Morning Call seeks retail and restaurants reporter

The Morning Call is looking for a dedicated and self-motivated reporter to cover the Lehigh Valley’s flourishing restaurant and retail scenes. We want someone curious and savvy who can balance breaking/trending news with features and enterprise stories. The reporter will curate a restaurant/retail-focused newsletter and maintain an active presence on social media – engaging readers and using platforms to develop sources and story ideas.

The position is remote but must be local to the Lehigh Valley in eastern Pennsylvania.

What you will do:

• Report on local restaurant/retail news with high audience interest – focusing on openings, closings and breaking/trending stories. Identify and write breaking news quickly and accurately
• Cover local dining and retail trends; for example: How staff shortages are affecting restaurants; what rising prices and shrinking menu options mean for diners; and how malls and shopping centers are reinventing themselves
• Produce seasonal dining guides (summer outdoor dining, Valentine’s Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, etc.)
• Deliver regular “best of” dining lists (best pizza, best vegetarian spots, best hoagies, best burgers, etc.), soliciting audience suggestions in the process
• Develop features on some of the interesting people and places in the local retail and restaurant scenes; for example: An 18-year-old opening his first restaurant; how a local cafe is helping to launch startups; and how a local Walmart became a foodie hotspot
• Curate a roundup of retail/restaurant news each week for an email newsletter and a column for print (“Retail Watch”)
• Help supplement our coverage of “things to do” in the Lehigh Valley
• Maintain an active social media presence, using various platforms to develop sources and story ideas while promoting your content
• Work closely with visual journalists to provide clear explanations of assignments; shooting photos and videos when necessary
• Use SEO best practices to optimize your content
• Experiment with, adapt to and suggest digital storytelling approaches, formats and tools that better serve our readers
• Shift gears as needed, juggling quick-hit, short-term and long-term assignments simultaneously
• Utilize metrics to evaluate what content is engaging our audience, and use that data to inform story choices
• Complete duties on time with minimal oversight

What you will bring:

• College degree or equivalent experience
• Solid news judgment
• Strong writing, grammar, AP style and communication skills
• Digital and social media skills, with an understanding of SEO and metrics
• Ability to produce content quickly and accurately
• Expertise in cultivating sources, with the goal of becoming an authority on the area you cover
• Ability to work both independently and within a team
• An eagerness to learn and develop new skills
• Availability to support team needs with occasional night and weekend shifts
• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation

Please include the following in your online application: a cover letter, resume and clips that show your skills and range.

To apply, go here.