Tuscaloosa AL preps/college sports writer

The Tuscaloosa News/tuscaloosanews.com, part of the USA TODAY Network, is looking for an enterprising reporter to cover high school sports and some University of Alabama athletics in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Telling the stories of these athletes on the field - but as importantly, off it - has been demanded by our audience. Student-athlete life, coaching pay and the emerging issues of NIL, transfers and school choice in high school sports are among the opportunities for this reporter to put into perspective for readers. A nose for enterprise and breaking news are essential to success in this position.

This beat will also offer opportunities to cover some University of Alabama athletics programs, including spring sports and the chance to back up our beat team from time to time on football, men's basketball and more.

Tuscaloosa is a city of 100,000 in West Alabama, an hour from Birmingham, a couple of hours from the state capital in Montgomery and an easy drive of just a few hours to Atlanta, Nashville or the beaches of Alabama and the Florida panhandle. As home to a major SEC university, it offers cultural events and is home to some of the best barbecue in the country.

Responsibilities:

• 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.
* Work with the Alabama athletics beat team to cover UA football recruiting, with some opportunities in basketball and other sports. Profiles of top recruits will be part of your regular workflow.
• 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.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's or master's degree in communications, journalism or related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Previous reporting experience; 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 with athletes and coaches.

This role requires a valid driver's license, reliable transportation and the minimum liability insurance required by state law.

How to Apply:

We are eager to learn more about you and how you fit this role. When you apply, don't limit your upload to a resume; show us what you've done. To do so, put together a single document file that includes the following, in this order:

1. Your resume - one to two pages.
2. A cover letter that outlines how you would approach the job.
3. 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.

It is important that these items be assembled into a single document and uploaded in PDF format. Completing these steps will ensure that your application receives the highest consideration.

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