Sports Clerk

Description

This position – also known as the sports assistant or agate clerk – works under the direction of the Sports Editor and Deputy Editor, alongside a full-time agate lead, several full-time writers and a fleet of freelancers to provide breaking, in-depth, people-driven news in and around the Lancaster-Lebanon League. One of the key pieces of our coverage is stats/standings/schedules - when other media outlets moved away from staff oversight of box scores and agate, we doubled down on it. This position is key to that mission.  

The sports assistant also does some writing, as assigned or pitched, as well as pagination as needed. Diligence, communication, flexibility, attention to detail, ability to multi-task and flourish on deadline are hallmarks of this position.  

The sports assistant is expected to: 

• Record local sports results reported by phone, email and fax 
• Use and understand the agate CMS (Team Player) 
• Write brief game accounts and other sports news items 
• Paginate daily scoreboard page using Adobe InDesign 
• Compile national sports results and agate from Associated Press wire feeds 
• Perform various administrative and clerical duties as assigned 
• Exercise solid news judgment, a sense of urgency and the highest journalistic standards. 

Journalists with Pennon exercise strong news judgment and are expected to develop authoritative sources in the community, collaborate with other LNP|LancasterOnline journalists and meet the demands of a growing digital audience by routinely using social media, shooting photographs and video, and understanding how to post their work using a content-management system. 

In addition to the essential functions listed above, the employee is expected to exercise honesty, integrity and respect with all clients and co-workers, preserve confidentially of all business information and data, maintain a professional appearance and demeanor, demonstrate a positive attitude, communicate effectively with co-workers and clients, work with accuracy, efficiency, and attention to detail, respect the work environment and keep it as environmentally friendly as possible, and exercise initiative to learn new skills and tasks and to help co-workers when possible.  Reliable attendance and punctuality are also required. The employee is also expected to perform other related duties, special projects and functions as required from time to time.  

Requirements

• Excellent organizational skills, communication, and interpersonal skills. 
• Good typing skills and knowledge of a variety of sports. 
• Basic computer skills, including email, word processing, databases. 
• Adobe InDesign experience a plus, but not required. 
• High School Diploma / GED. 
• Ability to work holidays, evenings, weekends, nights up to midnight to accommodate news coverage. 

Work environment/equipment: 

·         Required to use a computer monitor, keyboard, and mouse for extended periods of time. 

·         Ability to lift up to 20 pounds on occasion. 

·         Proficient use of PC, laptop, smartphone, tablet, photo/video equipment 

·         Ability to travel to events or venues for stories.