Growth, Development and Business Reporter

USA Today Co•Stroudsburg, PA

About The Position

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.

Requirements

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.

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.