Web Reporter

In the digital world, things happen fast. At the Observer Media Group, we know news doesn’t wait for our weekly print editions — which is why a strong digital presence is essential for our online readers.

We are looking for a news hound who loves to sniff out stories from original sources and always keeps an eye on what’s breaking in our Sarasota market. This person will be a fan of court records, building permits, social media and anything else that can provide leads for interesting digital stories — without stooping to the lowest common denominator. As a community-focused weekly, we aren’t hunting for click bait or mug shots — our goal is to deliver news about our readers’ neighborhoods they can’t find anywhere else.

Breaking news reporting is one half of this job. The other is making sure our website, YourObserver.com, and social media are maximizing our presence in the digital world while ensuring we’re putting our best foot forward. With more than a dozen reporters feeding news into our website on a daily basis, we need an extra set of eyes to make sure everything is being displayed and promoted properly on the front end.

In addition, this position will help monitor and schedule our social media posts and assist in sending out our various e-newsletters to keep our audience engaged and informed.

Must-haves include:

• A nose for news and good news judgment about what fits with our audience and mission

• Ability to report and write stories quickly that are complete and clean (including good knowledge of AP style)

• Enthusiasm for all things digital, including SEO headlines and analytics

• Ability to collaborate and work well with a team of reporters and editors

• A passion to think outside of the box and create unique content every day

• An obsession with improvement and an unparalleled commitment to excellence

• Experience using a variety of digital tools, including the Meta Business Suite, MailChimp and Canva

• Multimedia skills, including video shooting, video editing and design skills to bring stories to life on the web.

And why should you choose us? The Observer Media Group is family-owned and operated company in Sarasota, Florida. You can tell the moment you enter our offices that you aren’t in your parents’ newsroom (or a corporate one, for that matter). We have a simple motto that describes our culture: If you can dream it, you can do it. We give our staff lots of freedom to think big and create great content, which includes putting new ideas into action. Plus, with 10 newspapers and five websites throughout Florida, there’s lots of opportunity to learn and grow.

Interested? Send your resume and a note on why you feel you’re the best candidate for the job to Executive Editor Kat Wingert at kwingert@yourobserver.com.