Reporter for the Kyiv Independent’s North America Desk

The Kyiv Independent – Ukraine’s biggest English language publication is looking to fill a remote reporter position on our North America team.

The Kyiv Independent is Ukraine’s main English-language news outlet. It was founded in November 2021 by a team of reporters and editors who were fired from the Kyiv Post for defending editorial independence, in partnership with a media consultancy company Jnomics. Today it’s a team of around 80 people based mostly in Kyiv. Publishing in English, we serve as Ukraine’s voice in the world and the world’s window into Ukraine.

Our North America Desk supports the work of reporters in Kyiv by covering overnight breaking news while Ukraine sleeps, conducting interviews with experts based in the U.S. and Canada, drafting the Ukraine Daily newsletter every night, and covering weekend news.

This is a part-time, fully remote position with shifts in the afternoons/evenings and on weekends.

Responsibilities:

• Monitoring news stories (including Russia’s attacks on Ukraine, political developments in U.S. regarding Russia/Ukraine, Ukrainian deep strikes in Russia, etc.) using Ukrainian media outlets, social media, government sites, officials’ platforms, and other public sources
• Identifying and writing short-form news items for KI’s newsfeed in real time, working autonomously to produce clear, accurate, relevant pieces that:
• Meet KI’s standards for coverage and publication
• Follow newswriting structure and capture KI’s editorial voice
• Adhere to KI and AP style guides
• Feature concise, attention-grabbing headlines
• Maintain SEO best practices
• Converting stories into updates for social media channels
• Reaching out to experts, commentators, officials, and think tanks for comments on feature items in collaboration with Kyiv-based editors
• Conducting and transcribing interviews
• Staying informed and up-to-date about the Ukrainian news agenda, its main newsmakers, and the international agenda in relation to Ukraine
• Attending regular meetings and trainings to keep abreast of newsroom changes, style guidelines, and editorial discussions
• Pitching story ideas for potential longform freelance features

Requirements:

• Reporter must be in the North America time zone and availability weekday afternoons/nights and weekends. Shifts are 2-8 p.m. and 8 p.m.-1 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on weekdays; 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. and 5 p.m.-1 a.m. weekends.
• Strong writing skills in English. Excellent command of English grammar, spelling, and structure. All work is conducted in English and all news items are published in English. (Must be C1-level or native speaker.)
• The ability to condense complex information into clear, well-structured news items that conform to KI’s style and journalistic standards. Some experience in digital media, journalism, or other professional writing preferred.
• Comfort working autonomously in a fast-paced environment. Role requires critical thinking, editorial judgement, and the ability to write clean copy on tight deadlines.
• Rigorous attention to detail. Willingness to conduct research, confirm facts, and consult style guides to ensure high level of accuracy before publication.
• Some familiarity with Ukrainian and/or Russian language in order to efficiently track news in written, audio, and video formats.
• Reliable high-speed internet connection.
• Commitment to the values of independent journalism and passion for amplifying Ukrainian stories.

We offer:

• Hourly compensation;
• Part-time position of ~20 hours per week;
• Work in scheduled shifts in the evenings and weekends;
• A dedicated and highly motivated team;
• Engaging, meaningful work;
• The opportunity to build a portfolio of news clips and hone journalistic skills;
• The opportunity to pitch feature stories
• Mentoring and possibilities for professional development.

Note:  This is a remote, part-time position for those located in the North American time zone.

Thanks for taking the time to apply to work with the Kyiv Independent. If you are among the qualified candidates, you will receive an email from a member of our hiring team to schedule an interview.

Please note that while we would like to meet with all applicants, we may not have the opportunity to do so due to the volume of applications we receive.