Newsperson (State Government Reporter)

The Associated Press seeks an enterprising reporter with a proven track record of developing sources and breaking stories to cover state government and politics in Raleigh, North Carolina. This is a temporary position lasting nine months, with the potential to become permanent, covered by AP’s agreement with the News Media Guild.

Responsibilities: In this role, you will seek to consistently break news and produce distinct, deeply reported enterprise about a variety of issues in North Carolina, with a focus on state government and politics. You should be a self-starter who is comfortable with freedom of information requests and campaign finance records and knows how to build a story from the local level and frame it for broader audiences in the U.S. and around the world. You will work closely with the Mid South assistant news director and other journalists across the state. You will also collaborate with AP state government reporters around the country on stories and projects.

We’re looking for someone who will:

have a great news sense, with the ability to communicate stories people will want to share on social media.

skillfully develop sources who can tell us what is happening behind closed doors in the halls of power.

have a keen eye for seeing broader political trends, and for seeing through spin, doublespeak and propaganda.

collaborate with the diverse team of journalists at the AP who operate in all formats – text, photo, video, audio, digital/social, interactive and graphics.

pursue innovative and inclusive coverage strategies while maintaining AP’s standards for integrity and objectivity.

be responsive to general breaking news in the region – including at night and on weekends – as coverage demands, as AP is a 24/7 operation.

Preferred qualifications: Applicants must be gifted writers who can explain complex stories in clear and compelling ways and do so swiftly and accurately on tight deadlines. You should be comfortable working in multiple media formats, from the field and from the desk.

Required qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience, such as at least two years of full-time experience at a daily newspaper, broadcast station, online or digital news outlet or an AP bureau or regional desk.

All applicants must be able to work in the U.S. or be able to gain permission to do so.

Advanced-level professional competency in written and spoken English. Professional competency in a language besides English is a plus.

Strong interpersonal, organizational and planning skills, with the ability to juggle multiple projects across formats and deliver success on complex, challenging story lines.

We will consider strong candidates who do not meet every listed qualification. You may use a cover letter to describe the unique qualifications you would bring to this role and submit story clips that will help us assess your writing.

Application Deadline: January 19, 2024 @ 11:59 PM ET