Trending/College Sports Reporter

The Oklahoman/oklahoman.com part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, is seekinga Trending/college sports reporter for its award-winning sports department.

Responsibilities:

Primary responsibilities will focus on the coverage of the Oklahoma Sooners.
We'd want you to be the authority on the state's two Power Five athletic programs, building relationships in the community and going well beyond the box score to tell stories.
Identify local trends and be a self-starter in pursuing evergreen and timely stories.
Use social media platforms to grow audience and as a newsgathering tool.
Use audience metrics — seeing which stories connect with readers and which ones don't — to help develop content strategies.
Collaborate with other reporters and editors as part of a local and national network.
Make sure stories are enhanced with hyperlinks, spike links, photo galleries and videos to help drive reader engagement.
Generate ideas for multimedia content — videos, podcasts, interactives, databases, etc.
Occasionally, fill in on other beats in the offseason to assist in coverage of our tent-pole events — such as the NBA Playoffs and high school state championships.

Requirements:

Bachelor's or master’s in communications, journalism or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Must be a self-starter and organized.
Must show urgency in responding to breaking news.
Adept at building a beat and developing sources.
Strong reporting and writing skills.
Must be able to multitask.
Strong communication skills.
Nights and weekends required.
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 drug screen, motor vehicle record check and background 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 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.