Polk County Government Reporter

The Ledger in Lakeland, FL, is looking for a self-motivated reporter to become the recognized voice on Polk County government and politics. Polk County, in the heart of Central Florida between Tampa and Orlando, is one of Florida’s largest counties in area and its governing body, the Polk County Commission, makes decisions that impact the health, safety and prosperity of more than 600,000 residents. While those issues -- such as county-level business development, environmental regulation, transportation and construction -- are the focus of this beat, the county reporter also will cover state policy as it relates to our county, and the intersection of county and local city government policy. The county reporter will cover decisions and inner workings of the county’s constitutional offices and assist in court coverage, election coverage and general-assignment topics as needed. The ideal candidate is an investigative reporter at heart who has the skills to dig into an issue but also the storytelling ability to show readers how this issue affects them and their families. They are driven by the desire to get answers to community questions, to help them secure a seat at the table and in community discussions. They are not motivated by what is written on a government agenda. This reporter must be able to tell stories across multiple platforms, using digital tools such as video, audio and social to narrate their stories.