Opinion Columnist — The Tennessean

The Tennessean part of the USA TODAY Network is seeking a sharp ambitious and deeply reported opinion columnist to help lead civic conversation in Nashville Middle Tennessee and across the state. This columnist will produce distinctive high-impact commentary that informs readers challenges assumptions elevates underheard perspectives and advances The Tennesseans commitment to the First Amendment civil discourse and a diversity of successful candidate will be an authoritative voice on the issues shaping life in Middle Tennessee from politics growth and education to culture equity business public safety accountability and quality of life. This role requires original reporting strong sourcing rigorous analysis and a clear point of view grounded in facts. The columnist should be comfortable moving quickly on breaking developments while also developing enterprise columns that bring depth context and accountability to the public :Write compelling timely and deeply reported opinion columns that serve readers in Nashville Middle Tennessee and a consistent recognizable voice that reflects intellectual honesty fairness curiosity and reporting data public records interviews and lived community experience to support persuasive quickly and thoughtfully to major news events elections public policy debates and cultural enterprise commentary that holds leaders and institutions accountable and helps readers understand complex and maintain a broad network of sources across government business education faith nonprofit neighborhood arts sports and civic readers through digital-first storytelling newsletters video audio social media and live or virtual community with editors audience teams visual journalists reporters and USA TODAY Network partners to maximize reach engagement and the Opinion team professionally in reader conversations public forums and community engagement to USA TODAY Co. standards for accuracy fairness ethics sourcing corrections social media conduct and conflicts of :At least five years of journalism experience with a strong record of reported commentary enterprise writing political or civic journalism or a closely related writing editing reporting and analytical ability to form clear defensible arguments supported by facts context and independent knowledge of Nashville Middle Tennessee or Tennessee or a proven ability to quickly develop expertise in a local news judgment and the ability to identify issues that matter to local readers and working in a fast-paced digital-first newsroom with daily and weekly using audience data search insights and social listening to inform coverage decisions without compromising editorial with social media as a reporting engagement and distribution to work collaboratively across teams while maintaining an independent distinctive degree in journalism communications or a related field preferred or equivalent professional Qualifications:Experience covering local or state politics public policy growth and development education criminal justice culture or economic opportunity.A track record of columns or essays that drove community conversation accountability reader engagement or measurable digital audience with newsletters podcasts video commentary live events or other audience-centered to write across a range of tones from urgent analysis to explanatory commentary to reflective civic with Tennessees political cultural and demographic The Tennessean and USA TODAY Co.:The Tennessean is Nashvilles leading news organization and a vital source of journalism for Middle Tennessee. As part of USA TODAY Co. The Tennessean contributes to a national network committed to essential journalism local impact and digital audience growth. The Opinion team seeks to actively influence and improve quality of life in Middle Tennessee by standing for freedom of information civility accountability the voiceless and a broad diversity of Instructions:We are eager to learn more about you and how you would approach this role. Please submit a single PDF that includes in this order: your resume a cover letter explaining your vision for opinion journalism at The Tennessean and links to 3-6 samples of your best work. Your samples should show reporting depth original analysis strong voice and the ability to engage readers on issues of public is important that these items be assembled into a single document and uploaded in PDF format. Completing these steps will ensure that your application receives the highest consideration.#Newsgnt#LI-CB1