Reporter-Texas Connect Team

The USA TODAY Network Texas is looking for a digital-first reporter to be part of the Connect team, focusing on trending news and service journalism.   The reporter will seek out stories that are of interest to our audiences using the latest in trends, metrics and social tools to find stories that will resonate. This person should be creative, write in a conversational style and deliver sharp headlines. A great Connect reporter is interested in a little bit of everything, can report on a variety of topics and has an insatiable curiosity about the world around them.   The position demands initiative, accuracy, urgency and insight. It also demands strong news judgment and the ability to find and identify stories and trends that are immediate, important and influential. Quick writing and reporting skills are crucial. This person can juggle a high volume of stories on a daily basis with aplomb, all the while staying focused on the digital details of story production: headlines, SEO, multimedia assets and other points of optimization. It’s a high-volume beat, responsible for two posts most weekdays.   The content this team creates will be used across all of Gannett's sites and publications in Texas, including The Austin American-Statesman, The Caller Times and The El Paso Times.   The person who fills this position needs to be able to self-assign and re-prioritize in real-time. Additionally, this person needs to feel comfortable with being edited by peers – and to contribute in a peer-editing process.   Previous experience as a reporter or content producer is required. This reporter will work some weekends, evenings and holidays as needed.    Responsibilities:  Report quickly, clearly and accurately and deliver news, via stories, video, newsletters, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or any other methods available to reach our audience.  Use metrics to inform story choices and shape beat strategies. This includes being adept at SEO. Identify top trending stories of the day, based on analytics and audience potential, specific to attracting search and social audiences.  Use sites such as Google Trends and platforms such as CrowdTangle and Dataminr to mine story ideas from social media and news organizations.  Work with editors to experiment with new ways of informing and engaging audiences on social platforms and alternate story forms. This includes experimenting with long-tail (evergreen) content.  Seek out compelling photos, graphics and video and secure permission to use them.  Monitor real-time news and sniff out the most important and fascinating stories important to our audiences. Demonstrate fast news judgment on an ongoing basis.  Requirements:  Bachelor's or master’s degree in communications, journalism or related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.  Experience using social media accounts to identify stories a plus. Experience creating visual news graphics optimized for social a plus.  High-level writing, communication, and time management skills.  Ability to produce content that is clean, accurate and publication ready.  Comfort with using social media such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram to enhance reporting and promote stories.  Understanding of reporting ethics and sourcing.  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:  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. #Newsgnt #LI-NC1