About the job

Philadelphia Business Journal is looking for a reporter to cover technology, innovation and higher education.

The ideal candidate brings exceptional journalism skills – source building, sharp news judgment, interviewing prowess, strong analytical and investigative reporting, clear writing, document use – and strong digital content sensibility. Whatever the platform, this reporter will produce content that is accompanied by perspective and context for a vibrant audience of entrepreneurs, business owners, executives and professionals in one of the nation’s most vibrant economic regions.

Specifically, this reporter will cover Philadelphia’s thriving technology and innovation economy, producing scoops and exclusives about established tech companies; the innovation coming out of the region’s world-class higher ed institutions and industries; local startups and entrepreneurs. This reporter will offer sophisticated analysis of the issues that affect these important industries, and savvy coverage of the executives, ideas and characters who make them go.

The audience for this reporter runs from startup executives to long-tenured CEOs, executives at every level in between, and everyone who wants to know and/or do business with them.

The Philadelphia Business Journal’s innovation beat has standalone branding as PHL Inno. This reporter would be responsible for populating PHL Inno’s site with the support of a national Inno team as well as local Philadelphia Business Journal editors. Experience curating email newsletters is a plus.

A Business Journal reporter is competitive, collaborative and curious. They are expected to contribute both short- and long-form stories to our news products online, in email and in print. Specifically, reporters are expected to own every important story on their beats; use networking events, social media platforms and other community-building outlets to expand and fortify their source base and audience; work collaboratively with other newsroom staffers to maximize impact and accessibility of stories reported; and meet or exceed goals related to audience engagement. Also, scoops matter. A lot.

Skills

• Proven excellence in reporting and writing
• Desire and ability to break news and to identify newsworthy events and sources
• Strong analytical and investigative-interviewing skills
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively
• Ability to relate comfortably to a wide range of people, in person, on the phone and online
• A clear drive to develop sources and build audience
• Solid understanding of news writing, journalistic ethics and story structure.
• Ability to leverage relationships with sources to deliver content that differentiates the organization from competitors.
• Multimedia skills, including video, photos, broadcast, on-camera, helpful.

Experience

• 2-3 years of reporting experience.
• Proven experience building, maintaining and engaging an active audience.
• Proven experience building and maintaining a strong source base.
• Knowledge of business principles essential.
• Experience covering the Philadelphia region a plus.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism or equivalent work experience

The Philadelphia Business Journal is part of American City Business Journals, a profitable, growing news and information company. We offer:
Exceptional benefits, including health, dental, vision, mental health, wellness, an employee assistance program and several specific wellness programs to help employees achieve their health goals. The company pays 83% of coverage costs.
Strong work-life balance. There’s no question that we work hard every day for our audience of top-level business owners, executives and decision-makers. Then we go home, to our families and our lives outside of the office. We have generous vacation benefits, and we don’t look at you funny when you decide to use them. In fact, employees are expected to take time off regularly. It’s codified into company policy.
Wide opportunities for growth. Our company is filled with people who’ve been with us 10, 20, 30 years, in positions of increasing responsibility. Growth opportunities aren’t limited to those who are willing to pick up and move for a new challenge. You can grow right where you are, if that’s how you want to do it. We offer weekly training on specific topics; training programs that prepare our journalists to take on bigger challenges and/or move up; a formal newsroom mentoring program; and funding for external training opportunities that bring new perspectives into our newsrooms.

American City Business Journals and its 45+ publications are the No. 1 source for local business news in the nation. We publish daily online, weekly in print and deliver multiple daily email products, as well as host monthly events attended by thousands of business executives.

This Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Company considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by applicable city, state or federal law. Appropriate CDC guidelines are being followed for the protection of our employees and customers.