Consumer Reports seeks an auto reporter

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.

Apply Here