General Assignment Reporter, State Politics

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is seeking an enterprising general assignment reporter to join a dynamic team covering politics, elections, and state government in a highly competitive swing state.

The AJC's mission is to be the most essential and engaging source of news and information for the people of Atlanta, of Georgia and of the South. To achieve that mission, we will transform ourselves from a storied daily newspaper into a modern media company.

We are looking for a versatile reporter who can provide news and in-depth reporting. This reporting must serve an astute and demanding audience that values authoritative and timely coverage of politics and state government, including the Legislative session and the 2024 elections.

This reporter must be able to break news and explain policy and political developments in a clear and accessible way. The writer must be highly skilled at research and source development and knowledgeable about state and federal topics of concern to Georgia readers. He or she must be capable of quick-turn news and longer-term watchdog and enterprise work while maintaining rigorous standards for fairness and accuracy.

The ideal fit for this job will be comfortable building a wide source base, juggling breaking news, scoops and enterprise and interacting with local leaders, lawmakers, the governor and other local, state and national political figures as well as everyday citizens and voters impacted by news.

The person who assumes this position must be adept at building a digital audience, creating a two-way conversation with readers and serving readers across multiple platforms. The role requires comfort with changing technology, use of metrics to measure audience success and the ability to make many decisions independently on deadline.

A successful candidate must also be comfortable representing the AJC in other media and extending the AJC's brand.

Education

A Bachelor's degree and 4 years of relevant experience; a Master's degree and 2 years of experience; or a Ph.D. and up to 1 year of experience is required. In lieu of a degree, candidates with 10 years of experience will be considered.

Experience

5+ years of professional journalism experience preferred.

Other Experience/skills

Demonstrates strong news judgment and clear ability to quickly develop reader-focused story ideas.
Excellent writing and copy-editing skills to produce clean copy on deadline without significant editing.
Ability to juggle priorities and assignments
Generates work that is fair, accurate and complete, incorporating, where appropriate, a diverse range of sources.
Proven ability to operate under minimal supervision in a fast-paced, demanding environment is required.
Excellent communication skills and a collaborative attitude.
Proven record of serving political audiences with in-depth, engaging content is preferred.
Video and/or podcasting and social media experience preferred.