Breaking News/Public Safety Reporter

Breaking News/Public Safety Reporter

The Statesman Journal/statesmanjournal.com, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, is looking for a thoughtful and community-minded reporter who wants to help reimagine the public safety beat in a digital-first environment.

Breaking news, crime and courts are part of the beat. But we want to cover policing and criminal justice through a governmental accountability lens with nuanced representation of the challenges our community faces and rebuild trust with neglected communities.

The successful candidate will be able to find and turn breaking news quickly, but also dig deep and seek a wide perspective, cultivate diverse sources and devote resources to debunking myths and stereotypes. You’ll write about serious crime, scrutinize police tactics and spotlight social issues, while being sensitive to how our stories affect the various people and neighborhoods we cover.

An ideal candidate will be conscientious and collaborative, skeptical and comfortable with conflicting points of view. Flexibility is key, as are compassion and creativity: You might cover a protest one day, interview a crime victim’s family the next, and then shift to crunching stats and digging into criminal justice trends.

Metrics and audience research will help guide decisions about how to cover topics and issues as you engage with readers on a variety of platforms to drive audience and subscriber growth.

You're comfortable breaking a story online first and adding further nuance and facts for print. You and your colleagues work with editors to shape the best way to tell individual stories, from text to audio to video to Q&A or other alternative formats. The successful candidate must have a passion for telling stories quickly when needed, in-depth when called for, and always with accuracy.

Located in the Willamette Valley, Salem is Oregon’s state capital. The Statesman Journal covers Marion and Polk counties in the Mid-Willamette Valley, home to hundreds of vineyards and wineries and craft breweries. The Statesman Journal is one hour from Portland, 90 minutes from the Oregon Coast, and amazing outdoor experiences are even closer.

Responsibilities:

• Produce sensitive, insightful coverage that accurately informs and engages multiple audiences, providing a news product that offers context and diverse points of view.
• Use metrics and analytics to increase digital audience and engagement and grow digital subscriptions.
• Be courageous about experimentation and deliberate about evolving policy. Identify enterprise opportunities and chase them with passion.
• Leverage diverse tools, text, images and video to reach readers in print, digital and on social media.
• Be a team player who likes to collaborate with coworkers.
• Serve as an ambassador to the community on the Statesman Journal's behalf and actively seek to engage with marginalized portions of the community.
• Pitch in with stories on other topics and perform other duties as necessary.
• On occasion, work extended hours, evenings, weekends and holidays, at times unexpectedly as news happens.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's or master’s degree in communications, journalism or related field preferred or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• A strong foundation in core writing and reporting skills and familiarity with public records.
• Enthusiasm for deep research and artful storytelling.
• Solid news judgment and a commitment to accuracy.
• Top-notch planning, organizational and time management skills.
• Strong communication skills and habits with colleagues, sources and the community.
• Command of media law and principles of ethical conduct.
• Understanding of metrics, social media and SEO.
• Self-motivation and self-direction.
• Ability to multi-task and excel under intense deadline pressure in a rapidly changing environment.
• This role requires a valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and the minimum liability insurance required by state law.
• Employment is contingent on passing a post-offer pre-employment background check and a motor vehicle record check & drug screen.

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. Up to five 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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