Finance & Commerce seeks economic development reporter

Finance & Commerce, a Minneapolis-based daily newspaper focused on covering commercial real estate, construction and development, has an opening for an economic development reporter.

The economic development reporter covers everything from job creation and public incentives for businesses and real estate developers to Minnesota’s economy, banking conditions, financing, entrepreneurship and business issues. The reporter will cover one of the largest public-private developments in Minnesota – the Destination Medical Center/Mayo Clinic project in Rochester.

On any given day, this reporter may interview a high-ranking state official or legislator, an exurb’s economic development director or mayor, a real estate developer, a chamber of commerce executive, a banker, a business expert or an entrepreneur.

The economic development reporter also backs up Finance & Commerce’s commercial real estate reporter.

The economic development beat requires a versatile journalist and self-starter who would enjoy plunging into our core topics and business development issues, learning the basics and turning comprehensive stories driven by tough questions that a niche audience demands. Our audience comprises professionals working in the sectors we cover.

Other requirements: A minimum of two years of full-time reporting for a daily news publication; skepticism; curiosity; a body of published work that shows an ability to engage, explain and enlighten readers; demonstrated ability to break news; experience in highly productive newsrooms, and experience working under intense deadline pressure.

Desired: Journalism education; experience working with public records and spreadsheets; experience reporting about local and state government; knowledge of economic development, commercial real estate and business; and ease with social media platforms.

Finance & Commerce is a part of BridgeTower Media, a division of GateHouse Media. We offer a full range of benefits including health insurance; 401(k) and company match; and vacation, personal days, sick leave and time off for all major holidays. Finance & Commerce’s workweek is Monday through Friday.

To apply, please send a cover letter that explains why you are the best person for this job, a resume, and five work samples to Finance & Commerce Editor Casey Selix at cselix@finance-commerce.com.