Specialty Business Reporter

Advance Local’s Headline Group has a unique and exciting opportunity for a Specialty Business Reporter to join our team.   As a Specialty Business Reporter, you’ll be the primary reporter responsible for anchoring coverage of jewelry industry news for our client JCK’s trade publication and website.  

Through interviews, research, participation in industry events, and adept use of social media, you’ll be responsible for producing high-visibility news stories and analytical articles about the international jewelry business.  You’ll produce hard-hitting news stories without shying away from challenging questions and controversial topics to consistently meet the audience’s demands for immediacy, depth, and engagement.

This is a hybrid position, combining remote work with time in our New York City office, as well as occasional business travel. 

The base salary range is $90,000 - $100,000 per year.

What you’ll be doing:

• Gather information and write news articles that are balanced, factual, timely, topical, well-sourced, contextually accurate, and delivered on deadline in styles and formats appropriate for distribution on all media platforms.
• Identify, develop, and follow stories that establish JCK as the first and best news provider for the jewelry industry, with particular emphasis on diamonds, gold and silver jewelry, gemstones, watches, retail outlets, laws and regulations, and taxation (including tariffs).
• Stay on top of developments in jewelry sourcing, design, manufacturing, marketing, and retail sales.
• Build strong professional relationships with industry decision-makers, spokespeople, business groups, Wall Street analysts, lobbyists, legal representatives, and other potential sources.
• Interact with readers on social media platforms, promoting both our organization’s and our client’s content initiatives.
• Employ AI tools to gather and prioritize information, suggest reader-friendly headlines and teases, scan copy for style and completeness, and prepare first drafts of stories from transcripts, press releases, and other sources, ensuring accuracy and thorough vetting of sources
• Maintain close communication with colleagues and editors.
• Effectively utilize a content management system and related hardware and software to prepare text, images, and other content for distribution.
• Use web analytics to monitor online traffic and align coverage plans with reader interests.
• Meet production deadlines, establishing a cadence of daily coverage that yields an average of ten articles each week.
• Participate in JCK’s twice-monthly podcast/vodcast.
• Represent our organization and JCK at important industry functions, shows, and conferences, attending various panels and sessions to cultivate sources and establish your position as subject matter expert

Our ideal candidate will have the following:

• Degree in journalism, communications, business, or a related field.
• Minimum five years’ journalism experience with a proven ability in reporting and writing, preferably with at least two years of business reporting covering jewelry, retail, or a similar industry.
• Proven ability to report and write news, work independently and remotely, and prioritize tasks appropriately, especially on tight deadlines.
• Demonstrated solid reporting, writing, and organizational skills.
• Solid understanding of best practices for search engine optimization, social media, and ethical journalism.
• Demonstrated mastery of the methods and tools used to develop, format, distribute, and promote content across a variety of digital and print platforms.
• Proven ability to cultivate well-placed sources, ideally in a wide-ranging international field of business, and deliver exclusive, high-value content that stands above the competition.
• Working knowledge of digital content management, Microsoft Office, and generative AI tools such as Microsoft Copilot or ChatGPT.
• Ability to work remotely