Reporter - HS Sports Insider
About this role
NJ.com is seeking a dynamic and versatile reporter to join our award-winning high school sports staff as a High School Sports Insider.
In this newly created role, you will become the go-to voice for breaking news, rumors, and coaching and roster movement across New Jersey high school sports — working closely with our editors and team of reporters and freelancers to cover the biggest stories in the state. Think of this as a well-connected power broker of New Jersey high school sports: a must-follow presence whose posts are an automatic click, built around a dedicated social feed where breaking news is funneled complete with “SIGNED” and “BREAKING NEWS” treatment.
We're looking for someone with experience working in a fast-paced newsroom who is self-motivated but also open to collaboration. The ideal candidate will be well-versed in leveraging contacts and sources to break news that reaches thousands of readers, with an instinct for finding the next big story before anyone else does — whether that's an 8th-grade football prospect closing in on a decision, a powerhouse coach mulling retirement, or the NJSIAA weighing a major rule change.
The base salary range for this role is $65,000-$75,000 annually.
This role will require reliable transportation to meet with sources and cover events, and will include night and weekend hours.
What you'll be doing:
- Serve as the go-to voice for the biggest breaking news in New Jersey high school sports.
- Break news regularly on player, coach and school movement — transfers, hirings, firings and controversies.
- Build and maintain a dedicated social presence where all staff breaking news is funneled, packaged for maximum reach.
- Develop sources and contacts across every corner of the state that distinguish your coverage from the competition.
- Cover the NJSIAA, the state's governing body for high school sports, and its impact on rules and eligibility.
- Produce both quick-hit news items and longer, detailed feature and enterprise stories.
- Work collaboratively with our award-winning high school sports staff.
- Engage with our audiences, as needed, on social media platforms.
Our ideal candidate has the following:
- Bachelor's degree in journalism, communications, or a related field or an equivalent combination of education and experience
- A minimum of 3 years of relevant experience
- A self-starter with experience working in a fast-paced newsroom.
- A dogged, hard-working reporter with a proven ability to break news.
- Deep familiarity with the New Jersey high school sports landscape.
- A degree in journalism or communications, or equivalent education and work experience.
- An ability to leverage relationships with sources to deliver high-quality, high-impact journalism.
- An ability to work remotely and independently under tight deadlines.
- A team player with a proven track record in uncovering news.
Company at a glance
Advance Local is a leading digital journalism, data, and insights company, delivering high-impact journalism to 50 million people every month. Combining trusted reporting with cutting-edge technology and innovative data solutions, Advance Local helps strengthen and empower the communities it serves.
As home to some of the nation’s top local media groups, software and data platforms, and marketing agencies, Advance Local strives to make a positive and lasting impact in the communities we serve. Our media groups include Advance Ohio, Alabama Media Group, Advance Media New York, MassLive Media, MLive Media Group, NJ Advance Media, Oregonian Media Group, PA Media Group, and Staten Island Media Group.
We believe in our brands, our values, and each other and are united by our shared goals, culture of creative innovation and commitment to our communities we’ve been serving for more than a century.
We're part of Advance, a private, family-owned business that owns, operates and invests in companies spanning media, entertainment, technology, communications, education and other promising growth sectors. Their mission is to build the value of the company over the long-term by fostering growth and innovation across their diversified portfolio. Advance’s portfolio of exceptional companies includes Condé Nast, Advance Local, Stage Entertainment, The IRONMAN Group, American City Business Journals, Leaders Group, Turnitin, and POP. Advance is also among the largest shareholders in Charter Communications, Warner Bros. Discovery and Reddit.
For more details, please visit AdvanceLocal.com.
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