Higher Education Reporter Job at San Antonio Report in San Antonio

The San Antonio Report is seeking a curious and energetic reporter to join our team and cover a new beat focused on the city’s higher education scene. This position is part of a partnership with Open Campus, a national nonprofit news organization with a network of local reporters dedicated to covering higher education. 

San Antonio boasts a diverse and dynamic higher education landscape, serving a student population exceeding 120,000 across public and private universities, as well as a robust community college district. These higher education institutions play a crucial role in the city’s economic development and cultural enrichment, providing a wide array of educational opportunities to a growing population. Independent journalism can shed light on how well these local institutions serve their communities, helping citizens make informed decisions about education and career paths.

The higher education beat will examine the critical role that higher ed plays in the life and health of a place, including how it can drive economic opportunity, advance social mobility, increase civic engagement and foster healthy neighborhoods and families, as well as hold institutions accountable with well-reported news coverage.

The San Antonio Report is San Antonio’s leading local online news source. Nonprofit and nonpartisan, the site is open to all readers, with no paywall. We are committed to earning readers’ time and trust by providing useful and informative news, insights and perspectives they won't find anywhere else, always aiming to spur interest and action in the community around us. We are highly engaged with our community and host events throughout the year with city thought leaders and officials. 

Learn more about our partner, Open Campus, at https://www.opencampusmedia.org/local-network/. As part of this collaboration, our higher education reporter will be connected to a national network of reporters covering this beat for their communities and to a team of editors with decades of expertise in the topic.

In addition to the skills and experience listed below, we are looking for someone who is passionate about local news, thriving on building relationships with sources and connecting with audiences. 

SKILL/EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: 

• Strong reporting skills, with at least two years’ experience in a newsroom and specific experience covering education preferred.
• Ability to pivot between multiple assignments, ranging from breaking education news to in-depth short and longer-term enterprise stories, all while adhering to deadlines.
• Strong writing skills with proven ability to explain the complicated education challenges related to resources and governance.
• Willingness to work closely with editors and other colleagues in shaping the best stories for our audience.
• Schedule flexibility (some night and weekend work).
• Spanish proficiency is a plus.

EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS:

Bachelor's degree in journalism or related field.

This is a full-time, exempt position and is based in San Antonio, TX. Our nonprofit news organization, located in the country's seventh-largest city, offers competitive pay, full benefits and generous paid time off, and embraces a collaborative work culture.

The starting salary range for this position is $45,000 - $55,000 and is commensurate with experience and skill set. Some of the benefits employees enjoy are generous personal time off, ten paid holidays, health benefits, a 401(k) plan, and paid parental leave.

If this sounds like the place and position for you, please send a cover letter, resume and list of three references to: apply@sareport.org and include “Higher Education Reporter” in the email subject line.

The San Antonio Report is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage applications from individuals of all races, gender identities, sexual orientation and generation as well as people with disabilities and those who have followed nontraditional education paths.