High School Sports Reporter
The Statesman Journal /statesmanjournal.com, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, is hiring a high school sports reporter.
The ideal candidate is a self-starter who mines social media and knows where to look for story ideas through games and practices to craft compelling features, profiles, Q&As, lists, trend and enterprise stories that resonate with readers.
We are looking for someone with a passion for sports and storytelling who is comfortable working on multiple stories and experimenting with alternative story formats.
The reporter will collaborate with an editor to cover high school sports in Marion and Polk counties as well as Oregon State University and other local college sports.
Candidates should be committed to source building and comfortable working on short, quick breaking new stories as well as medium and long-term stories on issues related to high school sports. Knowledge and ability to create videos and photos desired.
The position is guided by metrics and audience research to help inform decisions about how to cover topics and issues as you engage with readers on a variety of platforms to drive audience and subscriber growth.
Located in the Willamette Valley, Salem is Oregon’s state capital. The Statesman Journal covers Marion and Polk counties in the Mid-Willamette Valley. The Statesman Journal is one hour from Portland, 90 minutes from the Oregon Coast, and amazing outdoor experiences are even closer.
Responsibilities
Cover high school sports in Marion and Polk counties, local colleges and some Oregon State sports, including football.
Create storytelling that accurately informs, entertains and engages specific audiences and platforms through the use of metrics.
Connect with the community through storytelling and outreach (social media, on camera, etc.). Provide thoughtful analysis of complex issues.
Work with editor 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, videos and graphics). Capture basic photos and video as needed.
Promote personal brand, the brands of colleagues and the institutional brand.
Requirements
Bachelor’s or master’s degree in journalism or related field with at least
One to two years’ experience covering high school sports desired.
Expert at using social media platforms; including but not limited to Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok and Reddit.
Experience shooting and editing photos and video on a mobile device.
Comfort building a beat and communicating with athletes and coaches.
Command of AP writing, spelling, grammar, and style.
Good fact checking and reporting skills.
Well-organized, detail-oriented and flexible.
Open to new ideas, new experiences and learning on the job.
Critical thinking and analytical skills.
Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment. Ability to communicate effectively inside and outside the organization.
Ability to work some nights and weekends.
This role requires a valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and the minimum liability insurance required by state law.
Employment is contingent on passing a pre-employment, post-offer background check, drug screen & motor vehicle record check.
Application Instructions
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 no more than three published stories, writing samples and/or audio samples.
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.