High School Sports Reporter

USA TODAY Co., Inc. is a diversified media company with expansive reach at the national and local level dedicated to empowering and enriching communities. We seek to inspire, inform, and connect audiences as a sustainable, growth-focused media and digital marketing solutions company. Through our trusted brands, including the USA TODAY NETWORK and Newsquest in the United Kingdom, we provide essential journalism, local content, and digital experiences to audiences and businesses.

About the role

The Jackson Sun, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, is seeking a hard-working and energetic sports reporter to lead high school sports coverage in Madison County, Tennessee, and the surrounding areas. The ideal candidate will be digitally savvy, committed to leading the conversation in a competitive market, and skilled in finding and telling compelling human-interest stories and identifying trends for enterprise stories. This position requires multimedia skills, social media engagement, and the ability to work independently and collaboratively.

Responsibilities

• Create storytelling that accurately informs, entertains, and engages specific audiences and platforms through the use of metrics.
• Work toward becoming the community’s leading voice of expertise in high school sports.
• Connect with the community through storytelling and outreach (social media, on camera, forums, community leadership, etc.).
• Provide thoughtful analysis of complex issues.
• Work with editor and content strategist to evaluate what's working and what's not and develop ongoing plans to satisfy audience needs.
• Collaborate to provide appropriate elements for stories (i.e., photos, videos, and graphics).
• Capture basic photos and video as needed.
• Promote personal brand, the brands of colleagues, and the institutional brand.
• Provide great customer service, helping readers find answers and solutions.
• Aggressively pursue breaking news in the high school sports world, such as coaching changes and college commitments/signings.
• Develop relationships with schools, administrators, and coaches.
• Shoot vertical video for game highlights and collaborate with the Tennessee high school sports staff across the state.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or master’s degree in communications, journalism, or related field preferred, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Previous reporting experience preferred; sports coverage experience is a plus.
• Proficiency on social media platforms, including Facebook, X, Instagram, and Reddit.
• Experience shooting and editing photos and video on a mobile device.
• Strong communication skills, news judgment, and headline-writing ability.
• Ability to multitask and excel under intense deadline pressure.
• Ability to work collaboratively and efficiently.
• Strong writing, spelling, and grammar skills; familiarity with AP style.
• Ability to work nights and weekends.
• Comfort building a beat and communicating with athletes and coaches.
• Valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and the minimum liability insurance required by state law.
• SEO savvy, with the ability to spot high-interest topics using engagement tools like Google Trends.