STAFF EDITOR / WRITER (VOLUNTEER)

The Staff Editor & Writer is a hands-on, dual-purpose volunteer editorial role sitting within The Sentinel’s regional journalism structure. This person does two things exceptionally well: they write original journalism, and they edit the submissions of Citizen Journalist contributors so that every story published from the region meets The Sentinel’s standards of accuracy, clarity, and public interest.
This role reports directly to the Director of Regional Journalism and is the primary editorial point of contact for citizen journalists (CJs) submitting work for publication. The Staff Editor & Writer is not a manager or community coordinator — it is a working editorial role for someone who loves both the craft of writing and the challenge of making other people’s writing better
Key Responsibilities
Original Reporting & Writing
Research, report, and write original news stories, features, and analysis pieces assigned by the Director of Regional Journalism, adhering to The Sentinel’s editorial standards, style guide, and publication deadlines.
Pitch story ideas to the Director of Regional Journalism based on beats, regional events, and gaps in current coverage, with clear newsworthiness rationale and suggested sourcing approaches.
Conduct interviews, gather documentary evidence, and verify facts independently before submitting copy for editorial review.
Cover breaking news assignments as directed, balancing speed with the accuracy standards required by The Sentinel’s corrections policy.
Write contextualising, explainer, or backgrounder pieces that add depth to stories submitted by citizen journalists, where the Director of Regional Journalism determines additional editorial scaffolding is needed.
Step in to cover assigned stories when no Citizen Journalist is available, ensuring regional editorial output does not fall below publication targets during recruitment gaps or high-demand periods.
Editing Citizen Journalist Submissions
Review all assigned citizen journalist submissions in a timely manner, assessing each piece for newsworthiness, accuracy, sourcing, clarity, structure, tone, and adherence to The Sentinel’s editorial guidelines.
Line-edit submissions to publication standard, improving sentence clarity, active voice, structural logic, and factual precision without overriding the contributor’s voice or losing their proximity to the story.
Provide clear, specific, and developmental written feedback with every edited submission, explaining the reasoning behind significant changes so that contributors learn and improve over time.
Flag sourcing weaknesses, unverified claims, potential legal risks, and ethical concerns to the Director of Regional Journalism before publication, never passing through content that cannot be adequately verified.
Manage multi-cycle revision workflows where submissions require more than one round of editing, maintaining clear communication with contributors about what is needed and why.
Ensure all edited submissions are correctly formatted for upload, with accurate headlines, subheadings, bylines, and metadata, before passing to the Director of Regional Journalism for final publication sign-off.
Editorial Standards & Fact-Checking
Uphold The Sentinel’s core journalism standards in every piece you write and every submission you edit.
Verify factual claims in both original and submitted content through primary sources, official records, and direct confirmation before publication.
Apply The Sentinel’s style guide and tone-of-voice consistently, including standards for attribution, headline writing, use of anonymous sources, and the handling of sensitive subject matter.
Identify and escalate potential legal risks — including defamation, contempt, privacy breaches, and copyright issues — to the Director of Regional Journalism before publication.
Support the implementation of The Sentinel’s corrections policy when errors are identified post-publication, providing the Director of Regional Journalism with a clear account of the error and proposed correction language.
Contributor Development & Collaboration
Treat every editorial interaction with a Citizen Journalist as a development opportunity: feedback should be specific, constructive, and oriented toward the contributor’s long-term growth as a journalist, not merely the immediate story.
Maintain responsive and respectful communication with contributors throughout the editing process, providing clear timelines, honest assessments, and actionable guidance.
Participate in regional editorial meetings convened by the Director of Regional Journalism, contributing to story planning, coverage prioritisation, and editorial quality discussions.
Share knowledge and craft insights with the broader regional contributor community through participation in editorial skills sessions, feedback workshops, or written guidance documents as requested.
Background & Experience Indicators
Journalists or writers with 2–5 years of experience at a news organisation, digital publication, community media outlet, or nonprofit newsroom who are looking to contribute their skills to a public-interest mission.
Editors or copy editors with hands-on experience reviewing and developing submissions from contributors with varying levels of skill, including those writing in a second language.
Journalism graduates or early-career media professionals who have edited for a campus publication, community outlet, or volunteer newsroom and are ready to apply those skills at a global scale.
Communications professionals, content managers, or grant writers with strong editorial backgrounds who want to return to journalism-focused work through a mission-driven volunteer role.
Experienced citizen journalists within The Sentinel’s own network who have demonstrated exceptional writing quality, editorial judgment, and a desire to support and develop other contributors.
Freelance journalists or writers who maintain an active writing practice and are seeking a structured editorial volunteer role that aligns with their commitment to independent, public-interest journalism.
Time Commitment
The Staff Editor & Writer role requires a reliable, consistent weekly commitment. We estimate an average of 6–8 hours per week, comprising a mix of writing assignments, active editing queues, and contributor communication. Demand will fluctuate with the regional news cycle and submission volumes. This role requires dependable responsiveness: contributors are counting on timely feedback to meet publication deadlines. As a Staff Writer it is expected that 2-4 published articles per month will be produced on a regular basis.
How to Apply
Please submit a letter of interest (400 words maximum) describing your writing and editing background, your connection to the region you are applying to support, and what draws you to citizen and public-interest journalism. Include a CV or professional profile and, where possible, two or three samples of writing you have produced and one or two examples of editing work (a marked-up document, a before/after comparison, or a brief description of your editorial process is acceptable). Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds who share our commitment to truth, craft, and public service.

Work arrangement
Yes