St. Louis daily seeks economic development reporter

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch is looking for a talented and versatile reporter with knowledge of business in general and economic development in particular. This is a high-profile reporting position with a broad scope and the opportunity to do significant work that identifies and reports on trends in the local economy.

It’s also a highly productive beat, and we are searching for a journalist up for the demands required. The successful applicant should be comfortable covering both business and government because a lot of news will happen at the intersection of the public and private sectors. You must be able to understand complex issues and write fairly, clearly, accurately and authoritatively.

Most importantly, you must be a critical thinker who knows how to cut through the acronyms and double talk to explain what’s working and what’s not — be it tax credits, tax-increment financing, labor force trends or business recruitment efforts. And, at heart, you must be a storyteller who chronicles the success, failures and challenges of civic and business powers whether in public or behind the scenes.

This reporter must develop solid sources in local, state and federal agencies, and local business organizations, that ensure we’re first on stories involving plant expansions, closings and startups. The reporter also should develop sources in key industries, including defense, and work in a collaborative way with other beat reporters.

We expect the reporter to be a regular contributor of enterprise and news to A1 and the business section, and also maintain a lively presence in social media. The candidate must be able to juggle breaking news and longer-term enterprise on multiple platforms.

A minimum of three years of reporting experience is expected.

Think you’re up for the task? Please apply at lee.net/careers or send a resume, a cover letter describing how you would approach the job as well as five samples of published work and/or accessible links to Adam Goodman, deputy managing editor, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, agoodman@post-dispatch.com.