Sports Reporter, Poughkeepsie NY

The Poughkeepsie Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network, is seeking a reporter to join our team and tell the best sports stories of the area's high schools and Division I university.

The Journal is the leader for sports coverage in New York's mid-Hudson Valley (Dutchess County and neighboring Ulster County)and collaborates with our reporters in Middletown and Westchester to provide comprehensive reporting on Sections 1 and 9 of New York state high school athletics. This reporter also will report on Marist University and its NCAA Division I athletic department.

Big games are important, but so is concentrated coverage outside the lines. We need a reporter who can hunt down those stories. That includes breaking news, well-sourced enterprise, and interesting features on the key teams and athletes during each sports season.

Poughkeepsie is an hour's train ride north of New York City. Just north of Poughkeepsie in Hyde Park is the Culinary Institute of America, a school that trains some of the country's premier chefs. The nearby restaurant scene and its customers reap the benefits. The Franklin D. Roosevelt Historic Site is in Hyde Park as well, as it is the birthplace, lifelong home and burial spot of the 32nd president. Poughkeepsie also has the longest walking bridge in North America, a span over the Hudson River that is excellent for sightseeing as well as leisure.

• Create storytelling that accurately informs, entertains and engages specific audiences and platforms through the use of metrics.
• Work toward becoming the community's leading voice of expertise in high school sports.
• Connect with the community through storytelling and outreach (social media, on camera, forums, community leadership, etc.). Provide thoughtful analysis of complex issues.
• Work with editor and content strategist to evaluate what's working and what's not and develop ongoing plans to satisfy audience needs.
• Collaborate to provide appropriate elements for stories (i.e. photos, videos and graphics). Capture basic photos and video as needed.
• Promote personal brand, the brands of colleagues and the institutional brand.
• Provide great customer service, helping readers find answers and solutions.

• A valid driver's license, reliable transportation and the minimum liability insurance required by state law
• Bachelor's or master's degree in communications, journalism or related field preferred or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 1-3 years' reporting/newsroom experience is preferred, but we will consider entry-level candidates.
• Previous reporting experience preferred; even better if you've covered sports.
• Proficiency on social media platforms; including but not limited to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Reddit.
• Experience shooting and editing photos and video on a mobile device.
• Strong communication skills, news judgement and headline-writing ability.
• Ability to multitask and excel under intense deadline pressure.
• Ability to work collaboratively and efficiently.
• Strong writing, spelling and grammar skills; familiarity with AP style.
• Ability to work some nights and weekends.
• Comfort building a beat and communicating face to face with athletes and coaches.

• Your resume - one to two pages.
• A cover letter that outlines how you would approach the job.
• Links to 3-6 online samples of your work. Show us what you've produced or had a hand in that best reflects what you can do in your desired role.