Location: Johannesburg preferred / hybrid or remote considered
Type: Permanent, Full Time
About /explain/:
At explain.co.za, our mission is to make news clear, accessible, and meaningful for South Africans who feel left out by traditional media. We launched in 2020 and have built a lean but passionate newsroom—and a complementary communications agency (Explain Agency) that helps fund our journalism. Our tone is conversational, solution-oriented, and deeply curious.
The Role:
We’re looking for an experienced journalist to join our team as a Reporter & Explainer. You’ll focus on original reporting, crafting well-sourced explainers, and translating complex stories into accessible, engaging content. You’ll write for our weekly Wrap, produce explainers based on major stories (with at least three original sources), and create fast context updates when breaking news happens. You’ll also be part of building how Explain expands its multimedia offering.
You will report to the Managing Editor, and may be responsible for mentoring one or two interns in time.
Key Responsibilities:
- Weekly Wrap
- Write the bulk of our award-winning weekly Wrap with support from the rest of the team.
- Use our signature conversational yet well-researched tone, making sense of the week’s top stories in a way that matters to young, curious South Africans.
- Assist with uploading and adapting the wrap across various platforms and mediums.
- Explainers & Deep Reporting
- Produce a weekly explainer rooted in one big news story, with at least three original, on-the-record sources.
- Translate complicated topics into clear, engaging analysis that helps readers understand not just what happened, but why it matters.
- Create infographics, videos and other multimedia to support the weekly explain.
- Breaking News Context
- Quickly create short explainer/context updates when major or developing stories break.
- Be ready to write and publish under tight deadlines, with clarity and accuracy
Who You Are:
- Experience: Minimum 3 years of original reporting experience in a reputable South African newsroom.
- Journalistic Muscle: You have strong experience cultivating expert sources, interviewing, and turning complex topics into accessible stories.
- Writing Style: You write with clarity, flair, and a conversational voice — exactly the tone of our Weekly Wrap.
- Digital Savvy: Comfortable working across platforms, especially writing for the web and creating (and presenting) social video, along with being guided by analytics and audience trends.
- Initiative & Collaboration: You’re a self-starter driven by results, but also enjoy working in a small, tight-knit team.
What We Offer:
- Competitive salary commensurate with experience
- Flexible working environment (hybrid/remote)
- Flexible leave policy
- A close-knit, mission-driven newsroom
- Opportunity to help shape and grow Explain’s editorial direction
- Close mentorship, with fortnightly coaching meetings, professional development, and support to innovate
- Contributing to a growing journalism project that values both impact and sustainability
How to Apply: Fill in this form. Note: You will need to login with your Gmail address in order to upload your CV and samples.
Deadline for applications: 30 November 2025
