Backpack Journalist

Connect for Health Colorado has an excellent opportunity for a Backpack Journalist

Connect for Health Colorado (C4HCO) is a public, nonprofit entity established by the Colorado General Assembly in 2011 to create a health insurance marketplace. Since 2013, we’ve been helping individuals, families, and small employers compare plans, apply for financial help, and buy health insurance. As Colorado’s official health insurance marketplace, we are the only place to apply for financial help to lower the monthly cost of premiums. Customers can shop online; get help by phone or online chat from Customer Service Center representatives; and access expert help from a statewide network of certified insurance Brokers and community-based Assisters. Our mission is to increase access, affordability, and choice for individuals and small employers purchasing health insurance in Colorado. For more information, visit ConnectforHealthCO.com

Position Summary:

The Backpack Journalist reports to the Senior Manager, Marketing, and is responsible for independently researching, producing, and publishing compelling multimedia stories about Connect for Health Colorado, its customers, partners, employees, programs, and statewide impact.

Operating as a mobile, self-contained content producer, the Backpack Journalist combines the responsibilities of a reporter, interviewer, writer, photographer, videographer, audio producer, and digital editor. The position manages the full storytelling process — from identifying and researching an idea through field production, editing, factchecking, publishing, and distribution across digital channels.

The Backpack Journalist will travel throughout Colorado to document authentic customer and community experiences, partner initiatives, enrollment activities, public events, and emerging issues affecting access to health coverage. Using portable production equipment, the position will capture high-quality video, photography, interviews, natural sound, and written material without relying on a traditional production crew.

The ideal candidate is a resourceful and ethical journalist who can translate complex health insurance and public-policy topics into clear, accurate, human-centered stories. They are comfortable working independently in unpredictable field environments while collaborating closely with Communications, Marketing, Policy, Operations, Legal, Customer Experience, and community partners.

Position Responsibilities

• Research, identify, pitch, and develop original story ideas that advance Connect for Health Colorado’s mission, organizational priorities, and communications strategy.
• Independently manage multimedia assignments from initial concept through publication, including research, production planning, scheduling, interviewing, field reporting, writing, recording, editing, factchecking, and distribution.
• Conduct thoughtful interviews with customers, community members, Brokers, Assisters, health care professionals, organizational leaders, policymakers, subject-matter experts, and other stakeholders.
• Capture professional-quality video, photography, interviews, voiceovers, and natural sound using portable cameras, mobile devices, microphones, lighting, stabilizers, audio recorders, and related field-production equipment.
• Write and edit scripts, articles, profiles, captions, video descriptions, social media copy, and other editorial content that supports multimedia storytelling.
• Edit video, photography, and audio using professional desktop or mobile production software, integrating interviews, visuals, natural sound, licensed music, graphics, and narration into cohesive stories for digital distribution.
• Produce and publish content in multiple formats and lengths for the Connect for Health Colorado website, social media, email communications, presentations, partner networks, media outreach, and internal communications.
• Repurpose long-form stories into short-form videos, social media clips, photographs, written profiles, audio segments, and other reusable content assets.
• Translate health insurance concepts, policy developments, enrollment information, and organizational initiatives into clear, accurate, and audience-friendly stories.
• Follow journalistic and organizational standards related to accuracy, fairness, transparency, attribution, corrections, privacy, informed consent, conflicts of interest, and responsible interviewing.
• Secure appropriate releases, permissions, and consent from interview subjects and property owners before recording or publishing content.
• Coordinate with Legal, Policy, Compliance, Communications, and other internal teams when stories involve sensitive, regulated, confidential, or rapidly changing information.
• Apply accessibility standards to multimedia content, including captions, transcripts, alternative text, readable graphics, and plain language.