Documenters Program Assistant

Documenters Program Assistant - Job Description About inewsource inewsource Mission

inewsource is a community-focused nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom dedicated to improving lives in the San Diego region and beyond through impactful, investigative and accountability journalism. We are unique among San Diego news providers for the way we involve community members in our work and make their issues and concerns a priority for its journalists. Together, this community-powered collaboration achieves the greatest public service of watching out for citizens and holding the powerful to account.

You believe -- without a hint of skepticism -- that inewsource has the ability to help communities alter the course of history. The embodiment of inewsource’s mission and ethics is seen throughout your work and is felt by the organization through the impact you provide.

The Documenters Program Assistant supports the Documenters Program Manager in the daily operations, communications and coordination of the Documenters program. Working under the Manager’s direction, the Assistant helps implement trainings, manage program workflows and data, support outreach and communications (including program correspondence and audience engagement through newsletters and social media) and assist with administrative and operational needs that enable the program to function effectively.

This role is critical to achieving goals outlined in inewsource’s charter — particularly increasing the quantity and quality of community-informed local news while building trust and transparency between communities and local government.

About the Documenters:

Local government bodies hold thousands of public meetings every year — but the vast majority receive no media coverage and produce minimal records. The Documenters Network makes local government more accountable and transparent by training and paying community members to attend these meetings and publish the results via news products, social media and our custom web app, Documenters.org. The Documenters Network was founded by City Bureau in Chicago.

inewsource launched this program in parts of San Diego, mainly central, North County and the South Bay, and eventually plans to expand across our coverage area.

The Documenters Program Assistant reports to the Community News Coordinator, a member of the editorial team. The Assistant works closely with the Manager but also collaboratively across the organization to support Documenters operations and goals.

• Support the Documenters Program Manager in day-to-day program operations and logistics.
• Identify and help secure sites for Documenters trainings; assist with scheduling and coordination.
• Manage program workflows and maintain internal tracking documents, spreadsheets and reporting data.
• Support payroll-related processes for Documenters, ensuring timely and accurate submissions.
• Assist with tracking Documenters participation, assignments and deliverables.
• Help maintain organized records related to trainings, partnerships and program activity.

• Assist with preparing materials, logistics and communications for Documenters training sessions.
• Plan/coordinate community engagement activities/events
• Attend and provide on-site or virtual support during trainings, workshops or public-facing events.
• Support outreach and follow-up with training partners, participants and community organizations.
• Assist with recruiting community members to attend Documenters trainings.
• Attend trainings, events and outreach opportunities as needed to help represent the Documenters program and support program growth and visibility.
• Help manage/develop the Documenters community on Discord.

• Support outreach communications to Documenters, editors and partners regarding assignments, notes and deadlines.
• Support content production needs for Documenters newsletters, CTAs or other audience-facing materials as directed.
• Help manage and update Documenters…