Lead Food & Dining Reporter & Editor (Savannah)

AgUpdate

Georgia

On-site

USD 65,000 - 90,000

Full time

2 days ago

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Job summary

The Savannah Morning News, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, is seeking an ambitious, digitally savvy Food & Dining Reporter/Editor to lead coverage of Savannah's dynamic culinary scene. You'll produce breaking news, features, reviews, and enterprise stories about restaurants, chefs, and local food culture, while creating service content and video storytelling to engage readers and boost subscriptions.

Familiarity with Savannah and Southern food traditions is preferred, and you will collaborate

Qualifications

Bachelor's or master's in communications, journalism or equivalent.
Minimum of three or more years of newsroom experience.
Facility with AI and automation to enhance journalism.
Strong command of AP grammar and style.
Strong copy-editing and publication-ready content.
Experience using social media to promote stories.
Experience creating digital-first content, including video and social storytelling.
Understanding of audience analytics, SEO, and engagement strategies.
Ability to work independently and manage multiple deadlines.
Willing to work weekends and nights during major breaking news.
Requires a valid driver’s license and reliable transportation.

Responsibilities

Lead Savannah Morning News' food and dining coverage across digital, video, social, and newsletters.
Serve as a content editor in the newsroom.
Report and write breaking news, features, profiles, trend stories, reviews, and enterprise pieces focused on restaurants, chefs, food culture, and the local hospitality industry.
Create high-performing service journalism, including restaurant guides, rankings, dining recommendations, best-of lists, and seasonal coverage.
Develop video content showcasing restaurants, chefs, local food traditions, and dining experiences.
Build and maintain relationships with chefs, restaurant owners, industry leaders, and community stakeholders.
Identify emerging food and dining trends and translate them into engaging audience-focused content.
Edit and package stories for maximum digital engagement, search visibility, and social distribution.
Collaborate with visual journalists, audience teams, and newsroom leaders to grow readership and subscriptions.