Southwest Minnesota Reporter

The Star Tribune is the Upper Midwest’s largest news organization, with audience numbers consistently in the top five in the nation among regional and national peers. Building on an extraordinary legacy that includes seven Pulitzer Prizes and hundreds of other awards, the Star Tribune is an unrivaled force for journalistic excellence in Minnesota. It is also a company under transformation – realigning its core purpose for a new age of media consumption through innovative new partnerships, technology strategies, and a refreshed strategic direction. Our company has a new vision to create the leading model for local news in America – driving innovation in media to make every Minnesotan’s life better. We’re looking for dynamic team members to help create that model – people who care about journalism and democracy and are eager to reinvent one of our state’s most trusted companies for a new era of growth that embraces emerging technologies and strategies for excellence.

Job Summary

The Star Tribune is expanding its coverage of the news, issues and people shaping life across Minnesota. We are hiring reporters and freelance writers based outside the Twin Cities metro area to write for the Southwest Minnesota region, including Mankato, Austin, Worthington, and Marshall.

Expanded statewide coverage is a key component of the Star Tribune’s mission, and we are looking for reporters who will find the stories beyond weekly meetings or press releases. Reporters on this high-profile team will need to spot interesting, important and urgent news of the day, and identify and report the biggest issues affecting residents of their regions and throughout the state.

You will write for all our news platforms, from newsletters to Startribune.com to the newspaper. You should be committed to employing audience strategies based on real-time metrics and strategic analysis, and be willing to work collaboratively with colleagues on this team and across the newsroom. Your journalism should reflect the diversity of Minnesota and the Star Tribune’s audience.

You Will

Live outside the Twin Cities metro and be willing to travel within your region as news demands, or when the story can best be told through on-the-ground reporting.
Collaborate with your editors and other news leaders to determine daily, weekly, and ongoing coverage strategies across multiple platforms.
Be enterprising and entrepreneurial. Our readers most value news and insightful reporting they are not seeing elsewhere. Staying informed about evolving issues and emerging developments will result in stories of interest to statewide and regional audiences.
Leverage other mediums, such as audio and video and the camera on your cell phone, to reach wide audiences.
Collaborate with your editors and members of the Audience team to build avenues for engagement and amplification of your work and the Star Tribune.
Build relationships with people statewide – from lifelong residents to immigrants to key community leaders – to shine a light on their lives.

You Have

A bachelor’s degree in journalism or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and work-related experience.
A portfolio of published work demonstrating solid news judgment, deep reporting, engaging writing and comfort with a broad range of topics.
A deep understanding of Minnesota and how it is changing.
An ability to connect with sources and subjects from diverse backgrounds and include overlooked or ignored viewpoints.
High standards and a commitment to fairness and accuracy.
The ability to multitask and juggle priorities on deadline – and then meet them.
A commitment to the Star Tribune’s standards, mission and values.

Pay: Based on years of experience per the Star Tribune’s Newspaper & Communications Guild contract.

Schedule: Variable hours will include nights, weekends and holidays.

To apply: Upload a resume and a memo outlining how you would approach the role, some top ideas for stories, and a link to your work portfolio. Note the location in which you would like to work.

More About The Star Tribune

At the Star Tribune, we believe our employees are our most valuable asset. We go above and beyond to ensure their happiness, growth and overall well-being. Here is a glimpse into the exceptional benefits we offer:

Modern downtown office with a free fitness center and rooftop patio. Commuting subsidy, medical, dental, and vision insurance. Wellness program with financial incentives. Paid time off which includes flexible holidays to honor the preferences of employees, plus one volunteer day and 2 wellness days. 401(k) with company match, parental and caregiving leaves, flexible work arrangements, employee assistance program, pet insurance, tuition reimbursement, flexible spending, and health savings accounts.

The Star Tribune also gives back to the Minnesota community. In 2020, the Star Tribune launched the Connect Grant, providing qualifying local Minnesota businesses with a total of $200,000 in advertising credits and services. The Connect Grant serves to empower the future growth of underrepresented business owners through marketing collaboration and advertising.

Selected in 2023 to Diversity MBA's inaugural list of Top 25 Outstanding Leadership and Diversity Impact Awards.

Equal Opportunity Employer: If you're interested in this role but don't meet every single requirement, we still encourage you to apply. The Star Tribune is dedicated to fostering a more diverse and inclusive workplace, and we welcome applicants from all backgrounds.