Michigan labor/state workers reporter

Gannett; Lansing (MI); On-site; USD 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

The Lansing State Journal, part of Gannett, is seeking a journalist passionate about labor and issues affecting Michigan's workforce, including state employees in Lansing and across the state. The reporter will cover staffing levels, pay, benefits, work-from-home trends, and office space while aiming to expand local and statewide readership.

The beat emphasizes enterprise and investigative reporting, developing sources, using public records, and holding officials accountable, with collaboration

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in communications, journalism, or equivalent.
• Minimum of two years of reporting experience.
• Energetic self-starter and quick thinker who can identify stories that matter.
• Ability to multitask and perform well under tight deadlines.
• Ability to work collaboratively and efficiently with a team of journalists.
• Strong communication skills, news judgment, and headline-writing ability.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including empathy and compassion.
• Proficiency in social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Threads, Instagram, TikTok, Reddit) with experience engaging readers in public space.
• Experience shooting and editing photos and videos on an iPhone.
• Excellent writing, spelling, and grammar skills with knowledge of AP style.
• Understanding of media law and ethical conduct.
• Fluency in Spanish is a plus.
• This role requires a valid driver's license, reliable transportation, and the minimum liability insurance required by state law.

Responsibilities

• Identifies key issues through source development, data analysis and document reporting.
• Shapes coverage with independent judgment and strategic insight.
• Collaborates closely with editors to set priorities and deadlines.
• Produces highimpact, multiplatform work with a disciplined approach.
• Uses audience metrics to inform coverage plans and meet reader needs.
• Writes clearly and concisely, with strong nut graphs and clear relevance.
• Develops and executes distribution and optimization strategies.
• Delivers strong reader service, helping audiences find answers and solutions.
• Builds trust and credibility within the coverage area.

Skills

News reporting

Multitasking

Collaboration

Social media

AP style

Writing

Headlines

Story development

Photo/video on iPhone

Education

Bachelor's degree in communications or journalism

Tools

iPhone photo/video editing

Job description

Michigan labor/state workers reporter: The Lansing State Journal/lsj.com is seeking ajournalist who is passionate about labor and issues of importance to the state of Michigan's workforce as well as other unionized employees in healthcare, K-12 education and at Michigan State University. This beat is framed around the state's 53,000 state workers, about 15,000 of which live and work in the Lansing area. This is not a traditional state government reporting position focused on the Legislature or the news of the day from the Capitol. Rather, it's focused on staffing levels, working conditions, pay, benefits, work-from-home, state office space and other issues involving the state workforce. The successful candidate is expected to be able to attract audience locally and across the state by drilling in on issues that are critical to the state's workforce. The beat also includes some degree of state politics on a local level for the Greater Lansing region, which includes 12 state legislators and two U.S. House seats.

We're looking for an experienced journalist who can balance daily journalism with enterprise and investigative reporting, someone who can identify high-interest issues on the beat, cut through the political messaging and produce explanatory and revelatory journalism that is meaningful to readers. The reporter will be expected to identify trends across the region and state, pivot between different topics and consistently produce content that resonates with current readers and helps grow our audience, especially within underserved communities.

The reporter must be attuned to political trends, alliances and influence in polarizing times and deliver coverage that holds public officials accountable and helps readers make informed decisions about their community.

This beat is one of the lead investigative positions in our newsroom. The reporter must excel at developing professional sources, identifying important details in public documents, using FOIA to uncover records and have a dedication to relentless accuracy. The reporter must consistently - and persistently - dig below the surface and bring clarity to the issues they are covering.

The reporter must be able to work collaboratively and effectively in a team with reporters who cover business and development, crime and courts, regional communities, trending news, local government and other topics, and demonstrate an awareness of and adherence to the highest journalistic ethical standards.

Responsibilities:

• Identifies key issues through source development, data analysis and document reporting.
• Shapes coverage with independent judgment and strategic insight.
• Collaborates closely with editors to set priorities and deadlines.
• Produces highimpact, multiplatform work with a disciplined approach.
• Uses audience metrics to inform coverage plans and meet reader needs.
• Writes clearly and concisely, with strong nut graphs and clear relevance.
• Develops and executes distribution and optimization strategies.
• Delivers strong reader service, helping audiences find answers and solutions.
• Builds trust and credibility within the coverage area.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in communications, journalism, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of two years of reporting experience.
• Energetic self-starter and quick thinker who can identify stories that matter.
• Ability to multitask and perform well in a fast-paced environment under tight deadlines.
• Ability to work collaboratively and efficiently with a team of journalists.
• Strong communication skills, news judgment, and headline-writing ability.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including empathy and compassion.
• Proficiency in social media platforms, including but not limited to Facebook, Twitter, Threads, Instagram, TikTok, and Reddit, with experience engaging readers in this public space.
• Experience shooting and editing photos and videos on an iPhone.
• Excellent writing, spelling, and grammar skills with knowledge of AP style.
• Understanding of media law and principles of ethical conduct.
• Fluency in Spanish is a plus.
• This role requires a valid driver's license, reliable transportation, and the minimum liability insurance required by state law.