News & Observer seeks a retail reporter

The (Raleigh) News & Observer and The (Durham) Herald-Sun in North Carolina are looking for a smart, energetic business reporter to cover retail and service sector news in our fast-growing market.

The reporter will research and write daily stories tracking openings and closings of retail businesses in the NC Research Triangle, one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the country. We know that our readers are hungry for news about new shopping opportunities, so this position will be expected to hit aggressive pageview goals. The reporter also will cover people, companies, issues and trends in the retail sector. Because we’re in the capital of North Carolina, the reporter also will have an eye on the intersection of business and politics.

The Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill region is among the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the nation. Known as the Triangle, the area is home to major universities, state government and numerous corporate headquarters and fast-growing startups. Our journalists work in communities with vibrant choices for foodies, arts and music lovers, and outdoors enthusiasts.

Candidates must have a college degree, preferably in journalism or communications. A year of experience covering business is preferred; a previous newsroom internship covering business is a plus.

Must have reliable transportation.  Must have a valid driver’s license and vehicle insurance required (at least minimum insurance required for the state in which the employee works).

The ideal candidate’s key attributes include:

• Strict ethics and dedication to high-quality journalism
• Ability to organize and prioritize work
• Fast, and accurate
• Excellent self-editing skills
• Comfortable working with data
• Keen instincts in identifying and pursuing stories that will resonate with readers
• A competitive spirit and drive to get stories first
• Solid understanding of audience engagement, metrics and SEO
• Experience using social media both as a reporting and an engagement tool
• A collaborative personality and a track record of working well with editors as well as working independently
• True curiosity about the topics covered in this position
• Experience building sources
• An aptitude to learn technical skills inside the newsroom such as content management systems and other tools

Key duties include:

• Finding, prioritizing and writing the most significant and interesting business and real estate stories of the day, ahead of the competition
• Working with data to identify trends
• Obtaining public records and, when needed, filing public records requests expertly and efficiently
• Shooting photos and videos as needed
• Distributing work through social media platforms
• Supplying SEO keywords, headlines and other strategies to boost distribution of each story
• Contributing regularly to a variety of audience-based newsletters
• Meeting audience and reporting goals.

We’re moving quickly to fill this important position. Deadline for applications is July 22, 2022. Resume and cover letter required. Applications without cover letters will not be considered.

To apply, go here.