Reporter Iii - High School Sports And College Football Recruiting

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The Gadsden Times/gadsdentimes.com, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, seeks a dynamic reporter to cover high school sports and college sports in Gadsden, Alabama, Emphasis will be on coverage of local high school sports teams, especially football and basketball, with the opportunity to cover Jacksonville State football, which is moving up to FBS and joining Conference USA.
The ideal candidate will lead the conversation on area high school athletics as well as Auburn football recruiting by developing broad expertise and delivering news with impact and analysis year-round. The writer will also tell compelling human-interest stories and identify interesting trends for enterprise stories that go beyond what happened on the court or field or during an athlete's commitment ceremony.
This position requires multimedia skills, the ability to produce and edit video and engage audience on social media. The best candidate will have dynamic writing ability and the knowledge to write about football, basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball and soccer.
We want someone who is ambitious, thinks big, writes with authority and has a passion for storytelling and breaking news before our competitors.
Responsibilities:

• Connect with the community through social media, including Instagram.
• Be the area’s leading voice in high school sports and the state's leading voice in college football recruiting.
• Provide great customer service, helping readers find answers and solutions.
• Craft coverage based on historical success and adapt approach based on digital metrics and audience needs.
• Capture basic photos and video as needed. Promote personal brand, the brands of colleagues and the institutional brand.
• Provide coverage of Jacksonville State football with an emphasis on coach Rich Rodriguez.

Requirements:

• Adept at taking photos and video and the ability to file quickly across platforms: mobile, desktop and social media.
• Understands reporting ethics and sourcing.
• Collaborates well with others and can work with a team on the biggest stories.
• Comfortable in fluid, fast-breaking, stressful situations.
• Bachelor's or master’s degree in communications, journalism, marketing or related field preferred or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Strong command of grammar and AP style.
• Excels in a fast-paced news environment and understands the digital first mission.
• This role requires a valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and the minimum liability insurance required by state law.
• Comfortable using social media such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to enhance reporting and promote stories.
• A desire to grow and develop a key beat in our newsrooms.
• This can be an entry-level position, but 1-2 years' reporting/newsroom experience is preferred.
• Strong copy-editing skills and the ability to produce content that is clean, accurate and "publication ready."
• Passionate and enthusiastic about news and content that will work well with audiences on social platforms.
• Able to work occasional late nights or weekends as needed by the news cycle.
• Employment is contingent on passing a post-offer pre-employment background check and a motor vehicle record check & drug screen (for driving roles only).

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:
1. Your resume – one to two pages.
2. A cover letter that outlines how you would approach the job.
3. 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.
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