About the Company:

The Baltimore Banner is a nonprofit newsroom founded to bring high-quality local journalism to the Baltimore metro area. We are creating a vibrant, strong, trustworthy, and sustainable news organization, seeking to re-imagine the future of local news. Using a multi-platform news operation, covering a broad range of topics from local government to culture and the arts. We tell stories that reflect the community, connecting neighbors, holding government institutions accountable, and making sense of the world. All this work is grounded in truth. We believe we can contribute to a more vibrant, informed, and whole Baltimore, surrounding counties, and the state of Maryland.

About the Job:

The Baltimore Banner is hiring a Sports Columnist to cover local sports and provide analysis that resonates with readers and is worthy of subscribers. The columnist will cover the Ravens, Orioles, area colleges, high school sports, the annual Preakness Stakes, and other local sports news and trends.

We're looking for a strong, dynamic voice to help Baltimore fans understand the teams, players, business, and sports culture here. The columnist should be comfortable challenging the status quo and sharing unique perspectives across all levels of sports.

We also want a columnist open to appearing on video (local television, digital video) and podcasts. We seek a candidate who will earnestly engage with fans on social media and lead the discussion around Baltimore sports.

Responsibilities:

• Produce opinion and feature pieces built from robust reporting on local sports at all levels.
• Work with The Banner's engagement and data teams to build an audience and present content on all platforms.
• Assist beat and enterprise writers with shaping coverage. Cooperate on ambitious projects and investigations that will set us apart from the competition.
• Work with other Baltimore Banner editors, reporters, and staff to collaborate on coverage where sports intersect other topics

Requirements:

• A minimum of five years of experience in journalism
• Strong writing skills and ability to make complex topics understandable
• Strong news judgment and fact-checking skills
• Comfortable in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment
• Enthusiasm for news and content that will resonate with readers
• Demonstrate teamwork and willingness to collaborate with others
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Willingness to work some nights and weekends as news dictates
• Top-notch planning, organizational, and time management skills
• Prior sports column writing is preferred but not required
• Knowledge and use of metrics, social media, and SEO to grow audience and digital subscription
• A commitment to upholding journalistic values and ethics

Please submit a resume and cover letter explaining how you would approach the work of writing a sports column in Baltimore.

The Venetoulis Institute embraces diversity and inclusion, and we are wholeheartedly committed to proactively inspiring a culture of inclusion across our organization. We are dedicated to establishing an organization that reflects the fundamental respect for different ways of working and living. We assure every employee of the opportunity to reach their full potential.