South Carolina Sports Reporter

USA Today•Columbia, SC

About The Position

GreenvilleOnline.com/The Greenville News is seeking a dynamic sports reporter to cover South Carolina athletics in a highly competitive market. The reporter will be based in Columbia, South Carolina, and will join the USA TODAY Network’s South Region as part of a broader college team working collaboratively to achieve strong results. The role calls for a self-starter and team player who can develop sources, drive storytelling, and evolve written beat coverage based on audience tendencies and metrics. The reporter will work to grow subscriptions through timely, effective topics and storytelling; become a leading voice in their area of expertise; connect with the community through storytelling and outreach; provide thoughtful analysis; and use performance metrics to improve coverage. The role also includes working with content teams to provide appropriate story elements, capturing basic photos and video as needed, promoting personal and organizational brands, and helping readers find answers and solutions.

Requirements

At least three years of experience.
Bachelor's or master's degree in communications, journalism, or a related field preferred, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Strong digital skills.
Ability to develop strong sources and produce content for social media, mobile, desktop, video, television, and print.
Proficiency on social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Experience shooting and editing photos and video on an iPhone.
Strong communication skills, news judgment, and headline-writing ability.
Ability to multitask and perform under intense deadline pressure.
Ability to work collaboratively and efficiently.
Strong writing, spelling, and grammar skills, with familiarity with AP style.
Ability to work some nights and weekends.
Comfort building a beat and communicating with athletes and coaches.
Valid driver's license, reliable transportation, and at least the minimum liability insurance required by state law.

Nice To Haves

College or other high-level sports beat experience.
Bachelor's or master's degree in communications, journalism, or a related field.

Responsibilities

Grow subscriptions through effective topic selection, timeliness, and storytelling.
Become a leading voice in the assigned area of expertise.
Connect with the community through storytelling and outreach, including social media and on-camera work.
Provide thoughtful analysis of complex issues.
Work with the region sports director and deputy region sports directors to assess performance metrics and develop plans to better meet audience needs.
Collaborate with the content team to provide appropriate elements for stories, such as photos, videos, and graphics.
Capture basic photos and video as needed.
Promote personal, colleague, and institutional brands.
Provide customer service by helping readers find answers and solutions.
Develop sources and produce coverage across available formats and platforms.