The San Antonio Business Journal is looking for someone passionate about finding the story in the numbers — and other types of information to be found, curated and analyzed — to be its Data Reporter.
The primary mission of the San Antonio Business Journal’s Data Reporter is to dig deep into available business data to find, report, investigate and write compelling and important local business news and articles, along with compiling, evaluating and presenting data for the publication’s Lists, expanded list packages and investigative research projects.
The Data Reporter is able to conduct and analyze original data-based research on the industries, companies and trends driving business decisions in the San Antonio area and narrate what he or she uncovers using text and visual storytelling techniques.
The Data Reporter is responsible for newsroom data collection and helping to tell business news stories with that data. Whether the data is proprietary to the Business Journal or is widely available, the Data Reporter gathers, interprets and publishes it so that it provides valuable business intelligence to the Business Journal’s audience.
Skills
• Strong news judgment, analysis and writing skills.
• Highly organized and able to juggle multiple projects, in various stages of completion, at the same time.
• Skilled at data-management, survey techniques and computer-assisted research and reporting methods, including computer data-management applications.
• Able to structure and normalize large data sets and databases.
• Strong knowledge of computer data-management applications; mastery of Microsoft Excel and basic analytical math a must.
• Meticulous eye for detail and drive for 100 percent accuracy.
• Passionate about finding and dissecting data from surveys, regulatory agencies, other public documents and sources.
• Ability to gather data from recalcitrant or reluctant sources.
• Strong customer-service skills.
• Capable of meeting deadlines in fast-paced environment.
• Comfortable with change.
• Competitive, collaborative, curious.
• Knowledge of business, and/or the San Antonio business community, a plus.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree
• Experience: One to three years as a journalist
• Ability to mine and analyze data from surveys, regulatory agencies, other public documents and sources; familiarity with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., and other government regulatory agency filings a plus.
• Familiarity with the San Antonio metropolitan statistical area preferred.
• Drive for 100 percent accuracy
Duties
• Collects and analyzes company and industry data for the San Antonio Business Journal’s weekly industry Lists, using surveys, public documents and other relevant sources; ensures accuracy of data to the greatest extent possible.
• Collaborates with the Creative Director on publishing the weekly Lists and expanded list packages, including conceptualizing new Lists that are relevant to the local business community and recommending the removal of Lists that are no longer relevant.
• Collaborates with the Creative Director on producing the annual Book of Lists, to include systematically reviewing each List for accuracy and determining which Lists and accompanying elements need to be updated since their publication in the weekly edition.
• Regularly reports stories based on data from the Lists and other research projects using appropriate narrative and visual storytelling techniques.
• Reports and writes six cover stories and/or special reports a year using data resources — generating and collaborating on data-driven enterprise stories that analyze business data and data-generated news, including reports on public companies, executive compensation, economic trends, employment and other topics across all platforms.
• Oversees creation of charts and infographics to illustrate research findings, to include writing accurate and clear prose explaining the presentation of data to readers as appropriate.
• Works alongside reporters and editors on enterprise projects that include or are driven by data.
• Serves as the public point of contact for research- and List-related questions or concerns, referring to the editors for support as needed.
• Manages and expands the San Antonio Business Journal’s database of regional companies.
• Seeks creative ways to tell important stories using data.
• Participates in research for fellow reporters’ stories and projects as needed, to include providing reporters with source suggestions and data-generated story ideas.
• Regularly reports and writes data-generated digital stories and other breaking news as assigned by editors.
• Conceptualizes at least three new research project ideas each year and provides input on the next year’s editorial calendar, including timing of research projects based on when data is available.
• Serves as point person for companywide data projects.
• Takes on any other assignment made by managers.
• Works cooperatively and collaboratively with all colleagues and professionally with sources.
To apply, contact editor in chief Tony Quesada at tquesada@bizjournals.com.
