Trending Writer, Sports
The Philadelphia Inquirer is a public benefit corporation owned by the nonprofit Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Together, we’re at the center of a critical mission to create a lasting future for ambitious, engaging, and useful local journalism. We’re doing this, in part, by deepening our connection with the communities we serve. Our integrated digital and print platforms are the Philadelphia region’s largest media network. We’re passionate about building a sustainable model for indispensable local journalism, and we take pride in finding diverse, dynamic, and talented individuals to help push our team forward.
Summary
The Philadelphia Inquirer is seeking a digital journalist to join its Sports Desk and help capture the pulse of Philly sports fandom. This fast-paced role will focus on covering trending sports stories, from the hottest Eagles topics to the latest in the James Harden saga, and will put you at the center of the city’s biggest sports stories. Whether it’s the viral story of the day or major breaking news, if Philly is thinking and talking about it, we want to cover it.
That’s why we’re looking for someone who has their finger on the pulse of what’s happening with the city’s teams and athletes and knows how to connect that to broader national stories. Ideal candidates will also be able to balance sharp news judgment with creative storytelling and non-traditional approaches, and be able to do so quickly. Above all, we want someone passionate about sports and immersed in the local conversation who can ensure our coverage reflects what Philly fans care about — sometimes before they even know they should.
What You'll Do
Cover sports stories through a Philly-tinted lens, identifying newsworthy events and the best ways to engage local fans
Write quick-turn news and analysis on the trending Philly sports topics of the day
Aggregate relevant national sports stories with thoughtful curation tailored for Philly fans
Experiment with engaging storytelling formats like live blogs, explainers, interactive features, and more
Cover breaking stories, controversies, trades, signings, and more through the lens of fan reaction and buzz
Obsessively monitor Philly sports chatter and engagement across social media
Work with the Programming and Audience team to optimize reach and engagement
Who We are Looking For:
Has written about sports before (professional experience preferred)
Knows and understands Philly sports fandom, culture, and social media
Has willingness to pivot coverage as sports news breaks
Is comfortable working fast in breaking news situations and can write on deadline
Can quickly produce clean copy and cover multiple topics in the same day
Has a keen sense of trending sports news and local fan interests
Possesses the ability to both report and curate others’ reporting in an engaging way that adds value
Has strong understanding of SEO best practices and search trends
Is knowledgeable in using analytics tools to identify trending topics