The North Carolina State University sports beat reporter breaks news and delivers exclusive enterprise and smart analysis in a fast-paced, competitive environment. TheNC State beat reporter should have a deep knowledge of the ACC and NCAA and be adept at building sources. A strong source network is vital to being out front of competitors, and this reporter must be able to find and break news, cover breaking news with urgency and develop compelling enterprise and analysis.

Games only make up a small percentage of what college athletics are about, and we want someone who is just as comfortable breaking down film as they are filing an open records request or reading through court documents. We also want someone who can bring new ideas to the table and isn’t afraid to try new things with our coverage.

In covering one of the most important beats in the Carolinas, the NC State sports reporter will use social media as a news-gathering tool, an engagement opportunity and a means to put our news and enterprise in front of a topic-specific audience across Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and other platforms.

The News & Observer was a 2021 Grand Slam winner as selected by the Associated Press Sports Editors. The successful candidate will work with a talented, award-winning team.

The position requires residency in the Triangle, which is the region highlighted by the cities of Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill. The Triangle is among the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the nation. 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.

Duties and responsibilities:

• Find and break NC State news on a competitive beat.

• Report breaking news as it happens – be fast and first, without sacrificing accuracy and clarity.

• Build a wide range of sources — from players and coaches locally to agents, ACC officials and experts — to help us maintain our spot as the authority on all-things NC State sports against local and national outlets for breaking news and enterprise.

• Write analytically for the sports fans who have watched the game but are looking for a deeper understanding of what they saw.

• Proactively look for opportunities to tap into trending topics as they relate to NC State.

• Work collaboratively as part of a team with other reporters and editors.

• Bring your own story ideas to the table, and be ready to take assignments as well.

• Be a master of social media – both as a news-gathering tool, and as a way to push the news out quickly and build our audience and engagement, as well as your own brand.

• Must have reliable transportation. Must have 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

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