Women's Sports Reporter

The Minnesota Star Tribune is an innovative modern media organization building on an extraordinary 158-year legacy. With seven Pulitzer Prizes and numerous other accolades, we stand as a beacon of journalistic excellence in Minnesota. We are the heart and voice of the North.

Our mission is to build a better Minnesota by connecting us with the people, ideas, and stories that strengthen our communities. We’re seeking dynamic leaders who are passionate about journalism and democracy to help shape this future. If you are excited about reinventing one of our state’s most trusted institutions and leading us into a new era of growth and excellence, we want to hear from you.

Job Summary:

We are seeking a creative and entrepreneurial reporter to shape and execute a new role at the Minnesota Star Tribune: Covering women’s professional and college sports in the state.

You will be the lead beat reporter for the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA and the Minnesota Frost of the PWHL and the authority on women’s college sports at the University of Minnesota, University of St. Thomas and other local programs. You will develop a coverage plan with editors in the sports department that informs and surprises readers about volleyball, basketball, hockey, soccer and more.

You will be expected to drive the conversation around women’s sports in Minnesota. You should have a track record of producing contextual breaking news, in-depth enterprise, accountability journalism and game reports. You must be able to develop sources within the women’s sports community in Minnesota. We require solid news judgment, skilled writing and an aggressive approach to getting news to our readers quickly, on all channels and platforms.

This reporter must have a desire and a commitment to be an excellent teammate, working with positive energy alongside other sports reporters, columnists and editors in Sports and beyond who direct this coverage.

You will create and deliver ambitious, useful and distinctive journalism beyond the traditional story format and help to make this journalism an indispensable part of our readers’ lives. You will constantly challenge yourself with a simple question: Is this something our readers would willingly pay to read?

You will:

• Be relentlessly audience centric. Seek out and use data about where our audience is – and where we can reach new audiences – and work to break news and produce enterprise that meets audience needs and interests.
• Be enterprising and entrepreneurial. Our readers most value news and insightful reporting not seen elsewhere. Staying informed about evolving issues and emerging developments – while resisting incremental, turn-of-the screw coverage – will result in stories of interest to statewide and regional audiences.
• Be a watchdog willing to hold organizations and private interests accountable for how they wield power and influence.
• Cover the most important games and write about the most newsworthy and interesting people.
• Collaborate with fellow reporters and editors in various newsroom departments to determine daily, weekly and ongoing coverage strategies on multiple platforms and build avenues for engagement and amplification of your work and the Star Tribune.
• Leverage other mediums, such as audio and video and the camera on your cell phone, to reach wide audiences.
• Meet deadlines on stories from the quick-turn to the long-range.
• Work regularly from the Star Tribune’s downtown Minneapolis headquarters.

Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree in journalism or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and work-related experience.
• A portfolio of published work demonstrating solid news judgment, deep reporting, engaging writing and comfort with a broad range of topics.
• A thorough understanding of most sports.
• An ability to connect with sources and subjects from diverse backgrounds and include overlooked or ignored viewpoints.
• High standards and a commitment to fairness and accuracy.
• The ability to multitask and juggle multiple stories in a day and meet your deadlines.
• A commitment to the Star Tribune’s standards, mission and values, including journalism that reflects the diversity of Minnesota and the Star Tribune’s audience.

Pay: Annual pay for this position ranges from $60,252 to $84,268 a year, based on the A1 through A4-scale level in the contract of the Minnesota Newspaper and Communications Guild. 

Compensation for the role will depend on several factors, including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies and experience and may fall outside of the range shown. The Minnesota Star Tribune offers a competitive total rewards package, which includes a 401(K) match, healthcare coverage – medical, dental, and vision, life, disability, paid time off, and a broad range of other benefits. Learn more at benefits.startribunecompany.com

 More about The Minnesota Star Tribune

 At The Minnesota Star Tribune, we recognize that our employees are our greatest asset, and we are committed to their happiness, growth, and well-being. Here’s a snapshot of the exceptional benefits we offer:

• Modern Downtown Office: Enjoy a state-of-the-art workspace with a free fitness center, collaborative center, golf simulator, and a rooftop patio.
• Comprehensive Benefits: Includes commuting subsidy, medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Wellness & Work-Life Balance: Participate in our wellness program with financial incentives, generous paid time off, flexible holidays, one volunteer day, and two wellness days.
• Financial & Family Support: Benefit from a 401(k) with company match, paid parental and caregiving leave, hybrid work arrangements, and tuition reimbursement.
• Additional Perks: Access to an employee assistance program, pet insurance, flexible spending accounts, and health savings accounts.

Honored in 2023 with Diversity MBA's inaugural Top 25 Outstanding Leadership and Diversity Impact Awards, we are proud of our commitment to diversity and inclusion.

To apply:
Please upload a resume, a beat memo describing how you would approach the job, including at least five story ideas, and links to five examples of your work.

Questions? Contact Sports Editor Ryan Kostecka, ryan.kostecka@startribune.com

Equal Opportunity Employer

 Even if you don't meet every single requirement for this role, we encourage you to apply. At The Minnesota Star Tribune, we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace and welcome applicants from all backgrounds.