DATA JOURNALIST, SCIENCE & RESEARCH

Program Overview

Reporting to the Resource Watch Director along with WRI’s Senior Editor, you will develop editorial content for Resource Watch, an open data system to provide timely and trusted data for a sustainable future. Launched as a beta version in April 2018, it provides timely, decision-relevant data on the world’s most urgent global challenges and currently hosts around 300 datasets, including 50+ in near real-time. You will work with WRI researchers, analysts, designers, communications staff and external partners to conceptualize, write and edit data-driven stories on the interlinkages between the environment and human well-being.

Job Summary

In this role, you will author and coordinate data-driven stories that help advance WRI’s mission by harnessing sustainability data available on Resource Watch. You will work closely with subject matter experts across our programs and international offices to uncover new insights on urgent global issues, supported by the Resource Watch team to analyze and visualize datasets. You will identify issues that warrant journalistic inquiry in Resource Watch’s curated database and beyond. You will cover how Resource Watch is having impact on the ground with NGOs and local governments. Moreover, you will author data stories for WRI’s flagship institutional blog, Insights, and shape the editorial strategy for the Resource Watch blog, which currently consists of short form data stories, how-to guides and data visualizations.

As part of the role, you will respond to current challenges relevant to WRI’s seven program areas (food, forest, water, climate, energy, cities, and the ocean), bringing complex datasets to life through storytelling and captivating visualizations. You will communicate regularly with program experts across WRI’s global network about the development of data stories and will have access to support for data, analysis, and visualizations.

Job Responsibilities

Writing, and Editing (60%)

• Find the narrative in the numbers. Work closely with WRI s analysts and researchers to mine Resource Watch’s over 300 datasets for story ideas
• Analyze datasets on planetary health and sustainability to identify trends and spot key findings for revelatory stories
• Develop a continuous pipeline of data stories using Resource Watch datasets, while leaning on topical expertise from across WRI’s seven program teams
• Plan, develop and execute on several in-depth data features annually, which look deeper at a particular sustainability challenge and aspire to change the discourse
• Oversee writing, editing and production of the Resource Watch blog by developing data-driven stories, how-to guides, platform updates, stories about our impact on the ground, and multimedia content
• Solicit data-driven ideas from WRI program teams, and work with them to turn complex research findings into compelling stories for both Resource Watch and WRI’s Insights blog.
• Produce highly visual and interactive content, working closely with WRI’s graphic designers and data visualization specialists
• Innovate and experiment with new ways of telling data-driven stories

Develop and Implement Editorial Strategy (20%)

• Lead and maintain the editorial strategy to advance the Resource Watch platform and assess its value and impact over time
• Set key metrics for blog content and track performance using Google Analytics and other tools
• Manage an editorial calendar and develop mix of content for Resource Watch and WRI’s Insights blog
• Guide the tone and voice of Resource Watch editorial, web and social media content
• Work closely with WRI’s Science and Research and Communications teams to ensure that all content is analytically rigorous and adheres to WRI’s standards for quality and accuracy
• Collaborate closely with communication staff across the Institute

Communication Support and Training (20%)

• Support the creation of internal and external training materials, with emphasis on making data more accessible to journalists and other key Resource Watch users
• Assist in the drafting and editing of marketing materials when necessary