Job Description
Summary The Inquirer is seeking a highly experienced, well-networked and respected sports enterprise writer/columnist who can offer perspectives, analysis and prestige to its coverage of Philadelphia's sports teams at all levels. This writer will bring an already existing following of readers to The Inquirer, and will be tasked with building new audiences through sports-adjacent topics and stories. The writer/columnist will join The Inquirer's existing roster of award-winning columnists and drive page views and subscriptions through columns and features.
About Us The Philadelphia Inquirer is a public benefit corporation owned by the nonprofit Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Together, we're at the center of a critical mission to create a lasting future for ambitious, engaging, and useful local journalism. We're doing this, in part, by deepening our connection with the communities we serve. Our integrated digital and print platforms are the Philadelphia region's largest media network. We're passionate about building a sustainable model for indispensable local journalism, and we take pride in finding diverse, dynamic, and talented individuals to help push our team forward.
What You'll DO: - Cover and comment on sports stories through a Philly-tinted lens, identifying newsworthy events and the best ways to engage local fans
- Experiment with engaging storytelling formats like live blogs, explainers, interactive features, and more
- Create and join the conversations fans - both hardcore and casual - are having within the Philadelphia sports zeitgeist
- Write quick reactions to breaking news, live game coverage and transactions such as trades, free agency and annual drafts
- Obsessively monitor Philly sports chatter and engagement across social media, including relevant podcasts and TV broadcasts
Who We're Looking For: - Has expert-level knowledge of sports and the culture of Philly sports fandom
- Has an established following on social media and professional network
- Has a constant motor for story ideation and planning packages for features
- Is comfortable working fast in breaking news situations and can write on deadline
- Has flexibility to pivot a column idea, story format or feature story and react accordingly
- Thinks critically about topics both provincially and nationally
- Has a keen sense of sports news and local fan interests
- Can produce multiple opinion columns a week
- Has strong multi-tasking skills to handle columns and enterprise in progress
- Has strong understanding of SEO best practices and search trends
- Is knowledgeable in using analytics tools and maximize audience reach
- Will help mentor younger reporters and editors
The Philadelphia Inquirer is committed to attracting a diverse group of interested people to join our team, so please err on the side of applying even if you're unsure if you meet all the qualifications. We encourage anyone to apply who shares our passion for indispensable journalism and our drive to create a sustainable business model to support it. As an equal opportunity employer, The Inquirer is building an inclusive and equitable workplace where everyone feels a sense of belonging. We especially encourage people from marginalized and underrepresented backgrounds to apply, including people of color, women, people from the LGBTQIA+ community, and people with disabilities.
Job Tags
Casual work, Freelance, Local area,