Economic Journalist Jobs (NOW HIRING)

JOB SUMMARY (Two/Three Lines):
• The Multimedia Journalist, Education and Opportunity covers the systems, institutions, and community forces that shape how people in the Lehigh Valley learn, work, and build their futures.
• This beat spans public school funding and outcomes, workforce development, career pathways, and childcare as a barrier to economic participation.
• The journalist in this role produces original content across digital, audio, video, newsletter, and social platforms, and brings a community first lens to stories about access, equity, and opportunity in the Lehigh Valley.
RESPONSIBILITIES (Tasks):
• Own the Education and Opportunity beat, developing deep knowledge of the Lehigh Valley's public schools, school districts, workforce development programs, career pathway initiatives, and childcare landscape.
• Build and maintain a strong, diverse source network across the beat, including educators, school administrators, workforce development organizations, parents, students, and community advocates.
• Report and produce original content consistently across digital, newsletter, audio, and video formats, meeting deadlines and editorial standards.
• Pitch story ideas regularly and work with the Director of Content to develop and execute a beat coverage plan aligned with LVPM's editorial themes.
• Create and capture social-native content - short-form video, photos, and clips - from the field and from finished stories, in coordination with the Social Media Coordinator.
• Engage with students, families, educators, and community organizations in ways that reflect LVPM's commitment to community-centered journalism.
• Represent LVPM in the community, attending events, public meetings, and community gatherings relevant to the beat.
• Contribute to LVPM's newsletters by providing beat content, story summaries, and updates on a regular cadence.
• All other duties as assigned.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (Results Ownership):
• Consistent production of original, community-centered content on the Education and Opportunity beat across platforms, on deadline and to editorial standard.
• A well-developed beat with active source relationships across schools, workforce organizations, and community partners.
• Content that reaches audiences across digital, newsletter, audio, video, and social platforms.
• Meaningful contribution to LVPM's social content through field capture, clips, and social-native storytelling.
• Active participation in tentpole programming and community events relevant to the beat.
Requirements
KEY COMPETENCY COMPONENTS (Behaviors Exhibited):
SKILLS: (Ability to use knowledge effectively and competently in execution)
• Strong storyteller who can produce across formats and adapt tone and length for each platform.
• Able to shoot and capture photos and video in the field to a publishable standard.
• Comfortable recording and editing audio for podcast and digital distribution.
• Creates social-native content that engages audiences on the platforms where they are.
• Strong source builder who develops genuine, trust-based relationships across schools, workforce organizations, and the broader community.
KNOWLEDGE: (Facts acquired by a person through experience or education)
• Solid grounding in journalism ethics, accuracy, fairness, and editorial standards.
• Understanding of how content distributes differently across digital, newsletter, audio, video, and social platforms.
• Familiarity with the Lehigh Valley's education systems, workforce landscape, and community organizations, or a demonstrated eagerness to develop that knowledge quickly.
• Understanding of the policy and funding structures that shape public education and workforce development at the local and state level.
EXPERIENCE: (Work experience, degree attainment, professional certifications)
• Two to three (2-3) years of professional journalism or content experience, including reporting, writing, and multimedia production.
• Demonstrated experience producing content across more than one format - text, audio, video, or social.
• Experience covering education, workforce development, or related community beats preferred.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish, preferred.
• Bachelor's degree in journalism, communications, or related field, or equivalent professional experience.
TRAITS: (Distinguishing qualities of a person)
• Curious
• Dependable
• Community-minded
CHARACTERISTICS: (The special trait that makes a person unique)
• Genuinely interested in how education and opportunity shape life in the Lehigh Valley - brings that curiosity and care into every story.
• Approaches the work with a can-do attitude and figures out how to get things done across formats and deadlines.
• Works well independently and as part of a collaborative team and is easy to edit.
OTHER WORK REQUIREMENTS:
• May be asked to work longer hours and occasional weekends, particularly for tentpole events, school board meetings, community programming, and breaking coverage.
• As you will/may be driving a company vehicle or your own vehicle for company business, a valid driver's license and a good driving record as determined by a driver's license background check is required for this position.
• All team members must successfully pass a background check (7 years), FBI fingerprint clearance and PA child clearance.