Consumer Reports is seeking a skilled autos journalists who can write product focused articles related to our unique and world-class testing program and who also feels comfortable searching out novel enterprise stories about the transportation technology revolution now underway.
This position is located in Yonkers, New York.
Responsibilities
- Under general supervision generates cross-platform automotive content campaigns that will be published across print, digital, and video platforms; works closely with counterparts in Labs, Advocacy, Survey, Communications, Design, and other key stakeholders to maximize resources and consumer impact.
- Proactively follows and reports on autos, ensuring content is relevant, timely, cutting-edge and addresses consumer needs in a proactive way.
- Attending trade shows and other industry events as needed.
- Acts as both in-house autos spokesperson and CR autos representative for media outreach, tradeshows and industry events.
- Acts as on-camera autos subject-matter expert for all CR video platforms; may be asked to execute rough drafts of video scripts.
- Collects data, summarizes and interprets market information to make relevant content recommendations. Assists digital editorial team to maintain specialty products such as Buying Guides, Product Pages, and other regularly-updated content on Consumer Reports Online.
- Coordinates information among ATC, Advocacy, Survey, Social, Communications, Design, and other organizational teams that support assigned content areas.
- Assists with the planning and scheduling process, creates sidebars, infographics that animates stories and reports.
- Moves content through the production process, incorporating changes by related parties, copy fitting, and conferring with art and production personnel.
- Writes headlines, subheads, captions, cover lines etc., as necessary.
- Prepares sourcing for fact checking Tests automobiles at ATC and in everyday life.
- Collaborates with engineering team to create multi-media content.
- Actively participates as a member of an auto product testing and content team, conferring with other team members as necessary to ensure objectives for quality and timeliness are met.
- May write content, as needed, across all platforms.
- Maintains high level knowledge of one or more product or service categories within the content group.
- Performs other duties of the department as needed, but not those of a higher level.
Competencies:
Editing and Writing: Demonstrates professional-level editing and writing ability across multiple media formats. Able to edit the work of colleagues (writers and non-writers) in various stages of development.
Consumer Focus: Proactively seeks ways to discover and incorporate consumer needs into all content development.
Collaboration: Values the contribution of all internal resource groups (e.g. Product Intelligence, Survey, Lab Techs, etc.).
Time Management: Demonstrates ability to accomplish tasks by established deadlines; demonstrates discipline in using time management tools and techniques, uses time efficiently to balance competing demands and priorities.
Content Strategy: Partners with other areas to ensure content is current, of the highest quality, and delivered in multiple media formats in support of the organization’s strategic goals.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree with at least five years of experience in multi-platform editorial for automotive, business or consumer project journalism required.
- Experience in high-speed automotive testing required. Must possess a SCCA license or have completed a professional driving school course. Strategic creative skills essential. Must be able to work in self-directed capacity and to conceive and execute compelling multimedia content.
- Can translate complex technical automotive information into informative content across multiple platforms.
- Ability to manage and lead in a cross-organizational capacity required.
- A thorough knowledge of automobiles, the automotive industry and automotive engineering are preferred.
- Competent in all aspects of reviewing and creating accurate and compelling stories across all platforms.
- Skilled in collecting and interpreting all data, internal and external, to create the most accurate and in context story possible.
- Ability to smoothly transition writing styles from hard news to expository review to opinionated blog.
- Competent in editing and writing display copy, generating ideas for infographics across all media.
- Must maintain a US driver’s license in good standing.
- Excellent organizational skills and ability to meet rigid deadlines.
- Competency with page design software such as K4 and CQ as well as Microsoft Office and Google Docs highly beneficial.
- On-camera broadcast experience, mass media training, and a daily journalism background are preferred.
