Economic Development Reporter

Deep South Today; Jackson (MS); On-site; USD 40,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is on the lookout for a passionate reporter to join their dynamic team. This role offers the chance to investigate and report on critical business and government issues affecting Mississippi, particularly focusing on socioeconomic challenges and solutions. You will collaborate with talented journalists, develop compelling stories, and contribute to vital investigative reporting that champions government accountability. With a commitment to inclusivity and community representation, this position promises a rewarding career path where your work can make a significant impact. Join a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to transparency and social justice, and help shed light on the stories that matter most to the community.

Benefits

Medical Insurance

Vision Insurance

Dental Insurance

29 Days Paid Time Off

Parental Family Leave

Simple IRA with Company Matching

Professional Training Support

Group-term Life Insurance

Qualifications

• At least two years of reporting experience, preferably in Mississippi.
• Proficiency with public records and some data handling skills.

Responsibilities

• Work with a team focused on politics, economics, and government in Mississippi.
• Develop story ideas and collaborate closely with editors and journalists.

Skills

Reporting

Investigative Journalism

Public Records Requests

Data Analysis

Collaboration

Writing Longform Stories

Working Under Tight Deadlines

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Journalism or Related Field

Job description

Mississippi Today’s Pulitzer Prize-winning newsroom is seeking a reporter to join our team and focus on business issues, particularly the intersection of government, politics and business in the state.

Mississippi’s crushing, generational poverty and other socioeconomic ills have many root and continuing causes, but chief is the continued inequitable way state leaders divvy resources and development efforts.

The state focuses its scant resources and efforts primarily on areas that are already relatively affluent. This creates a vicious economic cycle for areas such as the Mississippi Delta, Jackson, the southwest and other rural areas statewide.

This reporter will shed light on this cycle, and highlight solutions and policy reform.

This reporter will be part of our highly regarded Politics and Government Team, which provides vital investigative watchdog reporting and champions government accountability and transparency.

This reporter will focus on Mississippi business, small business and labor issues, economic development and workforce development and how state government policies, actions and spending impact the state’s economy and workforce. This is a somewhat untapped field and one that should provide ample opportunity for impactful investigative and news reporting on issues where Mississippi has long lagged behind other states.

Responsibilities:

• Work with a small team of journalists who are focused on politics, economics and government in Mississippi.
• Develop story ideas as well as collaborate closely with journalists and editors across the newsroom.
• Get people to talk, find willing sources and protect them while telling sensitive and timely stories.
• Work with our Audience Team and data and visual journalists to create compelling story presentations.

It’s a plus if you have:

• At least two years of reporting experience— and it’s a plus if you have Mississippi and business reporting experience.
• Proficiency with public records requests.
• Some level of working with data/records and mapping/graphics.
• Experience writing a combination of both longform stories and investigations.
• A demonstrated ability to work quickly under tight deadlines.
• A knowledge and understanding of nonprofit journalism.
• Experience working in a collaborative newsroom setting.

What you’ll get:

• The opportunity to work alongside award-winning journalists and make significant contributions to Mississippi’s only fully staffed, nonprofit, nonpartisan digital news and information source.
• Highly competitive salary with medical insurance, and options for vision and dental insurance.
• 29 days paid time off.
• Up to 12 weeks of parental family leave, with return-to-work flexibility.
• Simple IRA with 3 percent company matching. Group-term life insurance provided to employees ($15,000 policy).
• Support for professional training and attending industry conferences.

How to Apply:

We’re committed to building an inclusive newsroom that represents the people and communities we serve. We especially encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply for this position, including women, people of color, LGBTQ+ people and people who are differently abled.

This position is sponsored in part by Report for America , a national service program that places talented emerging and experienced journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and communities.