Education Reporter II at Gannett in Pensacola, Florida

Job Description:

The Pensacola News Journal, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, seeks an education reporter to cover the full trajectory of a child's educational development from birth to college, with a special focus on K-12 education.

This beat includes a diverse range of public and private school districts in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, as well as multiple community-based nonprofit programs aimed at improving educational outcomes for local children. In addition to the specific attention to Escambia and Santa Rosa school districts, Escambia Children's Trust is a priority coverage need for this role.

Our most recent Quality of Life survey indicated community members have less faith in our school system than at any point in the survey's history. Escambia County, in particular, is at a crossroads with a deep divide between failing and high-achieving schools, and between students of different socio-economic backgrounds. One middle school was recently taken over by the state after years of poor performance and several more are in danger of similar action. With a $10 million annual investment by taxpayers for the next 10 years, we must hold educators and nonprofits accountable for improving student performance.

A successful candidate for this position will balance daily stories, enterprise and investigative stories and longer-term projects. They will embrace various formats to effectively tell stories digitally and in print. They excel at source development and enjoy speaking with real people, including parents, teachers and students, not only administrators.

Experience with public records requests, along with a desire to ask tough questions and provide the public transparency and accountability in their public officials, are critical.

Equity and inclusion are central to our reporting, and we need a reporter who shares the mission of including the vast array of viewpoints in our community, including a diversity of ages, genders, races, religions, creeds and disability status.

Responsibilities

• Become the community's leading voice in education reporting
• Provide thoughtful analysis of complex issues
• Write impactful and insightful stories, including enterprise and short-form news
• Create content across multiple platforms including video and audio

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in journalism or relevant field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• Strong communication skills, news judgment and writing ability
• Proficiency on social media platforms and experience engaging readers in that public space
• Energetic self-starter and critical thinker
• A watchdog mentality seeking to advocate for our community's most vulnerable members and hold the powerful accountable
• Ability to work under deadline pressure
• Ability to work collaboratively and efficiently with a team of journalists
• This position requires a valid driver's license, reliable transportation, and minimum liability insurance required by state law
• Employment is contingent on passing a pre-employment, post-offer drug screen and background check.

We are eager to learn more about you and how you fit this role. When you apply, don't limit your upload to a resume; show us what you've done. To do so, put together a single document file that includes the following, in this order:

1. Your resume - one to two pages.
2. A cover letter that outlines how you would approach the job.
3. Links to 3-6 online samples of your work. Show us what you've produced or had a hand in that best reflects what you can do in your desired role.

It is important that these items be assembled into a single document and uploaded in PDF format. Completing these steps will ensure that your application receives the highest consideration.

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