Senior Government Reporter - Houston Inner Loop

Description

Position Summary: A Reporter delivers local print and digital content to the reader, providing coverage of stories within the community they serve, which involves collecting information, interviewing sources, developing relationships, and writing accurate, intelligent, and engaging stories. Duties include writing articles for a monthly newspaper, generating digital content for the website and daily newsletter, and developing story ideas for content through their reporting.

A Senior Reporter shares the same required knowledge, skills, abilities and responsibilities as a Reporter & Reporter II, but has additional qualifications and responsibilities specific to their position, such as producing shared content, copyfitting all of their own content, editing other writers’ stories, contributing to department training, helping other teams as needed, and filling in for their editors whenever required. 

Note: While our office is in Jersey Village, Texas, this role will cover updates for two markets: Bellaire, Meryeland & West University, and Heights, River Oaks & Montrose.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Experience in interviewing and writing
• College degree—preferably in journalism—or related coursework
• At least 1 year of experience with Community Impact, including 6 months as Reporter II 
• At least 2 years of full-time experience with print or digital publication(s), or equivalent experience

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 

• Familiarity with AP Style
• First-rate reporting and writing skills 
• Proficiency in writing both hard news and features
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills
• Ability to hit monthly print and daily digital deadlines 
• Excellent news judgment and ability to generate story ideas
• Ability to learn industry-specific software, including content management systems
• Ability to perform assigned job responsibilities in a timely manner with minimal supervision

Relationship to Other Positions:

• Reports directly to Editor and indirectly to Managing Editor

Responsibilities of a Reporter:

• Access to reliable transportation
• Shoot photographs for stories as needed
• Contribute ideas for graphics and sidebars for each story
• Adhere to Community Impact’s editorial stylebook and AP style guidelines
• Generate original story ideas and present them at internal planning meetings
• Develop, maintain, and grow a network of news sources and community contacts
• Commit to the highest level of accuracy and complete all writing within established deadlines
• Beat coverage, including regular in-person meetings of city councils, school boards, or other entities 
• Represent the company in a professional manner at networking events and other external functions
• Interview news sources in person (occasionally from the desk) and from a variety of perspectives to ensure accurate reporting 
• Investigate, analyze, and interpret newsworthy events within the assigned community to produce and write original, engaging, and content-appropriate news stories and features
• Comply with other job-related instructions and perform any other duties the Editor, Managing Editor, General Manager, or any other supervisor(s) consider reasonably related to their primary job responsibilities

Additional Responsibilities of a Senior Reporter 

• Helping produce shared content for the newsroom, metro, and state
• Must complete additional training required for additional job responsibilities
• As needed: 
  • Copyfitting their own content
  • Helping copy-edit web stories
  • Serving as a peer to new CI reporters
  • Filling in for other writers and understaffed markets
  • Taking ownership of daily content and newsletter planning
  • Provide training, including metro trainings or department-wide Lunch & Learns
  • Copyfitting other reporters’ stories and doing first reads on other writers’ stories, except leads
  • Taking on the editor’s role in planning meetings, graphic pitches, and any other necessary meetings

WHY JOIN COMMUNITY IMPACT

Starting hourly rate of $26.74 ($55,620 annually) or more with experience

Mileage Reimbursement: $135 monthly stipend for gas, mileage, and tolls

Paid Time Off: 112 hours annually

Paid Holidays: 10 per year, plus an additional paid day off for your birthday

Comprehensive Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, and Employer-Paid Life Insurance

Additional Coverage: Supplemental insurance options, including Accident and Critical Illness

Career Growth: Opportunities for advancement and development

If you are ready to make a real difference in your community, apply today.

Salary : $55,620