The Eugene Register-Guard/registerguard.com and the Salem Statesman Journal/statesmanjournal.com, both part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, are looking for a sports editor dedicated to developing talented journalists in a fast-paced, digitally focused environment in Gannett’s two Oregon newsrooms.
The ideal candidate has great news judgment, strong editing and management skills and is technically savvy. They must have proven experience working with reporters to shape coverage based on audience metrics and digital subscription growth. This editor will be responsible for developing the best approaches and techniques to bring sports readers on a path to subscription.
The editor will lead a three-person team in Eugene and a two-person team in Salem in the creation of digitally focused sports content that resonates with readers. The editor will oversee reporters covering college sports (particularly University of Oregon Ducks), high school preps in Lane, Marion and Polk counties, track and field and other Oregon sports news and trends.
Salem is home to several smaller colleges and focuses its coverage on high school sports. Eugene is home to the UO Ducks, with nationally ranked teams in football, basketball (men’s, women’s), track and field, softball and baseball. There’s a strong network of passionate Ducks fans, supported by dedicated alumni across the nation and globe.
Known as TrackTown USA, Eugene is an outdoors-minded community with miles of urban forested trails for hiking and running. It’s produced many great Olympic runners, landmark sports venues and a host of sporting events from popular marathons to five U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Track & Field. (It’s also where Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight created the first Nike “waffle” track shoe.)
The editor will work collaboratively with the Oregon Network editors in developing overarching coverage. The editor would have the choice of living in Eugene and Salem and would be expected to spend time in each newsroom. Salem is located about an hour north of Eugene.
Salem and Eugene are located in Oregon’s Willamette Valley and sit about an hour from the beautiful, rugged Oregon Coast. To the east are the Cascade Range mountains. Head north on Interstate 5 to reach Portland. Both communities have a thriving outdoors community of hikers, cyclists and snow riders, passionate food communities with an abundance of local restaurants and locally grown, raised and produced food products. Craft beer is cherished here, and you can get a taste of the local flavor from the many local brewers, vintners, distillers and mixologists.
Eugene is a robust college town with several institutions of higher learning, including Lane Community College, Northwest Christian University and the University of Oregon. Duck fans cheer on local sports at Autzen Stadium and at local sports bars pouring regional microbrews. The Eugene Airport is 10 minutes from downtown, and Amtrak rolls right into the city center.
Salem is the capital city of Oregon and as such is a hub of activity. With the Legislature in session for some time every year, Oregonians from throughout the state are always in Salem. The college scene is populated by four sites of higher learning: private Corban and Willamette universities, nearby public Western Oregon University; and in-town Chemeketa Community College.
Responsibilities:
- Help the staff hone skills in a wide range of storytelling: from real time digital updates to narrative storytelling, employing alternative story forms and multimedia.
- Use metrics and analytics to determine how to best reach and grow the audience.
- Increase digital audience and engagement and grow digital subscriptions.
- Display creativity in everything from developing fresh content to writing SEO-friendly headlines to sharing content socially to having an eye for images and video.
- Be a teacher, not just an editor, because everyone needs a coach.
- Be courageous about experimentation.
- Be a team player who likes to collaborate with coworkers.
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s or master’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Marketing or related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- At least 2 years’ experience as a sports journalism leader in a digitally focused newsroom.
- Demonstrated record of leading a coverage team, including remote writers.
- Command of media law and principles of ethical conduct.
- Experience with advanced storytelling techniques on multiple platforms.
- Demonstrated planning and organizational skills.
- Fluency with audience metrics, social media, and SEO. Strong grasp of journalism skills (reporting and editing) and advanced knowledge of writing, spelling, grammar, AP, and local style.
- Understanding of best uses of live and recorded video and how to cultivate video skills throughout the team.
- Strong social media skills.
- Working nights and weekends as needed; often require employees to work extended hours, evenings, weekends, and holidays, sometimes unexpectedly.
- Employment is contingent on passing a post-offer pre-employment background check.
Application Instructions:
When you apply, don’t limit your upload to a resume; show what you’ve done. To do so, put together a single document file that includes the following, in this order:
1. Your resume – 1-2 pages.
2. A cover letter that outlines how you would approach the job and demonstrates your proven experience as a leader in sports journalism.
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.
