Affordability Reporter

The News & Observers seeks a digitally savvy, service-minded Affordability Reporter to guide our readers in making their dollars stretch further. The Raleigh and Durham region is one of the nation’s fastest-growing metro areas in large part because of its relative affordability. But how do residents make that work?

This beat serves renters and would-be homebuyers squeezed by rising prices, parents and caregivers juggling housing and childcare costs, longtime residents trying to stay put as taxes and fees rise, and newcomers figuring out how to build a life here. The reporter in this position will be both a journalist and a guide: someone readers recognize, trust and turn to when they’re trying to make sense of life in the Triangle, helping them understand what it really costs to live in different communities and offering clear, actionable guidance on housing, utilities, transportation, childcare, health care and other core expenses.

You’ll produce a steady cadence of journalism readers can use right away — quick-turn explainers, news-driven “what this means for your wallet” stories and quick-turn enterprise on the forces driving affordability. You’ll collect and answer questions from the community, serving as an expert insider in articles, at events and on social media. You’ll translate policy changes, market shifts and financial fine print into accessible stories, using data, public records and on-the-ground reporting to surface realistic options and tradeoffs for people at different income levels.

Regular features that bring our reporting closer to our readers will be an important part of the job; you’ll be asked to develop your own ideas, like Q&As that tackle “Can I afford…?” questions, budget breakdowns with real Triangle families, and/or “bill-busting” guides that walk readers through ways to save.

This is a high-impact, high-output role for a reporter who thrives on daily reporting, audience connection and practical storytelling. We’re looking for someone who is curious and empathetic talking with people about money, comfortable working with numbers, and eager to build connections with a loyal audience with social video. You should embrace digital tools, use audience insights to shape coverage, and experiment with new formats.

To apply, include a persuasive cover letter, your resume and four to six examples of your best work.

What you’ll bring:

• A college degree or equivalent experience.
• At least one year of professional experience.
• The ability to write quickly, accurately and engagingly on a wide variety of topics.
• Experience building diverse source networks and providing a constant flow of story ideas.
• The ability to quickly and accurately research and verify the authenticity of information, sources, photos and video.
• An understanding of audience metrics, SEO best practices, and social and search trends.
• Experience with, or a willingness to learn, producing engaging vertical videos.
• The ability to find and analyze data to inform reporting.
• Excellent news judgment and commitment to ethical journalism.
• Fluency in digital storytelling and social media.
• A commitment to diverse coverage through community engagement and source building.

All McClatchy Media journalists are expected to take advantage of opportunities to ethically harness and leverage artificial intelligence and other automation to enhance and elevate their work and to find efficiencies that free them to focus on source-building and high quality, deeply reported journalism.

What we’ll bring:

Raleigh is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, a diverse state capital with a vibrant downtown, strong universities and a robust tech and life sciences sector. The Research Triangle offers a rich cultural backdrop — with outstanding food, thriving music and art scenes, and abundant greenways and outdoor escapes. The area is home to leading universities, state government, corporate headquarters, fast-rising startups, and is just a short drive from both the coast and the mountains.

As a journalist at McClatchy, you will join a supportive, flexible, collaborative team. McClatchy strives to be an employer of choice, and our benefits package is made with this goal in mind. With a focus on health, well-being, wealth and daily life, our package options include healthcare coverage for employees and their families, financial protection from expected and unexpected expenses, multiple no-cost wellness resources and even coverage for four-legged friends.

Our overall benefits package also includes a 401(k) with employer match, competitive paid time off and corporate holidays, and a variety of mental health benefits. With an excellent support team and with focus on your well-being as a top corporate strategy, McClatchy provides benefits to support you and your family in achieving your health and wellness goals. For more information on McClatchy's benefit plan, please visit McClatchyLivewell.com.

About the McClatchy Media Company

The McClatchy Media Company features a portfolio of vibrant and trusted news, lifestyle, entertainment brands and a robust retail distribution network. Our iconic local news brands such as the Miami Herald, The Kansas City Star and The Sacramento Bee, have collectively earned a total of 57 Pulitzer prizes and are complemented by popular lifestyle and entertainment brands such as Us Weekly and Woman’s World. Together, our brands reach more than 100 million unique visitors a month,The McClatchy Retail Network, our distribution and logistics arm, offers delivery to more than 56,000 retail locations weekly.

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