Charlotte Inno is looking for a full-time staff writer to cover and connect the Charlotte startup and tech ecosystems. In this role, the reporter will contribute daily news stories, community guides, profiles, features and more, as well as produce our twice-a-week newsletter, The Beat. The writer will also contribute to social media channels and develop a sense of ownership over growing our audience and brand. This role will also regularly contribute reporting and editing for the broader American Inno network, which includes 14 metro areas. The writer will contribute at least a story or two a week for another Inno site, with the opportunity to add more markets to his or her responsibilities.
Charlotte Inno is a community business, growing and supporting the local innovation community through digital media and events. While the primary function of this role is editorial, the Staff Writer will help program and conceptualize events, ensuring that what we do offline is as good as what we do online. In short, the Staff Writer takes ownership over the success and health of Charlotte Inno.
Inno, in all of our markets, is an authority on local innovation. The right candidate will be passionate about creating original, in-depth and engaging editorial and reporting that helps Charlotte’s startup community understand the people, deals and innovations that are shaping the city’s future. This reporter will also attend meetups, conduct panel discussions and suggest creative new ideas to drive our coverage forward and give our readers the news they need each day. Occasional travel may be involved. This is an exciting opportunity to help strengthen a new, impactful media property, while being supported by a larger institution.
Qualifications:
- Strong multitasking skills – ability to handle a variety of topics and projects while being responsive to sources
- 1+ year working for a media or news organization (other relevant experience will also be considered)
- Proficiency with AP style and social media
- Excellent writing, reporting and communication skills
An Inno Writer:
- Works hard and smart and respects their coworkers.
- Writes with authority and voice on the subject(s) he/she is covering in a fresh and engaging way, resonating with a young professional audience.
- Is self-motivated and can identify, craft and distribute stories independently.
- Thinks creatively, developing original stories that increase our readership and improve our reputation.
- Engages readers on all relevant media, including video, email and photo, and is eager to experiment with new media as they arise. An Inno writer wants to tell stories across multiple mediums.
- Connects with people, cultivating relationships with sources who provide inside information and perspective.
- Earns readers’ trust with accuracy, timeliness and creativity.
- Understands the power of social media and is capable of using it to maximum benefit.
Success is Measured Using Three KPIs:
- Individual contribution to readership growth and authority: managers will set individual goals that are both quantitative and qualitative in nature.
- Collective goals for other media, including growth and engagement goals in newsletter, social media, and video.
- Volume of original stories.
If interested, please send a paragraph or two to Senior Editor Jim Dallke and Charlotte Inno GM Juan Garzon (jdallke@americaninno.com, jgarzon@americaninno.com) about why you think you’re the right fit for the position and what excited you about it, as well as a resume or LinkedIn profile. We’re looking to fill this position ASAP.
