Local Government Watchdog/Breaking News Reporter

The Desert Sun / desertsun.com in Palm Springs, California, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, is looking for a reporter to cover the City of Palm Springs and breaking news in the Coachella Valley, a dynamic and buzzy oasis in the California desert.

This fast-growing area of Southern California is bursting with amazing stories to chase or conceive. We are looking for a journalist who is comfortable with quick-hit breaking news and ambitious enterprise in an exciting and complex city widely known for its Hollywood history as it grapples with modern-day realities. This dynamic position offers the chance to cover city hall; social justice issues; new restaurants and businesses; buzzy pop-ups; in addition to weather, traffic and public safety issues.

This is both a watchdog and first-responder position in our newsroom. We are looking for a reporter who will hold public officials accountable and help our audience make informed decisions about their communities--from the spending of tax dollars, to the quality of their schools and the safety of their neighborhoods. Although your first task is to serve the local community, we want someone who will strive to use this local beat as a launching pad for stories with statewide or national impact. You must build trust with sources and have an eye for important details buried in local government agendas, budgets and public records. You should have work samples that demonstrate an aptitude for data-driven stories and familiarity with FOIA requests, and a track record of producing compelling, timely, well-sourced stories. We expect that you can recognize compelling, socially shareable stories and that you will be quick to jump on them.

In addition, many of the stories this person produces also will be the first in an ongoing line of hyper local coverage including news such as fires, crime, weather, earthquakes, and traffic incidents.

This job is well suited for a reporter who can think critically and creatively and write with clarity and impact on complex issues in a fast-paced and competitive environment. You must be willing to ask tough questions that are in the moment, but also with an eye toward the future. We will expect you to break important news and develop stories that engage our audiences on multiple platforms using text, video, graphics, social media and more. The best candidate can act independently, drawing on audience interest to identify stories our readers and viewers need and want to know about.

Responsibilities

Ability to report quickly, clearly and accurately to deliver news, via stories, video, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or any other methods available to reach our audiences.
Jump on breaking news. Research, write, report, photograph and/or video a variety of stories.
Demonstrate fast news judgement on an ongoing basis.
Source development is key to cultivating contacts among city officials, community leaders, residents, first responders and police. Have a genuine interest in people and ability to build trust and engages on social media with sources and audiences.
Experiment with new ways of informing and engaging audiences on social platforms and alternate story forms.
Monitor real-time news and sniff out the most important and fascinating stories important to our audiences in addition to pursue enterprise/investigative work to uncover stories that no one else is reporting.
Use metrics to inform story choices and identifies top news stories of the day, based on analytics and audience potential.
Writes and/or produces multimedia content that appeals to key audience targets and maximizes user experience on digital and social platforms to reach readers where they spend their time and attention.

Requirements

Bachelor's or master’s degree in communications, journalism, marketing or related field or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
2-5 years’ previous reporting/newsroom experience working in digital journalism.
Internship or previous experience in the job duties preferred.
Reliably clear and compelling copy, whether with quick breaking news or in-depth investigations.
Strong grasp of AP style and grammar.
Good time management and organizational skills.
Ability to distill information quickly and determine the best course of action.
Familiarity with digital storytelling tools and techniques.
Basic aptitude with photography and videography.
Experience with video and alternative story formats.
Exceptional social media skills and audience engagement experience.
Exceptional core journalism skills.
Deep understanding of journalism ethics.
Self-motivated and self-directed.
Effective communicator; able to get along with diverse personalities.
Able to multi-task and excel under intense deadline pressure in a rapidly changing environment.
Knows how to use time effectively.
Works collaboratively within a cross-functional environment.
Must embrace peer-to-peer feedback and training.
Applies innovative, creative thinking to support the company's goals.
Familiarity with the Coachella Valley or Southern California is a plus.
Spanish language skills are a plus.
This position may involves working early mornings, evenings or weekends and occasional holidays.
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 post-offer, pre-employment background check, drug screen and motor vehicle record check.

Applications 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 3-6 online samples of your work. Show us what you’ve produced or had a hand in that best reflects what you can do in your desired role.

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.

The hourly rate for this role will range between $15.50 and $29.30.  Variable compensation is not reflected in these figures and based on the role, may be applicable. Exact compensation may vary based on skills, experience, location, and union representation, if applicable.