Sports Visuals Producer/Programmer

Sports Visuals Producer/Programmer - USA TODAY

About the Role

USA TODAY is seeking a full-time Sports Visual Producer to join our photo and video department. This hybrid position is ideal for a creative, fast-moving journalist who thrives at the intersection of sports coverage, visual storytelling, smart use of AI tools, and audience engagement. As part of a global digital media company with more than 250 media properties nationwide, you'll play a key role in shaping how USA TODAY presents sports visually-through compelling photo galleries, strategic gallery placement on platform, and short-form vertical video content optimized for mobile and social platforms.

Responsibilities:

• Create and curate sports photo galleries that capture the emotion, drama, and defining moments of games, athletes, and fan culture.
• Program galleries into stories across USA TODAY and the Network, ensuring visuals enhance storytelling and drive audience engagement.
• Produce short vertical videos via quick-editing platforms like Wochit for on-platform and social channels, highlighting key plays, reactions, reporter videos and behind-the-scenes moments.
• Monitor real-time analytics and sports trends to identify visual opportunities and adjust content strategy accordingly.
• Leverage AI video generation technology to super charge your content output
• Use AI to identify and optimize audience growth opportunities for visual content
• Collaborate with editors, producers, and photographers across Sports, Entertainment, and News to ensure cohesive and timely visual coverage.
• Source photos and videos from USA TODAY, Gannett's local properties, wire services, and third-party libraries; secure external assets when needed.
• Attend editorial meetings and contribute to planning major sports events, seasonal coverage, and breaking news moments.

• Bachelor's degree in communications, journalism or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Understanding SEO and audience development strategies
• Minimum 2 years of professional experience, including work in a digital newsroom.
• Strong editorial decision-making skills and news judgment.
• Experience writing, editing, and producing content for digital platforms.
• Skilled in video creation software
• Candidates should have facility with AI and automation and experience in using it to enhance their journalism
• Confident navigating social media, including writing, scheduling, and optimizing posts, and creating video for a variety of platforms.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Interest in all forms of visual journalism-from photography and video to motion graphics.
• We know there are great candidates who won't fit every single item described above and may have important skills that we hadn't even thought of. If that's you, apply and explain how your skills can surprise and delight us in this role.

• Experience with motion graphics or video editing for mobile-first platforms.
• Familiarity with sports photography best practices and licensing.
• Familiarity with AI tools for content creation and audience growth

1. Resume - one to two pages.
2. A cover letter that outlines how you would approach the job. - Tell us what makes your work stand out.
3. Online links to your portfolio.