Business and Development Correspondent (Eugene)

About the Organization

Lookout Eugene-Springfield’s mission is to provide fair, accurate, and non-partisan news, focusing on the role of business in shaping a community through taxes and jobs. We are committed to reviving local journalism and engaging with the community to reflect their needs and interests. Lookout Eugene-Springfield is part of Lookout Local, a fast-growing, next-generation West Coast-based local news network. Lookout Santa Cruz won the 2024 Pulitzer for Breaking News, and Lookout's mission-driven, business-driven model is gaining national recognition.

Our workplaces are in-person, collaborative, and collegial. We are building a diverse, highly skilled, and mission-driven team of journalists, community builders, and business professionals dedicated to maintaining our culture of learning, growth, and community service.

About the Role

Lookout Eugene-Springfield’s Business and Development Correspondent will approach the beat with a broad lens, focusing on issues and trends as much as what is opening and closing. The ideal candidate understands the role of business in shaping a community through taxes and jobs, as well as the cost of doing business in Lane County and greater Oregon. An interest in how statewide business culture impacts the local economy and the desire to tell these larger stories is important.

This correspondent will seek out the voices of real people impacted by decisions, ensuring coverage is grounded in their experiences. The role has the potential to influence both local and statewide business culture through impactful reporting.

The ideal candidate will provide fair, accurate, and non-partisan news, work at the cadence of digital publishing, and be enthusiastic about the responsible use of newer technologies. We’re looking for journalists who see the power of revived local journalism and have the skills and enthusiasm to be part of a new team doing it.

Responsibilities

• Provide timely, useful, and connect-the-dots reporting on assigned beats.
• Create narrative stories that give readers a fair, accurate, and non-partisan sense of the news that matters most to them.
• Collaborate with colleagues on breaking news and in-depth pieces.
• Conduct thorough research and investigations, verify facts, and cross-check information to ensure reliability.
• Write clear, concise, and compelling stories in various styles, from breaking news to in-depth features.
• Help readers participate in their communities and be of service to them.
• Work at the cadence of digital publishing, ensuring timely updates and responsiveness to breaking news.
• Use social media platforms and integrate them into storytelling, including on-camera video work.
• Collaborate with fellow journalists and editors to share insights, story ideas, resources, and expertise.
• Engage with the community to understand their needs and interests, reflecting this in reporting.
• Build and maintain a network of sources and contacts, including key community members, officials, and experts.
• Represent Lookout Eugene-Springfield at community events and forums.

Qualifications

• Proven, relevant experience as a journalist with a track record of timely and impactful reporting.
• Strong narrative storytelling skills with a commitment to fair, accurate, and non-partisan journalism.
• Proficiency with digital publishing tools and a keen interest in emerging technologies.
• Deep understanding of beat reporting and the ability to develop and maintain a network of sources.
• Demonstrated ability to serve readers’ news and information needs.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Passion for Lookout Eugene-Springfield’s mission and a deep understanding of the local community.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and performance-based incentives.
• Full-time benefits including highly competitive medical, dental, and optical coverage.
• 401(k) with matching.
• Generous PTO allowances.
• Stock options in our growing company.
• Opportunity to make a significant impact on the revival of local journalism.
• Collaborative and mission-driven work environment.