The Belleville News-Democrat, a McClatchy news organization located in southwest Illinois near St. Louis, is seeking an enterprising, reader-focused education reporter who will break news and provide deep coverage of local issues that connect with parents, educators and other taxpayers in our region. Accountability reporting is a key part of this beat. We’re looking for a reporter with the ability to build a diverse network of sources and generate high-impact coverage with input from people in communities across our region and other stakeholders in our K-12 education system. This reporter must be able to use social media, SEO and storytelling tools and techniques to generate additional story ideas and ensure that our education coverage reaches a wide audience. Journalism is a team sport in our newsroom. The ability to collaborate and communicate well with colleagues on a daily basis is essential.