The News Leader –is a local expert on assigned news topics. This individual will cover topics with frequent and incremental posting of breaking news, deep analysis, with a strong analytical and authoritative voice. Coverage of the topic will be built around this person’s reporting and analysis. As the News Leader, this person serves in a leadership role as the authority and first point of contact for other reporters. Posts frequently and incrementally into digital platforms; monitors reader response through audience data; engages readers in comment streams and on social media; works and communicates extensively with engagement/multimedia reporters covering related topics; and will understand and employ tagging techniques in line with state standards.

Required Education, Experience and Skills:
Bachelor’s degree in Journalism or Communications or related field required

Minimum of 3 – 5 years of journalism experience with a proven ability in reporting and writing required

Proven experience building, maintaining and engaging an active audience

Ability to work independently under deadline pressure and prioritize tasks appropriately

Demonstrated reporting, writing and organizational skills

Solid understanding of news writing, journalistic ethics and story structure

Experience with search engine optimization practices

Experience using social media to source and promote content a plus

Demonstrated capability in capitalizing on high-value topics by engaging audiences in frequency and urgency

Understanding of the methods and tools used to deliver content across a variety of platforms such as Moveable Type CMS, SCC Budgeting and Archiving System, Smartphones

Understanding imperatives of multiple platforms – print, mobile, Internet, etc.

Proven ability to utilize a broad set of tools to tell stories and engage the audience

Ability to leverage relationships with sources to deliver content that differentiates the organization from competitors

Keeps abreast of industry advances and proactively considers new methods of reaching audiences including engaging, interactive and optimized product offerings

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Provide opinion and analysis as the authoritative voice for news topic media coverage.

Gather information and write journalistically sound news elements for use in all media platforms, existing and future, that is:

Balanced and factual

Timely and topical

Well-sourced and contextually correct

Learn and employ all techniques for effective digital “beat-blogging” reporting across all platforms, including but not limited to:

Frequent, incremental posting throughout the day

Story aggregation and topical link-posting

Monitoring and engaging in reader comment streams on website impact pages

Elevating comments into new posts when appropriate

Interacting on social media platforms, with story shares, objective commentary, promotion of your topic and news organization’s content initiatives

Understanding and employing the means for monitoring audience interest and competitors’ posting on your topic, including setting up Google alerts, Twitter and RSS feeds

Work independently and remotely, while maintaining operational communication with editor and, when applicable, production center.

Use hardware, software and cloud-based equipment and systems for direct-to-web production and engagement, including but not limited to:

Taking photographs and short video, and posting it to the web as well as uploading to any internal production systems

Using laptops and smartphones for remote web reporting

Using the Moveable Type content management system, and any future CMS

Understand our news organization’s audience traffic tracking systems and analytical reports.

Other duties as assigned

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements:
General Office Environment. Extensive computer use required. Travel required. Flexible hours required.

MLive Media Group is an audience-first, digitally focused media company encompassing all content, sales and marketing operations for: MLive.com, The Grand Rapids Press, The Muskegon Chronicle, Kalamazoo Gazette, The Jackson Citizen Patriot, The Ann Arbor News, The Flint Journal, The Saginaw News, The Bay City Times and the Advance Weeklies in Grand Rapids, as well as several related entities. In addition to being Michigan’s #1 news and information provider, MLive Media Group is Michigan’s largest local media advertising network, allowing advertisers to reach local audiences in communities across the state.

MLive Media Group is a part of Advance Local, one of the largest media groups in the U.S. reaching more than 40 million consumers through its 12 local news and information websites that rank #1 among local media in their respective markets, and more than 30 newspapers. Our affiliated websites and newspapers are well known for their award-winning journalism. Advance Local is part of Advance Publications, along with Condé Nast and American City Business Journals.

MLive Media Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, physical or mental impairment, sexual orientation or any other category protected under federal, state or local law.