Reporter / Team Lead

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's mission is to be the most essential and engaging source of news and information for the people of Atlanta, of Georgia and the South. To achieve that mission, we are investing and transforming our organization from a storied daily newspaper into a modern media company. We are the largest and most influential local news organization in Georgia and a regional influence in politics and culture.

We are seeking a talented, proven reporter who would like to dip a big toe into the world of editing. The selected person will join the Local Government team as a watchdog enterprise reporter and coach.

If selected, you will be expected to routinely produce accountability enterprise stories - both as a solo reporter and in collaboration with beat reporters - that uncovers fraud, waste, corruption, deceptive practices or abuse of power in and around Metro Atlanta.

This position will not be tied to a beat, but the chosen reporter will be expected to routinely produce and execute on mid-term and quick-turn enterprise, watchdog and investigative story ideas.

Coverage must be strategic and efficient to ensure AJC subscribers are getting depth and context unavailable elsewhere, and told smartly in our digital and print editions. That is approximately 85% of the job. The other 15% will be as an assistant to the local government editor.

As a coach, the selected candidate will edit stories when the Senior Editor is away or working on other projects. He or she will also be responsible for representing the team's work in budget and planning meetings when the Senior Editor is not available.

The coach may also provide day-to-day direction to and/or collaboration with reporters, story editors, and leaders of other teams to produce or update stories and/or coverage objectives.

In addition to superior writing and reporting skills, the successful candidate will possess an editor's eye for clunky sentences, bulky stories or holes that must be filled before publication. Solid editing chops are one thing, but the successful candidate must also possess superior organization skills so that the local government team is well represented in meetings to digital and print editors, and the senior leadership team.

Education

Bachelor's degree preferred. May substitute experience for degree.

Years & Experience

Five years newsroom experience preferably related to the team's area of work
Commendable or above performance as individual contributor
Editing experience a plus.
Demonstrated leadership ability a plus.
Strong news judgment.
Strong ability to organize, analyze, interpret and disseminate information.
Strong verbal and written communication and presentation skills.
Excellent interpersonal and collaborative skills.
Thorough knowledge of AP-style writing, grammar, usage, spelling.
Demonstrated ability to work in digital media.

Additional Requirements

Strong project management and organizational skills.
Comfortable communicating with individuals at all levels within an organization, including individuals at other properties.
Strong attention to detail and quality.
Ability to multi-task, adapt and be flexible to newsroom needs.
Flexibility to work varied schedule that could include nights, early morning, and/or weekends
Reliable internet access required to work remotely
In-office work environment not available every day; some at-home officing or other remote work required
Permanent residence in metro Atlanta required
Local travel required. Therefore, a successful candidate will need a reliable vehicle and valid driver's license.