Data Editor
Description
ConsumerAffairs helps consumers make smart buying decisions in moments of need. Every month millions of consumers turn to our news, data studies, service journalism, and tools for consumer advocacy and for help with their considered (often emotional) purchases.
We’re fast-paced and our core values are the bedrock of who we are and who we want to be.
Our employees believe in raising the bar through data-driven innovation, intellectual curiosity, and grit. We have a team-first mentality, and manifest wins by putting the team first. Collaboration and teamwork are in our hearts; we believe winning together is the most fun. But, above all else, we care. We have servant hearts for consumers, customers, and colleagues. If you want to be part of a globally diverse team focussing on helping people, in an environment where we raise the bar, win as a team, and care above all else—then ConsumerAffairs may be just the place for you!
ABOUT THE JOB:
ConsumerAffairs is seeking an experienced data journalist to spearhead the site’s expansion into data-driven storytelling and hard-hitting investigations.
This role combines data analysis, investigative reporting, service journalism, newsroom strategy, and digital PR.
You’ll work closely with the Chief Content Officer to build a new investigative reporting team that aims to break big stories and win awards. You’ll shape that team’s vision for using data to uncover wrongdoing, abuse, and fraud that directly impacts consumers, and oversee the data analysis for those investigations.
You’ll also build and run a team of freelance and full-time data storytellers, who will research, collect, and mine data for unique insights relevant to consumers’ lives, particularly with respect to finances and major purchases. You’ll help to present these findings in the form of stories, rankings, infographics, maps, and interactives. We will pitch these pieces to journalists and publications across industries, driving organic and referral traffic while increasing brand awareness.
The ideal candidate is passionate about data, crafts rigorous methodologies, has an instinct for newsworthy stories, and effectively communicates their insights. This is a remote, full-time position.
Responsibilities & Expectations
These responsibilities are not to be construed as a complete statement of all duties performed. Employees will be required to perform other job-related duties as required
- Help the Chief Content Officer to build an investigative reporting team
- Define ConsumerAffairs’ data storytelling strategy, in consultation with Chief Content Officer and Digital PR Manager
- Hire and manage freelance and full-time analysts
- Mentor colleagues, helping them to grow their data analysis and storytelling skills
- Identify new data sources and familiarize yourself with them
- Develop a steady stream of ideas for data-driven investigations, service content, and graphics
- Develop rigorous methodologies for these projects
- Collect data via public downloads, APIs, web-scraping, records requests, and surveys
- Mine these data sources for unique insights
- Communicate these insights clearly to colleagues
- Write/co-write articles and methodological summaries as needed
- Identify opportunities to systematize data collection and analysis
- Collaborate with designers and developers to improve our data visualization capacity
- Meet professional obligations through efficient work habits such as meeting deadlines, honoring schedules, coordinating resources in an effective and timely manner and demonstrating respect for others
Requirements
Qualifications & Credentials
Education/Licensure/Certification:
- Degree in statistics, computer science, quantitative social science, or another relevant field — or 4+ years of equivalent career experience
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- 4 years experience working on investigative journalism projects, as either a reporter, data analyst, or editor
- 2 years supervising the work of other data journalists
- Proven asset on journalistic teams that have won awards
- Demonstrated ability to analyze complex, tabular datasets using one or more of the following programming languages: Python, R, JavaScript, and/or SQL
- Comfort with industry best practices, such as version control and reproducibility
- Proficiency with Excel and Google Sheets for simpler projects and internal data sharing
- Deep familiarity with statistics fundamentals, quantitative reasoning, and common mistakes
- Knowledge of data published by major government agencies, such as the Census Bureau, IRS, Department of Labor, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and Department of Transportation
- Ability to restructure and clean messy data into analysis-ready formats
- Experience scraping data from websites
- Familiarity with survey methodologies and analysis
- Track record of identifying trends, outliers, and other insights from complex datasets
- Ability to translate your findings into clear writing — and to tailor that writing to the intended audience (e.g., colleagues, the general public, fellow data wonks)
- Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, prioritize tasks, and meet deadlines
Expected conduct:
- Obsessed with ensuring an exceptional customer experience- for both internal and external customers.
- Stands up for decisions, takes responsibility for results, and shares both good and bad outcomes transparently.
- Demonstrates a relentless focus on results with a commitment to deliver;
- Takes decisive action, and confidently changes course if unsuccessful.
- Displays a growth mindset to continually improve; encourages everyone around them to be tenacious and never settle.
- Constantly seeks feedback to improve; Focuses on solving issues through teamwork, and collaboration
- Acts with urgency; delivers top results in hours and days instead of weeks and months.
- Relentless in their pursuit of success and possessing the willpower to embrace challenges as opportunities.
Specific Measures of Success – Expected Outcomes
Start Date to Start Date +1 Year
- Start pitching and executing data stories in Q1
- Build and maintain a list of freelance data storytellers in Q1
- Build and maintain a list of data sources for upcoming stories in Q1
- Start hiring additional members of the team in Q2
- Meet defined production goals consistently by Q3
Core Values
Raise The Bar
- We raise the bar through innovation, intellectual curiosity, and grit. We are not satisfied with yesterday and our hearts thirst to be better tomorrow.
Win As A Team
- We manifest wins by putting the team first. We have collaboration and teamwork in our hearts and believe winning together is the most fun.
Care Above All Else
- We care above all else. We have servant hearts for our consumers, customers, and colleagues.
Physical Requirements & Environmental Conditions
- Location: Remote/ Tulsa
- Frequency of travel: Occasional travel may be required for meetings, training and/or conferences.
- Light physical activities and efforts required in working within an office environment.
(Reasonable accommodations will be made in accordance with existing ADA requirements for otherwise qualified individuals with disabilities.)
ConsumerAffairs provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
- This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.
Benefits
- Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
- Retirement Plan (401k, IRA)
- Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
- Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
- Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity)
- Short Term & Long Term Disability
- Training & Development
- Work From Home
- Free Food & Snacks
- Stock Option Plan