Economic Development Reporter

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, an award-winning nonprofit news organization that has served western Pennsylvania for more than 240 years, is looking for an experienced reporter to cover one of the state’s premier beats: economic development in Pittsburgh, with an emphasis on downtown revitalization.

In late 2024, Gov. Josh Shapiro announced a $600 million revitalization project aimed at transforming the city’s business district. Among other things, this reporter will track progress on the multiyear project, report on commercial development citywide, and tell the stories of the people and individuals driving economic change in the region.

The successful candidate must be good at developing sources quickly and embracing a three-notebook philosophy: one for daily news, one for features, and one for deeper narratives and investigations. They will have demonstrated a talent for generating regular stories from the beat, be able to find an engaging story within the Planning Commission agenda, and be as comfortable talking with an office building worker as with development officials in the mayor’s office.

The reporter will be part of the business desk and would also have regular collaboration with the Investigations Team and Power & Politics desk.

What You’ll Do:

• Produce a steady stream of compelling stories that dig deep into the revitalization efforts taking place in Pittsburgh and the region
• Break news stories on the economic development beat
• Tell stories in creative and nontraditional formats, making use of visuals, social media and data
• Collaborate with the Post-Gazette's audience and data teams to engage the audience and distribute your stories effectively across all platforms. 
• Work in coordination with other PG editors, reporters and staff to cover related topics that cross into this beat

What You’ll Bring:

• 3+ years of professional journalism experience in a daily newsroom
• Exceptional reporting, interviewing, and writing skills.
• A demonstrated ability to generate original story ideas and develop exclusive reporting.
• Strong news judgment and the ability to balance daily coverage with longer-term enterprise work.
• The ability to explain complex issues clearly, accurately, and engagingly.
• Strong source-building skills and the ability to develop trust with people across different communities and industries.
• Experience using social media and other digital tools to report stories, identify trends, and connect with audiences.
• Comfort working in a fast-paced, deadline-driven newsroom environment that prioritizes digital audience growth.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills.
• Willingness to work evenings and weekends as news and events require.
• Commitment to journalistic ethics, accuracy, fairness, and serving the public interest.

Looking for a way to stand out? Submit a resume and cover letter outlining your vision 
For covering commercial development in Pittsburgh that will best serve readers. Include a variety of story samples that best illustrate the breadth of your reporting and writing skills. 

Additional Information: 

• Clips of your work: Please submit work samples relevant to this role.  
• Schedule: This position requires travel and working nights and weekends. 
• Location: This role is based in Pittsburgh 

Our benefits include:

• Flexible Paid Time Off
• Retirement savings - 401K plan offered through Human Interest, with a company match
• Student Loan Debt Repayment Assistance for qualified employees
• Full health benefits - medical, dental, vision, prescription, FSA/HSA., and coverage for family/dependents
• Sick Leave eligible for rollover
• Commuter Benefits
• 11 Paid National Holidays
• Employee Assistance Program
• Generous Parental Leave
• Company paid access to a wellness platform to support mental, financial and physical wellbeing

Our Core Values:

• Do what’s right. Honesty, morality, respect and the mission guide our actions and decisions. By doing the right thing, we inspire others to believe.
• Work together. We collaborate to create something special. Together we challenge assumptions, trust each other, take risks, and foster transparent and direct communication.
• Listen to be heard. Our stories are trustworthy. They are inspired by and created for our readers. Their story is our story. Communities are at the center of our journalism, and everything we do.
• Deliver impactful results. Acting as one accountable team and driven by an entrepreneurial spirit, we deliver bold and innovative results. We act fast, execute and learn. We celebrate great outcomes.
• Be inclusive. We celebrate the uniqueness of each individual and act by curating a culture that leverages diverse perspectives as the key to fulfilling our mission. The Post-Gazette is for all of us.

The Venetoulis Institute embraces diversity and inclusion, and we are wholeheartedly committed to being proactive in 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, and we assure every employee the opportunity to reach their full potential.

We are dedicated to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. If you require accommodation due to a disability to participate in the application process, please contact [email protected] to request accommodation. Reasonable accommodations may include, but are not limited to, adjustments in the application process, modifications or assistance regarding job interviews, and accommodations to enable access to our facilities. We appreciate the value that individuals with disabilities bring to our workforce and encourage applicants with disabilities to disclose their needs for accommodation to facilitate a smooth and inclusive recruitment experience.