Growth, Development and Business Reporter

The Pocono Record is seeking a reporter to cover growth, development and business, including the region's restaurant and dining scene, in a combined beat focused on how life is changing in Monroe County and across the Poconos.

The region is both a major tourism destination and a bedroom and retirement community, making housing, development, restaurants and tourism-driven change some of the most important issues for our communities. This reporter will connect what's happening at public meetings and in building permits with what people see every day: new construction, rising costs and a constantly evolving dining scene.

What you'll cover

• Housing, development projects, zoning decisions and infrastructure impact
• The intersection of tourism, workforce challenges and affordability
• Restaurant openings, closings, inspections and dining trends
• The business realities behind small businesses, especially in food and hospitality

Responsibilities

• Break news from planning agendas, permits, inspections and business activity.
• Produce a mix of quick-turn stories, service journalism and enterprise.
• Build sources who can tip you early to what's changing across the region.
• Explain complex issues in clear, engaging ways that connect to residents' lives.
• Create storytelling that accurately informs, entertains and engages specific audiences and platforms through analytics research.
• Collaborate with editors and frontline journalists locally and across the USA Today Network.
• Work toward becoming the community's leading voice in areas of expertise.
• Promote personal brand, the brands of colleagues and the institutional brand.
• Report quickly, clearly and accurately and deliver news via articles, video, social media or any other methods available to reach our audiences.
• Use analytics to inform story choices and shape beat strategies.
• Cultivate a beat. Have a genuine interest in people and ability to build trust.
• Write and/or produce multimedia content that appeals to key audience targets and maximizes user experience on digital and social platforms to reach readers where they spend their time and attention.
• Experiment with new ways of informing and engaging audiences on social platforms and be proficient in using alternate story forms.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in journalism, communications or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• Minimum two years of professional newsroom or reporting experience.
• Strong command of grammar, style and copy editing.
• Experience in a digital-first newsroom, including use of analytics to guide coverage.
• Ability to report quickly, clearly and accurately in a deadline-driven environment.
• Demonstrated ability to cultivate and sustain a reporting beat.
• Proficiency using social platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Reddit.
• Solid understanding of journalism ethics and sourcing.
• Experience using AI and automation to support journalism, and a willingness to experiment with new formats and platforms, is expected.
• Strong collaboration skills.
• Valid driver's license, reliable transportation and minimum state-required liability insurance.

This is a high-impact beat with strong audience demand. If you want to cover the issues people talk about every day - and explain what they mean - this role is for you.

Application Instructions

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:

• 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.

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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Client-provided location(s): East Stroudsburg, PA

Job ID: utn-89594

Employment Type: OTHER

Posted: 2026-05-21T20:28:46