The Birmingham Business Journal is looking for a driven and innovative data reporter to build on the newsroom’s strong legacy of using data to drive essential, exclusive business coverage.
A data reporter is able to gather and analyze original data on the industries, companies and trends driving business decisions in the metro Birmingham region, and communicate what he or she uncovers using both text and visual storytelling techniques.
- Collects and analyzes company and industry data for Birmingham Business Journal’s weekly industry Lists, using surveys, public documents and other relevant sources.
- Manages and actively builds Birmingham Business Journal database of regional companies.
- Regularly reports stories based on data from the Lists and other research projects using appropriate narrative and visual storytelling techniques.
- Reports and writes four to six cover stories a year using data resources.
- Oversees creation of charts and infographics to illustrate research data findings.
- Works alongside reporters and editors on enterprise projects that include or are driven by data.
- Actively looks for creative ways to tell important stories using data.
- Participates in regular page proofing rotation.
- Produces stories for the daily newsletter as needed.
- Attends BBJ events and networks in the community.
Requirements:
Skills
- Strong news judgment, news analysis and news writing skills
- Proven ability to work with databases and spreadsheets to find patterns and stories
- Meticulous eye for detail
- Passionate about finding and dissecting data
- Ability to get people to tell you things they don’t want to
- Strong customer service skills
- Solid Microsoft Excel skills a must
- Comfort with basic math
- Ability to mine and analyze data from surveys, regulatory agencies, other public documents and sources
- Knowledge of computer data-management applications a plus
- Drive for 100 percent accuracy
Experience
- 1-2 years of journalism or equivalent experience, with a track record of reporting on business data
- Familiarity with public-company, bank and regulatory agency filings a plus
Education
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience
To apply, go here.
Chris RoushChris Roush was the dean of the School of Communications at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. He was previously Walter E. Hussman Sr. Distinguished Professor in business journalism at UNC-Chapel Hill. He is a former business journalist for Bloomberg News, Businessweek, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Tampa Tribune and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. He is the author of the leading business reporting textbook "Show me the Money: Writing Business and Economics Stories for Mass Communication" and "Thinking Things Over," a biography of former Wall Street Journal editor Vermont Royster.