Vermont Sports Reporter
The Burlington Free Press, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, is seeking an energetic and passionate reporter to join our team to create impactful sports stories from the state of Vermont. The Free Press is the state’s leading voice on high school sports, and this reporter will help maintain that position.
We emphasize high school sports coverage, with a concentration on teams from Chittenden County, but this reporter (as part of a two-person sports team) will have an expectation to cultivate sources from schools across Vermont in order to help produce weekly power rankings, features and enterprise for statewide interest. The position will also be required to cover University of Vermont teams, maintain daily results/schedules and use social media (X, Facebook, Instagram) to promote work and build a brand to serve Vermont readers as the authority of local sports, especially high schools, in the state.
Located on the scenic shores of Lake Champlain, Burlington is the economic and cultural center of Vermont. The state’s largest city is home to several colleges, including the University of Vermont, UVM Medical Center(the state’s largest employer), as well as tech companies such as chip fabricator GlobalFoundries and electric aircraft start-up Beta Technologies. The Burlington area boasts a robust arts and music scene handsome to nationally recognized restaurants and craft breweries.
Responsibilities:
Create storytelling that accurately informs, entertains and engages specific audiences and platforms through the use of metrics.
Work toward becoming the community’s leading voice of expertise in high school sports.
Connect with the community through storytelling and outreach (social media, on camera, forums, community leadership, etc.). Provide thoughtful analysis of complex issues.
Work with editor and content strategist to evaluate what's working and what's not and develop ongoing plans to satisfy audience needs.
Collaborate to provide appropriate elements for stories (i.e. Photos, video sand graphics). Capture basic photos and video as needed.
Promote personal brand, the brands of colleagues and the institutional brand.
Provide great customer service, helping readers find answers and solutions.
Requirements:
Bachelor's or master’s degree in communications, journalism or related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Previous reporting experience preferred; even better if you've covered sports.
Proficiency on social media platforms; including but not limited to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Reddit.
Experience shooting and editing photos and video on a mobile device.
Strong communication skills, news judgement and headline-writing ability.
Ability to multitask and excel under intense deadline pressure.
Ability to work collaboratively and efficiently.
Strong writing, spelling and grammar skills; familiarity with AP style.
Ability to work some nights and weekends.
Comfort building a beat and communicating with athletes and coaches.
This role requires a valid driver’s license, reliable transportation and the minimum liability insurance required by state law.
We are eager to learn more about you and how you fit this role. When you apply, don’t limit your upload to a resume; show us what you’ve done. To do so, put together a single document file that includes the following, in this order:
Your resume – one to two pages.
A cover letter that outlines how you would approach the job.
Links to 3-6 online samples of your work. Show us what you’ve produced or had a hand in that best reflects what you can do in your desired role.
It is important that these items be assembled into a single document and uploaded in PDF format. Completing these steps will ensure that your application receives the highest consideration.