions and develop newsroom strategies.
In addition to our training and development programs, Poynter is also home to:
The Craig Newmark Center for Ethics and Leadership is an authoritative voice for journalists, citizens and everyone interested in elevating discourse and fact-based expression while battling disinformation and bias. Through the work of the Center, journalism can evolve its values and the public will better understand how those values impact their everyday lives, building practices of mutual trust and transparency.
The IFCN created the Code of Principles that the world’s top fact-checking organizations from 133 countries use as a guide for best practices. In 2021 alone, the IFCN administered $3 million in grants to empower journalists, academics and researchers to pursue ambitious fact-checking initiatives. The IFCN facilitates global collaboration to fight disinformation in real time, from the coronavirus pandemic to the war in Ukraine, and teaches fact-checking to journalists everywhere.
MediaWise is a trailblazing social-first digital media literacy program for people of all ages and backgrounds. We help citizens around the world discern fact from fiction online in partnership with institutions from TikTok to AARP and with a little help from our friends.
PolitiFact is America’s largest independent political fact-checking organization working to verify claims made by politicians, political candidates, pundits and public figures. Our newsroom is among the most prolific newsrooms fighting misinformation on social media.
Poynter’s headquarters are in St. Petersburg, Florida, and we also have offices in Washington, D.C. Some positions are available for remote work.
Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging
At Poynter, we aspire to improve diversity in every aspect of our work — from building teams rich with unique backgrounds and perspectives to ensuring that our programs, content and services convey our commitment to inclusivity. To invest in our continued growth in this area, we hired a talented national figure in journalism to lead internal and external diversity strategies. In addition to making sure that staffers experience the advantage of working with a wide variety of people, Poynter actively participates in diversifying news coverage around the world.
Values
Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging
Fact-checking and fact-based expression
Accountability
Respect and collegiality
Displaying a growth mindset
Stewarding the Poynter magic
Leading the journalism industry by example
Benefits
Generous paid time off, seven designated paid holidays, plus two weeks paid leave at the end of every calendar year
Competitive medical with employer-funded HRA/dental/vision insurance
Surgery Plus benefit for eligible non-emergency/planned surgical procedures
403(b) retirement plan with 1% employer contribution of eligible compensation
Paid Parental Leave benefit allows for up to 24 weeks of compensated leave for birth moms
Paid Parental Leave benefit allows for up to 16 weeks of compensated leave for spouses, partners, and adoptive parents
Professional development
Dedicated Poynter Professional Partner during onboarding
Free access to Poynter’s online training catalog
The ability to sit in on most in-person Poynter trainings
A professional development committee
Professional development conversation with annual reviews
St. Pete workplace
🐶 Pet-friendly workplace
Hybrid work model (work from home and work from work) with dedicated, 360° smart video conferencing rooms
Free parking near downtown
Host to thousands of journalists from around the world
Complimentary coffee, tea, water
Beautiful 49,000 square foot building, Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired architecture, loads of natural light, reflecting pool and palm tree courtyard
Located on a waterfront campus, with park and marina views
Plenty of co-working space
Access to state-of-the-art storytelling equipment
Staff recommendations for things to do in Tampa Bay
Doris Truong – St. Pete Shuffleboard Club
Ren LaForme – Tampa Bay Beer Week
Tina Dyakon – Pass-A-Grille Beach
Kristen Hare – 100 Things to do in Tampa Bay Before You Die
Mel Grau – Live music at Doc Ford’s at the new St. Pete Pier
Notable Slack channels
#Is-there-food
#Happy-hour
#Praise-be
#Brighten-my-day
#Your-daily-trivia (if you dare)
#mis_disinformation
#overheardatpoynter
#best-practices
#hottype
#livefeedback
#online_learning
Notable handles to follow
History
Poynter was founded in 1975 as the Modern Media Institute by visionary newspaper editor Nelson Poynter. Mr. Poynter dedicated his 40-year career to the belief that excellent journalism, when locally owned and published independently, could help a community prosper and democracy flourish.
In an exceptional act of both vision and philanthropy, Mr. Poynter left the majority of his stock in his hometown newspaper (then the St. Petersburg Times) to the Institute upon his death in 1978. He dreamt this legacy gift would ensure journalists have access to resources that improve their craft and commitment to ethical practice, and that his beloved newspaper, now the Tampa Bay Times, remained independent and served the local community.
Today, the organization that now bears Mr. Poynter’s name continues to uphold and build upon his vision as the global center for professional journalism development, media ethics, fact-checking and media literacy.
Careers
Poynter is the crossroads where imagination meets possibility. Start your career at Poynter today.