The Miami Herald is seeking an enterprising, news-breaking beat reporter to cover one of the premier sports teams in the Southeast — the Miami Dolphins.
It’s a storied franchise with a far-flung and passionate fan base. Win or lose, the Dolphins command the most attention of any team in South Florida, and its fans expect as much from the Miami Herald beat writer as they do from the team itself. And this is a team on the rebound — with a talented young quarterback, one of the NFL’s best young coaches, loads of highly touted (if untested) talent. And fans hang on every word — in stories, tweets, on the Herald’s Dolphins in Depth podcast, as well as radio appearances and live streams.
The job requires tenacious daily reporting with a keen eye for storytelling. You’ll need to be first with scoops and establish relationships that lead to deeper reads that capture the bigger picture, key trends, analysis and insights into the personalities of the team.
The reporter’s goal: increasing the Herald’s digital audience through stories that have impact and can’t be found elsewhere.
Duties and responsibilities:
- Be out front in finding and breaking Miami Dolphins news on a competitive beat.
- Report breaking news as it happens – be fast and first, without sacrificing accuracy and clarity.
- Build a wide range of NFL and Miami Dolphins sources — from players and coaches locally to agents, league officials and experts — to keep the Herald competitive against local and national outlets on breaking news and enterprise.
- Write analytically for the sports fans who have watched the game but are looking for a deeper understanding of what they saw.
- Proactively look for opportunities to tap into trending NFL topics as they relate to the Dolphins.
- Work collaboratively as part of a team with other reporters and editors.
- Bring your own story ideas to the table, and be ready to take assignments as well.
- Be a leader in social media – both as a news-gathering tool, and as a way to push the news out quickly and build our audience and engagement, as well as your own brand.
- Understand your audience metrics – which of your stories are resonating with readers, and which are not? Working with your editor, regularly mine this data for takeaways about how we can build and engage our audience.
- Regularly enhance your stories with our weekly podcast, video, embedded tweets and links to related Herald stories.
- Find enterprise stories that make for a deeper read and use storytelling techniques to engage readers.
Skills:
- Deep knowledge of football and the NFL.
- Strong reporting skills, including asking smart, persistent questions.
- Speed with breaking news. Push out the news quickly and accurately.
- Ability to develop strong sources on a competitive beat.
- Flexibility to juggle multiple stories and priorities.
- Ability to shift priorities in a flash, as the news dictates.
- Ability to work independently, drawing on solid news judgment, while maintaining timely communication with editors.
- Demonstrated mastery of social media – as a reporting tool and as a way to push out news, build and engage our audience and enhance your own brand.
- Exceptional track record with accuracy – built on strong work habits geared toward double-checking facts, names and figures.
- Ability to produce clean, clear, concise copy every time.
- Strong skills as a collaborator, able to work constructively with editors and reporting colleagues in a deadline-driven environment.
Required:
5+ years covering a professional team
BA degree in Journalism or related.
We offer a competitive salary and benefits.
