Sports Editor, Athens, Ga.

STATEMENT OF JOB: Manages a five-person sports department, serving the needs of our audiences with a high standard of journalism in a competitive 24/7 web environment.


QUALIFICATIONS:

• College undergraduate degree
• Five or more years producing sports content in print or online, with an ability to write high-quality news stories, features and columns when necessary. Management experience preferred.
• Must possess the knowledge and ability to continue the newspaper’s transition into a digital-first center of online public conversation. The newspaper seeks a candidate with a proven track record as a digital-first thinker, who possesses an ability to grow our online audience and can help the sports section stay on the cutting edge as an online source of sports news, particularly concerning our bread and butter, University of Georgia athletics. Multimedia skills like web design, audio editing and video editing would be extremely beneficial.
• Must be able to supervise and motivate sports department staff, work with newsroom leaders and organize the workload of the sports department to meet the newspaper’s print and online needs.
• Must be comfortable interacting and engaging with a diverse community of constituents.
• Must be competent page designer and copy editor, as some page layout will be required. Ability to use InDesign and Content Watch would be helpful, as newspaper has recently started using those programs.
• Must have reliable transportation, a good driving record and current auto insurance, as some travel is required.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Directs the sports department and all its employees.
• Brings ideas to improve the delivery of sports news and information via traditional and non-traditional vehicles. Enhance the ABH web presence to be more appealing to readers and competitive with the media entities in the Athens area and to those who cover UGA.
• Constantly strives to find ways for content developers to produce new and creative content that will keep our audiences coming back to visit our various web products.
• Manages the budget of the sports department, including arranging travel, hiring freelance correspondents and ensuring that their monthly expenses are entered and processed properly.
• Meets deadlines and works under pressure with quality sport sections delivered on time and web content produced in timely fashion.
• Represents department at newsroom planning meetings and should always be willing to push sports stories to run on A1 when they have significant news value.
• Responsible for content of sports section, making sure we provide thorough coverage that serves the needs and interests of our readers, with heavy emphasis on UGA sports and the local high schools in our coverage area.
• Responsible for recruiting and hiring quality sports department employees.

This is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, duties, requirements, efforts or working conditions associated with the job. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current job, management reserves the right to revise the job to require that other or different tasks be performed when circumstances change (e.g., emergencies, changes in personnel, workload, rush jobs or technological developments).

WORKING CONDITIONS: Most work will be performed in newsroom under consistent deadline conditions. Travel is required. Night and weekend work required.

Please send resume, cover letter and work sample links to Andrea Griffith/Director of Audience Development: andrea.griffith@onlineathens.com.

 

Good job!

rb

 

I'll be glad to answer any questions you may have if I can.

David Ching
Sports Editor (for now)
Athens Banner-Herald

 

OK, where ya headed?

 

One of my favorite little papers. Granted, I haven't seen it in awhile, but this paper did a remarkable job against the AJC (which means beating it occasionally) with a staff where the majority are in their first job out of school.

 

In my opinion, it's gone way downhill since '08 or so.

 

Which paper are you referring to?

 

I've been sports editor since '08.

 

Got ya.

 

I'm curious too.

 

ESPN.com. Will be working for new UGA team coverage site as a beat reporter.

 

Congrats!